A HOT NIGHT AND THREE SALADS

IT HAS BEEN VERY HOT AGAIN HENCE I WAS VERY RELUCTANT TO TURN ON THE OVEN.
SO ARMED WITH SOME LEFTOVER ROAST CHICKEN ,CUCUMBERS, POTATOES, FETA,YOGURT AND HERBS.
I MADE THREE DIFFERENT SALADS.
ALL CAME OUT SURPRISING YUMMY!

FOR THE CHICKEN SALAD I HAD LEFT OVER ROAST CHICKEN I REMOVED ALL THE SKIN AND TOOK ALL THE CHICKEN OFF THE BONES. I ADDED SOME DRIED CRANBERRIES AND MADE A SAUCE OF MAYO AND THIS REALLY GOOD PEAR AND RED CURRANT RELISH GIVEN TO ME AS A GIFT FROM DENMARK AND SOME CURRY POWDER. ALL THIS IS MIXED TO TASTE-HOMEMADE OR STORE BOUGHT CHUTNEY WOULD DO AS WELL.

THEN I WENT THROUGH MY GO TO BLOGS FOR INSPIRATION-A FAIRLY NEW ONE (FOR ME AT LEAST) IS 'EVERYBODY LIKES SANDWICHES"
I FOUND TWO RECIPES THAT I COULD USE WITHOUT HAVING TO STEP OUT INTO THE HEAT .
I CHANGED THEM TO SUIT MY TASTE AND ALSO TO USE WHAT I HAD ON HAND.

incredible lemony potato salad
6 small yukon gold potatoes in their skins
2 stalks of celery with leaves, diced and leaves roughly chopped
1 large lemon, juiced and zested
1/4 c olive oil
1 t honey (or white sugar, if vegan)
1 t dijon mustard
1 small bunch of basil, torn
1 T capers
pepper and rock salt

1. Boil potatoes whole in their skins until done. Cool slightly and cut into large cubes. Place in bowl. Add chopped celery.

2. Mix together lemon juice, olive oil, honey and dijon into a dressing and pour over potatoes.

3. Tear basil leaves over top of salad. Add capers, lemon zest, freshly ground pepper and rock salt. Mix. Cool in fridge until ready to serve.

THE ONLY THING I CHANGED HERE WAS THE KIND OF POTATOES I HAD THESE LITTLE BABY YUKONS SO THE CHUNKS WERE MUCH SMALLER. I ALWAYS WASH MY CAPERS OTHERWISE I THINK THINGS GET TOO SALTY.

creamy cucumber dill salad
1 english cucumber, thinly sliced
1/2 T kosher salt
4 T plain yogurt
1 T mayonnaise
juice of 1 small lemon
freshly ground pepper
a few large springs of dill, minced
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 T crumbled feta

Thinly slice the cucumber with a knife or a mandoline (I just went knife-style) and place slices in a medium-sized bowl. Sprinkle with salt, toss and refrigerate for 30 minutes. The salt draws water from the cucumber so when you remove the cukes from the fridge, drain all the liquid.

In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, mayo, lemon juice, pepper, dill, onion and feta together and then drizzle over the drained cucumbers. Toss well and serve.

I LEFT OUT THE ONIONS SINCE I HAVE A THING ABOUT RAW ONIONS AND I USED GREEK YOGURT WHICH IS THICKER AND LEFT OUT THE MAYO. THE DRAINING OF THE CUKES IS A MUST OTHERWISE IT IS TOO WATERY.

NO PICS THIS TIME WE WERE TOO HUNGRY .

I WILL BE MAKING ALL THESE SALADS AGAIN-I THINK MY FAVORITE IF I HAD TO PICK WAS THE POTATO SALAD!