I think this is the potato salad to end all potato salads. It’s herby and tangy and filled with bacon. I literally can’t think of anything better.

I’m not a huge fan of a mayo based potato salad. There are some that are good- but it’s usually made with so much mayo and egg that the potato is almost an afterthought. This one is extremely potato forward - so use your good potatoes. It sounds silly, but it actually makes a difference if you use a good quality potato. If you can get them straight out of the ground, you will be blown away by how good it is.

Roasted Potato Salad

2 pounds small potatoes

3/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

2 tablespoons chopped basil

2 tablespoons chopped oregano

2 tablespoons chopped thyme

2 tablespoons chopped chives

4 strips cooked bacon, chopped

STEP 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Chop the potatoes into quarters, or smaller to make them bite sized

STEP 2

In a jar with a lid, combine the oil, vinegar, mustard, Worcestershire, salt, pepper, and all herbs. Shake until well combined. If I don’t have a jar on hand, I’ll mix the dressing in the bottom of the serving bowl - then throw the potatoes on top and toss them all together.

STEP 3

Let the potatoes cool slightly then toss with dressing and potatoes. Let sit at least an hour in the fridge before serving.

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Oven Baked Ribs

This is the perfect main dish next to your new favorite potato salad.

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I will tell you that I think salad and mayonaisse are contrasting ideas. A “salad” should not include mayo in its ingredients! It’s not even a little healthy with it - and the concept of a salad (to me) is healthy. So I have protested a mac salad repeatedly for years. But every summer we host a luau at our beach house and you cannot serve Hawaiian plate lunch without mac salad! So we started researching and came up with a version that is just like you might get on a plate lunch, but with way less mayo. If you love a traditional mac salad, then take a minute before judging this one. It’s not traditional. It’s a noodle salad for the rest of us!

Mac salad is always served on a Hawaiian plate lunch. Plate lunch is my favorite thing ever. I usually get teriyaki chicken or chicken katsu - and a little mac salad on the side is actually quite delicious. This version is delightful with a plate lunch without being gloopy. I think you’ll like it no matter what your traditional mac salad preference is!

Mac Salad (for people who don’t like Mac Salad)

serves 4

1 cup macaroni noodles

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 cup shredded carrot

2 green onions, chopped

salt & pepper

STEP 1

Boil the noodles and drain when they are cooked. Immediately toss with apple cider vinegar and set aside.

STEP 2

In the bottom of a mixing bowl, combine mayo, milk and sugar. Add the noodles, carrot and green onion. Toss to coat with the dressing. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

STEP 3

REFRIGERATE! It must sit for at least one hour. Otherwise it’s not good and we’re going for surprisingly good.

*Note - I use almond milk instead of regular milk and no one has ever noticed the difference. We’ve also used vegan mayo in the past to avoid eggs. Any of those substitutions work just fine.

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When I was growing up, this was a staple at every family gathering. Aunt Carolann always made this salad. And if she didn’t, then my mom did. It was by far the best part of a potluck buffet - and because we knew either Aunt Carolann or mom made it, then we knew it was a safe option. You never really know what’s at a potluck…

As an adult, I realized why this was at every potluck - it’s actually the easiest thing ever to make. And usually we have the ingredients in the pantry. Keep a bottle of Kalamata olives, regular pimento olives and capers in the pantry and you are ready to mix this up anytime. It has served me well when someone says at the last minute, “hey, I need to take something to school/work/party tomorrow!” Boom. Pasta Salad.

You can really use anything pickled or marinated in this salad. It’s not rocket science. The secret is to toss the hot pasta with the salad dressing. It immediately soaks it up and makes the noodles taste ‘marinated’ too. Which is critical; nothing is grosser than plain noodles in a salad.

Aunt Carolann’s Olive Bar Pasta Salad

1/2 pound dried pasta (small twisty shapes are best)

1/2 cup Italian salad dressing

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped bell pepper

2 green onions, chopped

1/2 cup chopped salami

1 1/2 cup chopped olive bar bits (olives, marinated artichoke hearts, marinated garlic cloves, pickled mushrooms, marinated tomatoes, etc.)

STEP 1

Cook the pasta to package directions. Drain and immediately toss with the salad dressing. Let cool with the lid off the pan.

STEP 2

Chop all of the bits and toss them into the pasta. Let rest in the fridge for at least an hour - ideally 4-6 hours.

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another oLIve Bar FAvorite

Baking a split fryer chicken in a medley of olive bar favorites makes a fabulous dinner!

Click here for the recipe

I bought a bag of broccoli slaw on a whim one day. I don’t normally buy the pre shredded or precut items, but time is at a minimum these days and those precut bags looked really inviting. Originally I planned on just tossing it with a slaw style dressing and calling it a day. But then I looked through the fridge and started brainstorming what else could be done to make it more interesting.

