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

and the Ice Cream Sandwich Cake. 

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

Foodie Friday.