Summer Harvest Potato Salad

The freshest locally grown potatoes & veggies come together perfectly with a super simple 3 ingredient fresh basil dressing in this Summer Harvest Potato Salad...

As you all may recall from the recipe I shared for my Farmers Market Frittata last month, I am on a mission this outdoor farmers market season to show you all how you can create a delicious recipe purchasing only locally grown & raised produce and meats at your local farmers market this summer. Each month I will be sharing a recipe here to the blog inspired by and featuring some of my own personal favorite fresh & local finds from my local market. 





For the month of July, I am sharing a fresh & lightened up potato salad recipe with you all. I am all about homemade potato salads for backyard BBQ's and summer picnics. 

But we all know that traditional potato salad recipes usually tend to be heavy and loaded with mayonnaise (which is big no-no when the hot summer sun is pounding down on your picnic table). 

For this Summer Harvest Potato Salad, I combined the freshest in-season locally grown potatoes & veggies with a super simple 3 ingredient fresh basil dressing.

Basil BLT Panzanella Salad

This hearty Basil BLT Panzanella Salad combines all the goodness of the classic sandwich with the fresh flavors of summertime...

So this weekend is it, folks- the last big hoorah of summertime. Labor Day weekend has always been that unofficial marker of when late summer gives way to early fall. 

We all gear up for our last 3 day weekend of the summer & enjoy those final couple of days to splash around at the local pool, to gather for a family BBQ, & to say goodbye to long summer days.... at least until next year. ;)

Honestly, I am always conflicted at this time of the year. A part of me hates to see summer end, but another part of me is ready for all things fall. 

In fact, I have a small confession to make to you all- I bought & ate a pumpkin pie blizzard yesterday (Gasp! Please tell me I am not the only one who has already broke down & did that, right? Right?). 

But I am also still whipping up summer-worthy salads like this tasty Basil BLT Panzanella Salad recipe that I am sharing with you all today...

Summer Market Potato Salad

Inspired by some gorgeous veggie finds at my local farmers market (and some fresh green beans from my parents' garden), I decided to combine all that summer freshness into one delicious and healthy potato salad.  Not only is this potato salad better for you (no heavy mayonnaise here!), it is also really flavorful and can be served cold or warm.  I had it both ways- warm right after I made it with dinner, and cold the next day and both were equally tasty. ;)

I have a favorite vendor at the farmers market for my potatoes each week.  They grow and sell such a unique variety of local potatoes.  From Yukon Golds to Cranberry Reds, and All-Blue to Russian Banana Fingerlings.  I am pretty sure my husband and I have tried just about every variety they offer by now.  Their booth is always my first stop when I visit the market.  I have to get our weekly potato fix before they are sold out.  For my Summer Market Potato Salad, I used a combination of their All-Blue and their Yukon Golds.  You could use a combination of any potatoes, or just one kind of potato.  But the All-Blues were just too beautiful to not use in this salad...

Summer Market Potato Salad

by Frugal Foodie Mama

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30-40 minutes

6050382

Ingredients (8-10 servings)

• 2 lbs potatoes (any variety or combination of varieties as long as they as smaller)
• 1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
• 1 medium summer squash, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
• 1/2 lb green beans, cut into 2 inch pieces
• 2 tbsp whole grain Dijon mustard
• 2 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• Fresh parsley, chopped
• Fresh basil, chopped
• Salt & pepper, to taste

Instructions

Heat your oven to 450 degrees.

Clean the potatoes under warm water. Cut the potatoes into 1 1/2 inch chunks. Place in a large saucepan and cover the potatoes with water. Bring to a boil and continue to cook the potatoes until they are almost fork tender. Remove from heat, drain in a colander, and set aside.

While the potatoes are boiling, combine the cut up zucchini and summer squash in a medium sized bowl. Pour a touch of olive oil over them and toss well to coat. Turn out in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Let cool for at least 10 minutes.

Now for a quick blanch on the green beans. Bring salted water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Boil the green beans for 3 minutes. Quickly drain in a colander and then plunge into an ice bath. This can be in a large bowl or sink filled with cold water and ice.

Combine the potatoes, squash, zucchini, and green beans in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, olive oil, fresh chopped parsley and basil, and cider vinegar.

Pour the Dijon dressing over the veggies in the large bowl and toss well. Taste your potato salad and add salt and pepper to your liking.

Powered by Recipage

This salad makes about 8-10 servings and is perfect for a barbecue or family get-together.  And since it is mayonnaise free, it is safe to leave at room temperature. 

