Finally

Good Morning.

And then it happened in the blink of an eye, after a foolish, interminable, taunting season I promised I wouldn't discuss again. College guys were out running with interesting hats but not a trace of a shirt. The gray hairs drove around town with the tops down on their vintage convertibles. The line at DQ was long and nobody cared a bit. I ventured into my back yard, finally absent of any white stuff, and saw that my grill had blown over. I use the black, kettle-shaped item with charcoal I will have to purchase directly; I am chomping at the bit to cook outdoors. In the meantime, in honor of the season of buds, nests, and greatly improved attitudes, we will have salad and I begin with Spinach and Orzo.

1 16 oz. package orzo

1 10 oz. package fresh baby spinach, washed, dried, stems removed, and chopped

1/2 pound crumbled goat cheese

1/2 medium white onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted in a dry skillet

1/2 tsp. dried basil

Dash of freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup olive oil

2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

Cook the orzo in lightly salted boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water. Place in a salad bowl and stir in chopped spinach, goat cheese, chopped onion, toasted pine nuts, basil, and pepper. Combine the olive oil and vinegar in a small bowl, stir well, and pour over the salad. Toss to combine. Refrigerate for several hours.

I like orzo better than rice and in my view it's easier to prepare correctly. I also prefer a salad rather than a sandwich for lunch for reasons that I cannot explain. It is, however, a fairly recent development so I shall attribute it to my age and doddering metabolism.

Moving along, however, we have Shrimp, Grape, and Cashew Salad.

1 pound of peeled, cooked, medium-sized shrimp

2 cups seedless red or green grapes, cut into halves

2 cups cashews, chopped a bit if you wish or left whole

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tbsp. minced shallots

1 tbsp. lemon juice

Dash of kosher salt

Mix the shrimp, grape halves, and cashews in a salad bowl. Blend the sour cream, mayonnaise, shallots, lemon juice,

and salt in a small bowl. Pour the dressing over the shrimp mixture and toss. Cover and chill in the fridge for several

hours. Substitute mandarin oranges for the grapes if desired, but they won't hold up as well although the flavor is nice. Don't mess with the cashews. They're the best nuts out there.

Potato and Bacon Salad with Roquefort Dressing

20 small new potatoes, peeled or not

1/2 pound bacon

1 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup heavy cream, lightly whipped

1/4 cup Roquefort

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

Boil the potatoes until tender, cool thoroughly, and slice. Fry the bacon, drain, and crumble. Combine the whipped cream, Roquefort, and mayonnaise in a small bowl. In a larger one, toss the potatoes, bacon, and chopped parsley with the dressing. Chill for several hours.

A salad of potatoes, bacon, and Roquefort is the stuff of dreams for me. I cannot imagine eliminating any of the ingredients

except, perhaps, the parsley.

Here's a Caprese Corn Salad, a variation on the classic version.

4 cups frozen corn, not defrosted

1/4 cup olive oil

3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

1 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper

1/2 tsp. granulated sugar, optional

3 cups chopped fresh tomatoes, your choice

1/2 cup finely chopped green onions

8 oz. fresh mozzarella, cut into small cubes

1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped

Heat up a large skillet so it's fairly hot. Place the frozen corn in the pan and stir fry until sort of brown. Remove and cool thoroughly on your counter. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Toss the corn, tomatoes, green onions, and Mozzarella with the dressing. Taste and add sugar if you want a slightly sweeter salad. Serve within 15 minutes at room temp. Add the basil at the very end.

This salad can also be made with half a dozen ears of corn, grilled in their husks on your barby until the husks are charred, maybe 15 minutes. After cooling, shuck the corn and scrape off the kernels with a sharp knife. Use tomatoes fresh from your garden or farm stand throughout the summer and the salad will be even better. Be sure to use fresh Mozzarella, not the shredded stuff in a package.

I planned to skip a chicken salad but changed my mind. This one is a bit different than the thing with grapes even though I

like the thing with grapes.

Chicken Salad with Mustard Basil Dressing

2 chicken boneless, skinless breasts (4 halves), cooked, and cut into thin, julienne style pieces

8 oz. Proscuitto, cut the same way

5 oz. Gruyere, cut the same way

8 sun-dried tomatoes, drained of oil, and chopped

6 green onions, finely chopped

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil

5 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

2 egg yolks

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, not the stuff from a plastic can

3 tbsp. chopped fresh basil

2 tbsp. Dijon mustard

1 cup vegetable oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Mix the chicken, Prosciutto, cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and green onions in a large bowl. Toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoon lemon juice. In a blender, process the egg yolks, Parmesan, basil, mustard, and remaining 3 tablespoons of lemon juice for 30 seconds. With the machine running, pour in the 1/2 cup olive oil through the top and then the vegetable oil to make a nice mayonnaise. Season with a bit of salt and pepper. Add this dressing to the salad, toss, and chill in the fridge. Serve on endive leaves or other greens but please no romaine that, according to reports including a notice at the DQ while I was getting my Moo Latte, would ruin your season of renewal should you decide to consume it.

Best regards.

Elisabeth