Since broccoli is Italian and I had purchased Italian sausages…. it only seemed natural to pair it all with Italian flavors. I grabbed oregano and basil from the herb garden and added some roasted tomatoes. A little vinegar, olive oil and salt & pepper and it was a surprisingly delicious

So I made it again. And again. And again. And then I thought you might like it too! It’s the perfect side dish for Memorial Day weekend. It holds for a few hours and it’s actually better if you let it sit for 1/2 hour so the broccoli bits soften.

We’re heading up to the beach this weekend and I will for sure be making this happen. Let me know if you make it too!

Broccoli & Roasted Tomato Slaw

1 bag broccoli slaw

1 pint cherry tomatoes

2-4 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped (a small handful)

2-4 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped (a small handful)

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

salt & pepper

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pour out the tomatoes on a baking sheet and toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil and salt. Roast for about 10 minutes until the tomatoes pop.

STEP 2

Let the tomatoes cool slightly then pour over the broccoli slaw. Add vinegar and fresh herbs. Toss gently until coated in the oil. If it seems dry, add more olive oil. Season with salt & pepper.

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All Amercian Burger

The perfect burger to go with your new favorite side dish!.

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If you’ve had happy hour at Jak’s bar, then you know all about the crispy brussels sprouts with bacon. These are an epic recreation of those. Being able to make them at home is a blessing (brussels sprouts are healthy!) and a curse (you will eat them all the time).

This is the perfect Thanksgiving side. The oven will already be hot so all you need to do is make the bacon and pop them in the oven. Literally, it’s a half hour tops and they’re done.

Crispy Bacon Brussels Sprouts

1 pound brussels sprouts, sliced thin

4 slices bacon

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Balsamic glaze for serving

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large cast iron skillet, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove from the pan and set on a paper towel to cool.

STEP 2

Toss the brussels sprouts with olive oil and corn starch until coated. Pour them into the cast iron skillet and toss in the bacon grease gently.

STEP 3

Pop the pan into the hot oven and let roast in one thin layer for about 15 minutes. When they are starting to get brown and crispy, toss and give it another 5 minutes in the oven.

STEP 4

Chop the bacon and toss with the sprouts. Drizzle a little balsamic glaze over the sprouts and serve hot!

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It’s an epic debate in every household - canned cranberries or fresh? Our house does both and we get made fun of by the fresh contingent that we love our jellied cranberries. Those of us that love the canned berries can’t believe you’d choose cranberries over a vintage, retro, delicious jello dish!

Making your own canned cranberries is maybe the best of both worlds. It’s jello. But it’s also homemade. You can add any flavors you prefer into this. I like the brightness of the lemon and the texture of the pineapple. Jello salad with no texture is just a giant jello jiggler.

Cranberry Jello Mold

4 cups 100% cranberry juice, divided

4 envelopes plain gelatin

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon lemon zest

8 ounces crushed pineapple

STEP 1

Pour one cup of cranberry juice in a bowl and sprinkle the top with the gelatin. Try to get all of it touching the liquid. Let it sit until the gelatin looks like it’s absorbed the liquid.

STEP 2

Bring the remaining juice to a simmer on the stove with the sugar. Pour the hot juice over the gelatin and whisk until combined. Stir in the pineapple and lemon zest.

STEP 3

Spray down a bundt pan, a jello mold, or a circular bowl with spray oil. Pour in the cranberry mixture and carefully transfer to the fridge. Let sit for 24 hours.

STEP 4

To unmold the jello, fill a large bowl or a small sink with hot water - just three to four inches deep with water. Dip the mold into the water to warm up the jello. Invert the jello onto a plate and serve!

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Can you believe summer is over? Luckily, the summer produce is still hanging around the markets - I just found the most epic corn last weekend! I made this salad to go with our Sunday dinner and I thought you might like it too. It’s so ridiculously simple so it barely requires a recipe but those are the best recipes! You can totally mix and match to make it your own.

Don’t have parsley? Use basil! Don’t have basil, use thyme! No herbs in the house? No sweat - this will be amazing no matter what. As long as your corn and tomatoes are fresh, then you’re set.

End of Summer Corn Salad

3 cups corn, off the cob (3-4 cobs)

2 cups sliced tomatoes

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/4 cup chopped basil

2 tablespoons chopped thyme

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

salt to taste

Mix everything together and let it rest for about an hour before serving. That’s it!

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I don’t eat eggs. I have an intolerance to them which gives me migraines. Most of the time, it’s totally fine and I don’t even miss them. But then brunch happens. Brunch is one of the best meals of the whole week and here I am stuck without 90% of the menu. So I’ve been coming up with a few brunch ideas that are not egg based and are still decadent and delicious. This tart hits all of those - it’s buttery and delicious. I cannot get enough of it. I actually had to stop myself from eating half of this the first time I made it.

