Salad recipes

Open-faced bacon, Swiss cheese, and tomato sandwiches on toasted rye with dill mayo, melted under the microwave in 90 seconds. A quick, hot lunch ready in 10 minutes flat.

Italian pasta salad with rotini, broccoli, mozzarella, bell peppers, and a homemade basil-oregano vinaigrette. A make-ahead cold pasta dish for potlucks and picnics.

Cheese tortelloni tossed with stir-fried cabbage, red, yellow, and green bell peppers in olive oil with basil. A colorful vegetarian pasta dinner that comes together in one hour.

Several kinds of cheeses are topped on the dough that has been brushed with garlic olive oil. After baking in the oven, topped with fresh arugula and olive oil. Enjoy this refreshing white pizza with arugula!

Hearty vegetable soup with Spam, cabbage, carrots, and potatoes simmered in chicken broth, topped with broiled Swiss and Parmesan cheese croutons. French onion soup vibes with a fun twist.

Grilled Japanese eggplants: smoky grilled baby eggplants served with roasted red peppers, warm herbed goat cheese medallions, and candied spiced walnuts. A stunning composed salad that looks restaurant-plated.

Broccoli onion quiche with Swiss cheese and sour cream in a flaky pie crust, baked golden brown. Serve it with a fresh salad for a light summer meal.

Napa cabbage and sheep cheese salad with sautéed onions, fresh thyme, and white wine vinegar. Tossed and rested for an hour so the flavors meld. Simple and satisfying.

Instead of guacamole or a salad dish, make these hot stuffed avocado. Creamy, cheesy, warm and packed with yumminess. They are great for Super Bowl or any gather-together occasions.

Summer vegetable spaghetti tossed with zucchini, yellow squash and green beans in a light tomato sauce with a pinch of chili powder. Low in fat, no oil needed, and just as good served cold as a pasta salad.

Here is a kind of throw together recipe I came up with: If you are entertaining you can garnish with fresh parsley and serve with a caesar salad, garlic bread and a nice chablis. The vegetables can vary. I've used mushrooms, spinach, cauliflower etc. Grouper works well with this because it has a lot of flavor. I've used fresh tuna and halibut but prefer grouper.

Black-eyed pea cakes with smoky adobo cream and melty Monterey Jack. An 18-minute vegetarian main that fries up crisp on the outside with a tender, cumin-spiced center.

Baked couscous casserole with black beans, corn, roasted red peppers, and creamy ricotta, served over fresh spinach. A hearty vegetarian one-dish dinner for six.