Thursday, August 5, 2010

Pool Party Salads


It's a pool party and I am in charge of the menu!
My good friend Barb has invited some couples
over for swimming and eating.

What would be good for dinner?

Well, since we have to get into swim suits, I decide
main dish summer salads would make for a
great menu.


Let's start with a little Cowboy Caviar.
Click here for that recipe.



This is going to be a potluck party.

We asked the guests to bring a main dish salad.


I just love potluck.  It is always so fun to see what people
bring and it always seems to work out.

We ended up with two Oriental Salads,
one with chicken, and one without.



A Steak and Feta with Toasted Pecans Salad


And a Bow Tie Spinach Salad.



This spunky beverage container was a 2010
TJ Maxx find.  How we love that store!
Barb got two and gave one away, and
wishes she had more. 

Why didn't I snag one?

Iced Thomas Kemper Rootbeer, Apple Beer and water
were the beverages for the evening.

What is Apple Beer you might ask?

Well, I have had this ever since I moved to the Rocky Mountains
during college, but I didn't really know what it was.
It says on the bottle,  "...a 19th century Bavarian tradition
made in the Rocky Mountains since 1964."
I looked it up on Wikipedia and they said it was
"A non-alcoholic American variant of the German drink
fassbrause."  It must speak to my German roots on my
Dad's side. 
Apple Beer's web site says it is "a non-alcoholic, non-
caffeinated soft drink made from Sicilian apples and
a unique blend of natural flavors."

You can even order it from their web site. Who knew?


Who is that good looking guy waiting for the other guests
to arrive?



We decided to swim first while it was still hot outside.
(Plus, that way you don't feel as bloated in your swim suit!)
Then we dried off and grabbed one of Barb's beautiful plates.

The menu was rounded out by bread, roasted potatoes

Barb saw the cake on my blog and requested it.
Two couples liked it so much they said they were
stopping at the grocery store on the way home to pick
up the ingredients for Sunday dinner.

Everything was delicious.  I am going to share Barb's
recipe for the Bow Tie Spinach Salad.
This is really great.  I couldn't stop eating it.



Bow Tie Spinach Salad

8 C. spinach, torn in pieces
8 C. bow tie pasta cooked and cooled
1 bunch green onion, chopped fine
1/4 C. parsley, chopped
1/4 C. salted sunflower seeds
1/2 C. red and yellow peppers, chopped
4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

Dressing:
1/2 C. oil
2/3 C. soy sauce
2/3 C. rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
3 T. sugar
1 tsp. pepper
1/4 C. sesame seeds

Combine dressing ingredients and stir in chicken.  Place in a
covered non-metal container or a Ziploc bag and put in
the fridge overnight.  Combine the dressing and chicken
with the remaining ingredients when ready to serve.
Sprinkle freshly grated parmesan cheese over the top .
Serve.



Make the dressing, whisking well.


Combine the cooked chicken with the dressing and let
marinate.



Prepare all the fresh ingredients

Toss






Enjoy!



 I can't even describe to you how great this is.
It is a super light teriyaki flavor soaked into the
pasta and the chicken with the crunch of
sunflower seeds.  It just screams healthy!

This is my new favorite summer pasta salad.

Gnee at Singing with Birds just told me she just posted
a very similar salad yesterday, only it has more
goodies in it!  Check it out.




What a fun evening.  Everyone stayed until late, talking and
laughing and having a wonderful time.

I will be posting this
with
Designs by Gollum
on





Jacqueline
Jacqueline

Chocolat - French for Chocolate. I adored chocolate from a young age when I had to sneak in the cupboard to find where my mother had hidden the Nestle's Chocolate Chips. Having read about the famous chocolat shoppes in Paris, when I finally got there I was determined to try a chocolate from every Paris shoppe. I invite you to share my adventures in creating, in travel, and in life.

33 comments:

  1. Those salads look delicious! Need some nutrients to balance out all the sugar in my life ;)

    Mary xo
    Delightful Bitefuls

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  2. Well, we've all seen 'bed in a bag,' and now we have 'Complete Party in a Blog!' Thank you for sharing the menus...the salads look beautiful and delicious! Cherry Kay

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  3. What a wonderful evening! The food and drink look delicious...the atmosphere perfection!

    Enjoy!
    Cathy

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  4. Looks like the PERFECT summer evening. Delicious food, good friends and a wonderful atmosphere- lucky you!
    xoxo Pattie

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  5. Your spinach salad sounds so good, I'll try it this weekend. The apple beer is also interesting...
    Here in TN. our swimming pools are too hot to swim in!!! My daughter is having a pool party this weekend and is having to freeze jugs of ice to put in the pool to cool it down. She said the water is 96 degrees...isn't that wild!!!

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  6. Everything here looks SOOOO GOOD! I love the oriental salads! Thanks for sharing such nummy photos!

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  7. Great photos and what a fun pool! Thanks for sharing the recipe, it sounds really good!

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  8. Pool parties are so much fun, and your food sounds like it was so delicious! Salads are great in the summer. Thanks!

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  9. What a fun and fabulous party. Each salad looks wonderful, and our salads are different. I think the colorful peppers in yours are a great addition and your dressing is healthier. I'm going to try yours soon! Have you tried the new La Jolla Grove restaurant at the river bottom area yet? I can hardly wait to go back!