I made it for our family with Earth Wise buttery sticks (not real butter - also, not sponsored) because my husband is dairy free. It totally did the job. You could use a combination of olive oil and butter if you want to cut out some of the fat. I prefer to just eat a smaller slice rather than change ingredients.

Buttery Potato Tart

makes one 12” tart

3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, thinly sliced

1 onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cup butter

2 cloves garlic, grated or diced

1 1/2 teaspoons anchovy paste

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

pinch of salt

pepper

STEP 1

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Very thinly slice the potatoes and the onion. Set them aside.

STEP 2

Melt the butter in a sauce pan and stir in garlic, anchovy paste and mustard.

STEP 3

When butter is melted, line the bottom of a cast iron skillet with parchment paper. Begin layering potatoes and onions - add a few tablespoons of the butter mixture between each layer of potatoes. Add salt and pepper to taste. When you’re done, pour any remaining butter over the top.

STEP 4

Pop the pan into the oven. After 20 minutes, press down on the potatoes to seal it together. Pop back in to cook for another 20 minutes.

STEP 5

After 40 total minutes, remove the pan from the oven and place something heavy on top of the potatoes. I like to fit a cake pan on the top and then weigh down with something heavy. Let cool with the heavy thing on top for 10 minutes. Then invert onto a cutting board or serving plate.

Also! You can easily substitute Earth Balance instead of butter in this recipe if you are going dairy free or dairy light!

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Have you ever fried paneer? OMG it’s life changing. Cheese that fries without fully melting but becomes rich and gooey?? It’s the dream. And when you top the hot cheese on this cold salad, it’s an experience.

There are a lot of bits in this salad, but it is WORTH IT. It’s limited chopping, lots of tossing, and can be made WAY ahead and kept in the fridge until dinner time. Then just pop the cheese in a skillet and dig in. I promise if you take this to your kids baseball game in containers, everyone else will be green with envy. And you’ll look so extra.

Marrakesh Salad

Serves 4

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Whisk together cumin, coriander, paprika, lime zest & juice, and honey. Toss chick peas in half of the dressing. Reserve the rest for later.

Roast 15 minutes until crispy

STEP 2

Toss the vegetables and the herbs, then add the remaining dressing and toss again.

STEP 3

Pour roasted chick peas into the salad.

STEP 4

Heat olive oil and red pepper flakes in a skillet.  Add slices of paneer and cook over high heat for 2 minutes (or so) a side until brown and crispy.  Pop on top of the salad.  

1 can chick peas, drained

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp coriander

1 tsp paprika

1 lime, juiced & zested

1 tbs honey

2 carrots, shredded

4 scallions, sliced

1 cup cooked quinoa

½ cup raisins

1 cup dried apricots, diced

¼ cup chopped pistachios

1 cucumber, chopped

1 cup tomatoes, chopped

1 tbs fresh mint, chopped

1 tbs fresh cilantro, chopped

4 oz paneer

1 tsp olive oil

¼ tsp red pepper flakes

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I love a chop chop salad. It’s the perfect way to eat a lot of delicious food in one single bite - thanks to an inordinate amount of chopping. Think of the chopping as therapeutic and you can make the whole thing pass easily. You can make this early and not dress it until you’re ready to eat - so it’s great for making early.

This is also the perfect thing to serve as we start to be able to entertain friends! You can dish up each person’s serving in individual jars to containers to avoid using the same serving vessel.

Spring Chop Chop Salad

Serves 4

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  

Place raw eggs in a pot of cold water.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.  Remove from heat, drain off hot water and fill pot with ice and cold water to immediately cool the eggs.

STEP 2

Toss potatoes with olive oil and salt.  Place on a baking sheet and roast 10 minutes until fork tender.

STEP 3

Bring a pot of water to a boil.  Fill a bowl with ice and water and set aside.  Quickly lower asparagus into hot water.  Cook until just bright green – about 2 minutes.  Remove from water and pop into ice bath.   

Repeat with the peas.

STEP 4

Mix together 2 tbs bacon drippings, red wine vinegar, dried basil, honey, and Dijon mustard.

STEP 5

Chop all ingredients and toss together with salad dressing.  

1 bunch Asparagus

1 cup Fresh peas

6 Radishes

2 cups Artichoke hearts, cooked and sliced

6 Hard boiled eggs

¼ lb Tiny red potatoes – sliced in quarters

2 tbs olive oil

8 strips Bacon

2 tbs Chives

1 head romaine lettuce

DRESSING

2 tbs reserved bacon drippings

2 tbs red wine vinegar

1 tsp Dijon mustard 

½ tsp Dried Basil

1 tsp Honey