Looking for other tasty ways to use up all those glorious, in-season veggies from your gardens and local farmers markets?  How about my...

Summer Pomodoro Sauce

Potato & Summer Squash Chowder

Summer Gazpacho

Summer Tomato Pasta with Greens

This fresh & bright Summer Tomato Pasta with Greens is the perfect way to use up those summer tomatoes...

One of my favorite flavors of summer has to be juicy, straight from the vine tomatoes. Tomatoes just never taste as good as they do right now.  They are in season and the varieties are plentiful.  

And though I love a good homegrown tomato, I seem to have very little luck myself growing them. But fortunately for me, my local farmers market was just teeming with freshly picked tomatoes in vibrant reds and oranges this past weekend.  I snatched some up for a recipe that caught my eye on the Yahoo! Food site a few days earlier.

Yahoo! Food is quickly becoming my new favorite foodie site.  You can find it all there from their all-star team of talented food editors- surprising and sophisticated recipes, stories on the top food trends, the best cooking tools, new techniques, and everything you need to feel inspired in the kitchen. 

Yahoo! Food is also partnering with some of the best publishers in the business to bring you their expertise and ideas, including Bon Appetit, Epicurious, Food52, Martha Stewart and more.  It is a foodie's online resource come true, my friends.

This fresh & bright Summer Tomato Pasta with Greens is a perfect way to use those end of summer tomatoes and is just the first of many recipes I will be trying in my kitchen from Yahoo! Food...

French Onion Roasted Potato Salad

Your backyard BBQ guests will love this lightened up & flavor packed French Onion Roasted Potato Salad...

This delicious recipe was created in partnership with the ADA Mideast. As always, all thoughts & opinions expressed below are 100% my own.

It always seems like Memorial Day weekend is the weekend that officially kicks off summertime. It is the start of BBQ season. The first long holiday weekend of summer. The beginning of summer break from school for many of the kiddos. The first weekend that the local pool is open for the summer season. It also marks the start of summertime entertaining season for me.

The husband & I love to have family and friends over for a cookout or to celebrate summer holidays. We fire up the grill, break out the cornhole set, and prep the fire pit for s'mores making once the sun goes down. 

My husband often grills burgers & hot dogs or smokes baby back ribs to perfection in his smoker. And I am always in charge of the side dishes for our little summertime get-togethers. ;)

We almost always serve a traditional mayo based potato salad at our BBQ's, but I decided to change it up for the cookout we hosted for my son's high school graduation over the weekend. I lightened up our usual potato salad with a little Greek yogurt, but amped up the flavor by oven roasting the potatoes instead of boiling them & mixing in a packet of onion soup mix...

Italian Basil Orzo Salad

I thought I would share my recipe for this gorgeous Italian Basil Orzo Salad with you all this week since it was specially requested by my mother that I make this while we are at the beach this week.  

Yes, my friends.  We are taking a family vacation and soaking up the rays.  

It is a MUCH needed family vacation. :)

But do not worry.  I will not leave the blog empty and sad this week!

I have a couple more delicious summer inspired salad recipe posts coming your way this week, plus a couple of sand & sea themed posts- they only seemed appropriate given my locale for the next 6 days or so. 

I originally made this Italian Basil Orzo Salad for our 4th of July cookout, and it was huge hit with my family.  I think my mother was maybe 3 bites into this salad when she said, "You have to make this while we are at the beach."

Of course, I will oblige my mama. ;)

I used a tomato basil flavored feta in this salad that I happened to find at my local ALDI.  If you cannot find a flavored feta, plain feta will work just fine in this salad.  The basil dressing is packed with tons of freshness and flavor...

Italian Basil Orzo Salad

by Frugal Foodie Mama

Prep Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

6050495

Ingredients (6 servings)

• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
• 1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2 slices and then quartered
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt & pepper
• 1 medium cucumber, peeled and chopped
• 1 medium sweet banana pepper, halved, seeded, & chopped
• 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced and then chopped
• 1 cup grape tomatoes
• 1/2 cup feta cheese (I used a tomato basil feta cheese that I found at my local ALDI.)

For the basil dressing

• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled, smashed, & roughly chopped
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Large handful of fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup olive oil

Instructions

Combine the chicken broth and water in a medium sauce pan, cover, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the orzo. Cook for about 7-8 minutes, stirring 2-3 times.

