Ah summer. When I was a kid summer was THE BEST. School was out, the weather was great, there were more things to do and everyone had plenty of time. I grew up in Michigan, and summer was definitely my favorite time of year. I remember swimming and bonfires and camping and FOOD. It was magical. We even ate differently in the summer. Fresh fruits and vegetables were plentiful, whereas they really weren't even available throughout the rest of the year.

As I grew older I somehow lost that summer magic. I moved to southern California with my husband and 3 kids, and summer became just another season, so much like the other seasons. I did my best to create the magic while my kids were young, but by the time they were grown it was gone.

Last year I caught myself dreading summer, and actually heard myself saying the words, "I hate summer." I realized it was time for an intervention. I made a "Summer To Do List" and forced myself to get out there and have fun. I went to the beach, enjoyed Shakespeare in the park, picnicked, swam, watched movies under the stars and ate homemade lavender ice cream AND recruited lots of friends and family to do it all with me. Summer was back! It was such a valuable lesson, as I learned that I have to continue to create my life, my fun.

So as June 21st approaches I've started my new Summer To Do List. I really don't need it anymore, but I'll keep it there as a reminder to create, to enjoy, to have fun.

This blog is part of that. Those of you who know me know that I love good food, and I love to share it with people I love. In an effort to try new things and eat healthily, I've challenged myself to make and share 60 Salads of Summer. My daughter Danica, who is a very creative cook, is helping me. And we're looking forward to sharing the fruits of our labor. I can't promise they'll all be healthy, but I can promise they'll all be delicious. Enjoy!

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

7. Guacamole Salad




















This is another Barefoot Contessa Salad.  It’s been a favorite of mine for years, and I've made it more times than I can count.  It’s tangy and spicy and creamy with ripe avocados, jalapeno peppers and a dressing made from fresh limes.  It’s perfect for a hot summer night when the last thing you want to do is turn on the oven.  

Ingredients
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved 
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and 1/2-inch diced 
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained 
1/2 cup small diced red onion 
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (use 2 if you like it spicy)
1/2 tsp freshly grated lime zest 
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (2 limes) 
1/4 cup good olive oil 
1 tsp kosher salt or coarsely ground sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper 
1/2 tsp minced garlic 
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper 
2 ripe Hass avocados, seeded, peeled, and 1/2-inch diced 
Place the tomatoes, yellow pepper, black beans, red onion, jalapeno pepper, and lime zest in a large bowl. Whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, salt, black pepper, garlic, and cayenne pepper and pour over the vegetables. Toss well. 
Just before you're ready to serve the salad, fold the avocados into the salad. Check the seasoning and serve at room temperature. 
Serves 6


Just in case you aren’t a fan of the Food Network, and don’t know what Barefoot Contessa is, it’s an Emmy Award winning program hosted by celebrity chef Ina Garten.  She’s written many fabulous cookbooks, all named after her specialty food store in the Hamptons, Barefoot Contessa.  http://www.foodnetwork.com/chefs/ina-garten.html

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