Marinated Tomato Cucumber Salad

   This nifty little salad has a tangy and zesty kick to it.  It's fresh, easy to make, and is great for BBQ's, picnics, or just when you need a little something different in a salad.

Marinated Tomato Cucumber Salad

4 Regular sized Cucumbers

1 package of small grape Tomatoes

1/2 Red Onion

1 teaspoon Dill

1 cup of shredded Parmsean Cheese

1 bottle of Gerard's Italian Salad Dressing

     Take the 4 cucumbers, peel them, and slice them in half.  Seed them.  Then cut them into 1/4 inch chunks.

     Take the package of small grape tomatoes, cut them in half, and seed the also.

     Take your 1/2 Red Onion and quarter it, and then slice it as thin as you can.

     Now, mix the cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, dill, shredded cheese all into a large mixing bowl.  Pour in one bottle of Gerard's Italian Salad Dressing, an mix.  Then either transfer to a covered container, or cover the mixing bowl with Saran wrap, and allow the salad to sit in the refrigerator overnight.

     The salad tastes best the longer that you allow it to marinate.  It will be good in a couple of hours, but I find that it really has to set overnight, and will last for a few days after that.  Before you are ready to  serve it, you will need to drain the bowl of the excess dressing.  I usually leave only about 1/4 of the juice in the bowl.  It is meant to be served that way.

Macaroni Salad with Shrimp

     Yes, summer is just around the corner, and just thinking about summertime foods gives you a craving for a Macaroni salad.  Whether it's picnics, potlucks, BBQ's, or a cool addition to a hot summer evening meal; a Macaroni salad that tastes other than just mayonnaise is always a welcome treat!

Macaroni Salad with Shrimp

16 oz. box of pasta shells

8oz. can of good quality peas

(save 1/8 cup of the reserve juice from peas)

1 small can of black olives

20 medium sized shrimp cooked

2 Plum Tomatoes

1 green Bell Pepper

1/2 Red Onion

1 1/2 Cup of Mayonnaise

1 Package of Dry Italian Seasoning Mix

1/2 Teaspoon of Black pepper

1/2 Teaspoon of Dill

     Now as part of the preparation you will need to do the following:

          Cook the Shrimp, and when done cut them in 1/2, then set aside to cool.

          Boil the Macaroni, rinse them thoroughly afterwards to get off all the excess starch,

               then set them aside to cool a bit.

          Open the can of peas, drain the peas, but save 1/8 of a cup of the reserve juice.

          Seed, and dice the 2 Tomatoes

          Seed, and dice  the Bell Pepper.

          Drain the small can of Olives.

          Cut, and dice up the 1/2 Red Onion.

     Now, you are ready to create your masterpiece.

     

In a large measuring cup, mix the dry Italian seasoning mix, the pepper ,dill and mayonnaise together.  You can put it in the refrigerator briefly when you are done to add a chill to it.  But it is not vital to the recipe.

Then, in a large bowl you are going to dump in the Macaroni, Bell Pepper, Tomatoes, Olives, Onion,  Peas, and the 1/8 cup of reserve juice.

Now, take the mayonnaise mixture out of the refrigerator and pour it into the bowl.  Add in the Shrimp,  Then stir until all the ingredients are thoroughly covered in the mixture.  Once it is to your liking,  pour it into a Tupperware container or glass bowl and tightly cover.  The salad is best  if it is allowed to refrigerate and set over night.