Drain the orzo and immediately rinse with cold water. Transfer the orzo to a large bowl and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

While the orzo is chilling, roast your zucchini. In a medium bowl, combine the zucchini chunks, the 1 tbsp olive oil, and salt & pepper to taste. Spread out onto a baking sheet and roast at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes, stirring once about halfway through.

Once roasted, set aside and allow to cool completely.

Once your orzo has chilled, add in the cucumber, banana pepper, red onion, grape tomatoes, the feta cheese, and the cooled zucchini. Toss together and then set aside.

In a food processor or blender, blend together the garlic, lemon juice, basil leaves, and salt. Then slowly add in the olive oil and continue blending until well combined. Pour the basil dressing over the orzo/veggies mixture.

Toss well.

Serve immediately or chill in the fridge until you are ready to serve.

Enjoy!

Powered by Recipage

This Italian Basil Orzo Salad is just like taking a big ole bite out of summer.  I am happy to say that the sweet banana pepper and basil I used in this salad came from my very own garden.  I am looking forward to making this again soon now that I also have cherry tomatoes and cucumbers almost ready in my garden.  

Do you have a favorite pasta salad or salad you like to make when summer has rolled around?

Antipasto Panzanella Salad

Two classic Italian salads are combined into one in this delicious Antipasto Panzanella Salad that's perfect for backyard BBQ's & potlucks...

This content was created in partnership with Kroger Family Stores using free products provided by Kroger.

This recipe post first appeared on the Kroger Inspired Gathering site.

Having grown up in an area with a strong Italian influence, Italian food has definitely become my love language. It means home to me. 

From antipasto salads topped with lots of hard meats like pepperoni and salami to traditional panzanella salads that make tasty use of day-old loaves of Italian bread, these dishes take me back to my childhood with just one bite. For this simple yet flavorful Antipasto Panzanella Salad, I combined my love of two favorite summertime Italian salads into one big, tasty feast.





There is so much flavor and freshness packed into this salad, folks! It lends itself perfectly to the fresh and ripe flavors of summer like garden fresh juicy tomatoes and crisp cucumbers. This Antipasto Panzanella Salad is the perfect starter or side dish for a summer get-together or barbecue, but it is definitely substantial enough to stand on its own as a light meal...

Co-hosting Mom's Test Meal Mondays & a Recipe for Summer Market Potato Salad

I am a busy, busy birthday gal today!  A co-hosting extraordinaire, if you will.  ;)  Today I am sharing a recipe and co-hosting with Jaime of Mom's Test Kitchen for her Mom's Test Meal Mondays.  

And now I will let Jaime take it away... :)

Welcome to week #6 of Mom's Test Meal Mondays y'all!! I'm so excited to have y'all joining me in the kitchen again! We had some amazing slow-cooker recipes shared last week! If you missed the features, you really should go check them out!!

I hope you are all having a great holiday weekend!  I hope you are getting to spend time with your family & friends and enjoy some good fun & food!  This week in honor of the holiday we are going to share our favorite potluck/cookout recipes!  And to kick us off, my amazing friend Carrie from Frugal Foodie Mama, who just so happens to be celebrating her birthday this weekend too, is sharing a scrumptious potato salad recipe with us! 

Inspired by some gorgeous veggie finds at my local farmers market (and some fresh green beans from my parents' garden), I decided to combine all that summer freshness into one delicious and healthy potato salad.  Not only is this potato salad better for you (no heavy mayonnaise here!), it is also really flavorful and can be served cold or warm.  I had it both ways- warm right after I made it with dinner, and cold the next day and both were equally tasty. ;)

I have a favorite vendor at the farmers market for my potatoes each week.  They grow and sell such a unique variety of local potatoes.  From Yukon Golds to Cranberry Reds, and All-Blue to Russian Banana Fingerlings.  I am pretty sure my husband and I have tried just about every variety they offer by now.  Their booth is always my first stop when I visit the market.  I have to get our weekly potato fix before they are sold out.  For my Summer Market Potato Salad, I used a combination of their All-Blue and their Yukon Golds.  You could use a combination of any potatoes, or just one kind of potato.  But the All-Blues were just too beautiful to not use in this salad...

What you will need:
2 lbs potatoes (any variety or combination of varieties as long as they as smaller)
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1 medium summer squash, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1/2 lb green beans, cut into 2 inch pieces
2 tbsp whole grain Dijon mustard
2 1/2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Fresh parsley, chopped
Fresh basil, chopped
Salt & pepper, to taste

Heat your oven to 450 degrees.  Clean the potatoes under warm water.  Cut the potatoes into 1 1/2 inch chunks.  Place in a large saucepan and cover the potatoes with water.  Bring to a boil and continue to cook the potatoes until they are almost fork tender.  Remove from heat, drain in a colander, and set aside.

