Thought I would do my best @abasket 
impersonation and ask for simple! Summer! Recipes!
I’m actually entertaining here this summer! Like to figure out simple desserts and salads to have the golf girls over.
Needs to be able to make ahead. Love a great red white and blue dessert. I’ve thought about the pound cake, berries and whipped cream dessert but would love to find something new.
This is my go to salad, easy, versatile, delicious, healthy, gluten free, and does well without refrigeration. Favorite Quinoa Salad Recipe - Cookie and Kate
Simplest salad for a salad spread is the 2 ingredient watermelon+feta. If you added blueberries or blackberries your color palate would be on theme.
EASY PASTA SALAD
(Serves 6 to 8)
Ingredients:
½ cup vinaigrette dressing: 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar, 6 Tbsp. olive oil, 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. sugar, 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper, ½ tsp. dried oregano, 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard (optional)
8 oz. short pasta: bow ties, penne, elbow, orchiette, rotini, etc.
8 oz. cherry tomatoes: halved
3 sm. pickling cucumbers: peeled, seeded, diced
1/4 lg. red/orange/yellow bell pepper: seeded, diced
1/4 cup. crumbled Feta or goat cheese
3 oz. thin salami slices: cut into quartered rounds (optional)
Directions:
(1) Bring salted water to a boil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the pasta and cook 8-10 minutes.
(2) Drain the pasta in a colander, and run under cold water. Set aside to cool for 5-10 minutes.
(3) Whisk together the ingredients for the vinaigrette in a small mixing bowl until emulsified.
(4) After the pasta is well drained, transfer to a large bowl. Add the vinaigrette dressing to the pasta, and stir to mix. Add the cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, salami (if using), and crumbled cheese; stir to mix.
(5) Refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 30 minutes before serving, for the flavors to meld.
(6) This pasta salad keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Taste and season again before serving if needed.
Sorry about the formatting.
As weird as this one may sound, I made it MDW and it was everything promised! A big hit at the BBQ I brought it to.
Per the suggestions, take the time to whip the cream first. Add the stated amount of lime juice but then taste - I ended up adding a full cup. Don’t cheat the time in the fridge.
Have you tried the Jennifer Anniston Salad? I love fresh flavor combo. Also keeps great, so we make it at the start of the week for lunches all week.
Not a salad, but this one a go to east meal at my house since I can make the beef done at any point in the week. Store it shredded and just reheat under the broiler before serving. I make a bigger batch of the paste/sauce and freeze it in ice cubes so it’s even easier.
We serve it with corn tortillas, diced onions, avocado and lime wedges.
Love the quinoa salads (minus the chickpeas). Those are staples in our house, simple, delicious, and healthy.
Blueberry cucumber salad.
Although this has proportions I just use what I have until it looks right
4 cups cucumbers, peeled, halved, seeded, sliced ( I use small thin skin and don’t peel)
2 cups blueberries
Salt and pepper to taste
3-5 mint leaves sliced
1 cup feta or goat cheese depends on your preference.
1/2 cup or less white wine vinaigrette - I make my own but you can use any
Vinaigrette - whisk
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 Tbl sugar
2 clove garlic minced
Salt and pepper
Please share, what is this. I’ve asked a couple times in life but no one has shared! (And I didn’t look it up)
Love this good idea thread even if I didn’t start it! 
First thought that comes to mind is the idea from the 80s or 90s - fruit pizza! I’ve seen it done cookie style instead of pizza style
This is not red white blue but is a newer recipe we love and is good made the night before. It is a little spicy so you can change the name to Elote Firecracker Salad! Lol
This was delicious
Apparently what she ate every day on the set of Friends. Reminiscent of tabbouleh. The original was made with bulgur but “today’s” version is with quinoa.
Another summer favorite:
This is delicious - you use purchased lady fingers.
Can add blueberries for red white and blue. Can make in a clear bowl or clear 9 x 13 pan
It’s a make ahead recipe.
For a simpler red white blue dessert we make a trifle with purchased pound cake, whipping cream, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries and pastry cream or, in a pinch, cook vanilla pudding from a box. Sometimes drizzle some grand marnier on the pound cake before assembling.
Another red white blue dessert is to make a shortbread tart, fill with thin layer of cream filling, top with raspberries, strawberries, blueberries ( in a design or not), and brush a layer of melted apple jelly over the fruit.
The cream layer can be a cream cheese/powdered sugar layer or a pastry cream layer.
I just put on 3 pounds reading these recipes.
I make this all the time. It is so good and so easy.