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  10. You have the best recipes and blog! Love it! *Smiles*

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  11. What a fun and delicious evening! Those are my kind of salads...the kind you can sink your teeth into!

    That pool slide must be a blast!

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  12. Thanks for your comments on my Christmas blog today, Jacqueline. Thanks also for these yummy recipes. I will try them soon as summer is approaching very quickly!

    I have been trying to re-follow your blog for a few days now and can't seem to access the follow button...somehow I seem to be following no-one?!! I don't know what is going on with blogger and I have had to go and re-follow about 200 people! AARRGGHH! I will try again now.

    Thanks again and best wishes,
    Natasha

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  13. Ok-I am back! All done! It is a shame that this happened as I was proudly one of your first followers!

    Bye again!
    Natasha.

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  14. What a fun evening! The salads and Cowboy Caviar look great - I thought it was salsa but I stand corrected. :-) I made fresh salsa tonight from the tomatoes in my garden. The steak salad with feta cheese looks excellent as do the two cabbage salads. Glad you are enjoying the Ice Cream Cake. It truly is a winner! Great photos, Jacqueline and I thank you for sharing them.
    Blessings, Beth

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  15. What an inviting looking pool & wonderful looking salads...I'm going to have to try the Bow Tie Spinach Salad! Thanks for bringing me along on your pool party :-)

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  16. Jacqueline, the salad looks fab and I love using different colored plates...fun! Where did you get the salad tongues...I am lacking in attractive salad servers. Also love the beverage holder. Skyler even had Apple Beer at Scout Camp...which he loved! Your mosaic is great...you will have to teach ME! Joni

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  17. What a fun party! Those salads look so delicious. And you got me interested in Apple Beer. I'd like to try it ;-)

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  18. Your blog is super cute!!
    And this pasta salad looks fabulous!!=)

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  19. If the Oriental Salad is made with dried Romain Noodles... it is my FAVORITE! And now I am drooling!
    Thanks for sharing!
    Rachel

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  20. The tub of drinks caught my eye immediately but I must say all of these salads look great. I make one version of the Oriental salad. We have it as a main course sometimes. Our family loves it. I'm anxious to try to bow tie pasta. Sounds so good!

    Nancy

    p/s thank you for your sweet comment about my Moms painting! ;-)

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  21. Ok. where do I start ?

    1. THANK YOU for leaving a comment... it led me to your BLOG and I LOVE IT ! EVERYONE NEEDS TO LEAVE COMMENTS !!! It's so much fun to find new great blogs to read!! woohooo!

    2. I LOVE ALL KINDS OF SALADS...YUM. I cannot wait to try the bow tie pasta !!!!!!!!!!

    3. I LOVE great TJ Maxx finds !!
    I just found a set of flour sacks for my kitchen...boy those things are hard to find !!! I have a zillion.... and always search for more because I only use flour sacks...

    4. Love all your pics....

    ok....off to read more.....
    P.s.
    Yes, do try the jalapeno popper dip. I served it at my Mexican themed party, and I'm not kidding when I say that one of the wives looked out my window, and saw her husband licking his plate....HA! It is soooo good.............

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  22. This looks like my kind of party. Good food, fun things to do, friendly people and lucious libatons!
    That pool looks like it would be so much fun!!!!
    Thanks for the bow tie pasta recipe. I am going to a picnic tomorrow and I am taking a pasta salad... I think I'll make this! Yummy!
    Yvonne

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  23. Absolutely YUM! I would put you in charge of any menu for any occasion! I am looking forward to creating many of your delicious recipes.
    Your blog is so refreshing and and delight to visit. I hope the pool was refreshing also:)
    ~♥

    PS There was comment left on my blog about the frustrations of the new format changes. She tells how to go back to the old comfortable style. I hope that helps in putting your new rental properties blog together.

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  24. Delish!! I make a version of the chicken oriental salad and it's always a hit.

    I'm going to try the bowtie spinach recipe this weekend. Thanks for sharing it.

    Oh, I've never heard of apple beer, and I lived in Colorado for 5 years. Sounds very interesting.

    :)
    ButterYum

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  25. Sounds wonderful! The food looks delicious! I want to try the spinach pasta salad! Nice blog! Thanks for sharing!

    Katherine

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  26. Thanks for the recipes! I will give the bow tie ones a try! I love eating salads for dinner in the summer! I too just love that beverage bucket how fun and colourful. Looks like a fun time with friends at that gorgeous pool! Thanks again for sharing looks yummy! Happy Foodie Friday! Sherri : )

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  27. Oh dear, your blog is very very nice, I love it! I'm happy end I see you again... A good w.e. Deborah

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  28. Everything looks so amazing! Now I'm hungry! :)

    Donna

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  29. You saved me! I now know what I'm making for Sunday dinner with my family... and the ice cream cake is coming too!

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  30. I'm so glad you visited me, so that I could return the favor and visit you. I love the sound of this salad recipe and I've already saved it to try next week. I really enjoyed your blog. Please come see me again!

    Sue

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  31. Jacqueline, Your bow-tie salad looks delicious. I love sesame seeds! That's a great idea. I will have to try your recipe next.

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  32. Jacqueline, everything looks wonderful! I will be trying your spinach bowtie salad most definitely. Would you happen to have a link or a copy of the oriental salad with chicken? It looks amazing. If not, I will just google it! Thank you! Take care!

    Blessings,
    Johanna

    ReplyDelete

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