While the potatoes are boiling, combine the cut up zucchini and summer squash in a medium sized bowl.  Pour a touch of olive oil over them and toss well to coat.  Turn out in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes.  Let cool for at least 10 minutes.

Now for a quick blanch on the green beans.  Bring salted water to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Boil the green beans for 3 minutes.  Quickly drain in a colander and then plunge into an ice bath.  This can be in a large bowl or sink filled with cold water and ice. 

Combine the potatoes, squash, zucchini, and green beans in a large bowl.  In a small bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, olive oil, fresh chopped parsley and basil, and cider vinegar.  Pour the Dijon dressing over the veggies in the large bowl and toss well.  Taste your potato salad and add salt and pepper to your liking. 

This salad makes about 8-10 servings and is perfect for a barbecue or family get-together.  And since it is mayonnaise free, it is safe to leave at room temperature. 

How perfect is this for a cookout?!?  Thank you so much Carrie for such a great recipe!  I know y'all loved this recipe, so make sure you head over and check out the rest of Carrie's site!   You can also follow her via Twitter, Facebook & Pinterest.

So now, lets see what y'all are enjoying this weekend!

Just the reminders:

• Myself & Carrie would love to have you as new friends!! Please take a minute to follow us both via GFC, Twitter, FB, or any other social media you prefer ~ you can find my links in the sidebar & Carrie's are listed above.
• Please stick to the theme for the week and only link up your recipes that go with the theme.
• Please feel free to grab the button in the sidebar or add a direct link back to the week's party that you are linking up to
• And finally, go make some new friends ~ spend a few minutes checking out some other recipes that you might want to try out yourself & comment! Everyone loves comments!!

And remember, if anyone is interested in being a co-host for Mom's Test Meal Mondays, please email me at momstestkitchen (at) yahoo (dot) com! I'd love to have you!

Spicy Almond Cold Soba Noodle Salad

This Spicy Almond Cold Soba Noodle Salad is full of flavor and amazing textures- crunchy almonds, cucumbers, and red bell peppers, soft and slippery noodles, all tossed with a spicy almond butter sriracha dressing...

This is a sponsored post by Babbleboxx.

I am all about easy and simple when it comes to cooking and entertaining in the summertime. I love quick and effortless pasta salads and dishes that work well not only as a light and healthy lunch idea, but also as a flavorful, make-ahead side dish for a backyard BBQ or a summer potluck. The Spicy Almond Cold Soba Noodle Salad recipe I am sharing with you all today easily meets the requirements for both. 

Seriously, you all. This recipe comes together in just 15 minutes and can be easily doubled or quadrupled. And thanks to Roland® Organic Soba Noodles and RECIPE 33 Infused Almonds, this cold noodle salad recipe is packed with flavor and amazing textures. 

Before I share the actual recipe with you all, let me tell you guys about a few of the products I am loving this summer for cooking and entertaining...

Strawberry-Walnut Chicken Salad

Fresh, juicy strawberries and crunchy toasted walnuts come together in this lightened up & creamy Strawberry-Walnut Chicken Salad...

I will admit it- Mother's Day has kind of sneaked up me on this year. It seriously feels like I was whipping up desserts for Easter dinner just last week. Is anyone else feeling the same?  

Whether you have been prepping for Mother's Day for weeks now or just now realized today while reading this post that it is indeed this coming Sunday, I am sharing a recipe perfect for a Mother's Day brunch or luncheon with you all today. :)

This Strawberry-Walnut Chicken Salad is a fresh, bright take on a classic chicken salad that is perfect for your spring or summer lunch table. Juicy, ripe strawberries lend just a tiny bit of sweetness to this chicken salad. And it also happens to be lighter and healthier than it's traditional counterpart thanks to a little Greek yogurt... 

Asparagus Salad With Warm Bacon Dressing {A Guest Recipe from Little Miss Celebration}

Hello everyone! I’m Cindy from Little Miss Celebration and it is an absolute joy to be here guest posting at Frugal Foodie Mama. A huge hug of thanks to Carrie for inviting me! I love celebrations of all kinds – from holidays to birthdays to making Sunday dinner fun and special – and at Little Miss Celebration, we mix up crafting, cooking, baking and more, with a lot of fun, to help “craft” everything you celebrate!

I’m a big fan of vintage recipes and cookbooks. Today, I'm adapting a recipe from a fantastic 1958 cookbook passed down to me from my mother-in-law. I have a bit of a confession to make – growing up, it was always a struggle to get me to eat vegetables! I’m always on the hunt for ways to make vegetables interesting, different , delicious and fun! Please accept my warmest invitation to pop over to Little Miss Celebration and get the recipe for this fun take on asparagus AND bacon! Can’t wait to see you and thank you, Carrie, it’s so wonderful to be here today!  

Thank you so much, Cindy for this fabulous summer time salad recipe! :) Just click the link above to get the full recipe, folks.

Caprese Tuna BLT

This Caprese Tuna BLT with its fresh basil, creamy mozzarella, and crispy bacon is a fresh Italian twist on a sandwich classic...

It is Week #2 of Bacon Month! Are you all ready for even more bacon deliciousness this week?? ;)

Today I am bringing you all a fresh Italian twist on a bacon classic- the BLT.  We still have the tomato and bacon, but we are adding some fresh basil, a little tuna, and some fresh mozzarella to the mix. Seriously, all. This Caprese Tuna BLT was just made for a summertime lunch on the patio. 

The flavors and textures of the Caprese tuna salad combined with the creamy mozzarella and salty and crisp bacon? Sandwich perfection.

Serve alongside your favorite chips or pasta salad and you are good to go for a simply amazing summer lunch for two...

Ham & Egg Salad {A Guest Recipe from Melissa's Cuisine}

Hi everyone! I’m Melissa and I blog over at Melissa's Cuisine. I’d love for you to stop by and visit my blog—I’m sure you’ll find something that you’ll love over there. If you like what you see, feel free to, stop by my Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter pages too, I love making new friends! I am honored to be posting here at Frugal Foodie Mama today. Thank you, Carrie, for having me!

Today I would like to share a recipe for ham and egg salad. I know when it’s so hot outside, I dread spending an hour in the kitchen making dinner. Instead, I tend to turn to easy dishes, especially cold ones, like this salad. Serve it on a big bun, alongside fresh watermelon and a green salad (and maybe some chips!), and you have a quick, easy, and delicious summer meal!
I made these hard-boiled eggs in the oven. Have you tried that method yet? You simply place one egg in each cavity of a muffin tin (I used a mini muffin tin) and place the eggs in a 350 degree oven. Bake for 30 minutes. Then place the hot eggs in a bowl of ice water for 10 minutes. The eggs will be done perfectly and the ice bath makes them peel so easily. Of course, these still take time to make, but I found it to be so much easier than boiling the eggs!
Since we had some leftover ham, I decided to toss it into the egg salad. It was a great decision! Mike and I both really enjoyed this salad and it was quite filling.

Ham and Egg Salad
Serves 6
Ingredients: 6 hard-boiled eggs 1/2 cup diced ham 2 Tablespoons pickle relish 1/2 cup mayonnaise salt and pepper, to taste
1. Chop hard-boiled eggs into small pieces.
2. Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. If necessary, add more mayonnaise to achieve desired creaminess.
3. Add salt and pepper to meet your desired taste.
Serve immediately or store in the fridge until you're ready to serve.

Thank you so much, Melissa for sharing this recipe with all of us!  I know what I am making for our next picnic lunch... even if it is just sitting out on our deck for the afternoon. ;)  Make sure you stop by Melissa's Cuisine to check out all of her yummy recipes!

Caprese Tomato Bread Pudding

This creamy & savory Caprese Tomato Bread Pudding is a delicious & easy way to enjoy the fresh flavors of the summer season...

This recipe first appeared on the Bridgeport Farmers Market Let's Get Fresh site.

I am on a mission once again this outdoor farmers market season to show you all how you can create a delicious recipe purchasing mostly locally grown & raised produce and meats at your local farmers market. I started this locally inspired recipe series in the summer of 2017, and I am thrilled to be continuing the series this year as well. Each month I will be sharing a recipe here to the blog inspired by and featuring some of my own personal favorite fresh & local finds from my local market. 

Both of my kiddos are back in school now & the summer is winding down, but the heirloom tomato game is still going strong at my local farmers market each weekend. Sweet & juicy garden fresh tomatoes really are one of the best things about the end of the summer growing season. 

Usually I am drawn to big, fat heirloom tomatoes that are bigger than the size of my palm, but I spied some gorgeous heirloom cherry tomatoes a couple of weeks ago at the market & I just knew that I had to use them in a recipe.