Dressing:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
½ tsp dijion mustard
½ tsp honey
salt and pepper
fresh thyme leaves if available

Salad:
Baby lettuces
2 pears, peeled and cut in to bite sized pieces or left quarted and sliced almost through arranged on individual plates.
4 oz. +/- Blue or stilton cheese crumbled
½ c. or so Walnuts toasted in oven

Gently toss greens and cut pears with dressing and arrange on plates. If using sliced quartered pears toss greens with dressing and dribble dressing over pears on serving plates. Top with crumbled cheese and walnuts.

Combination of several recipes, VERY GOOD, fixed both ways with pears-sliced makes for fancier presentation, cut up makes for tastier pears as I didn’t put enough dressing on the first.

Serves 4.

1 small eggplant, peeled and 3/4-inch diced
1 red bell pepper, 1-inch diced
1 yellow bell pepper, 1-inch diced
1 red onion, peeled and 1-inch diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup good olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound orzo or rice-shaped pasta

For the dressing:
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/3 cup good olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

To assemble:
4 scallions, minced (white and green parts)
1/4 cup pignolis, toasted
3/4 pound good feta, 1/2-inch diced (not crumbled)
15 fresh basil leaves, cut into julienne

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Toss the eggplant, bell peppers, onion, and garlic with the olive oil, salt, and pepper on a large sheet pan. Roast for 40 minutes, until browned, turning once with a spatula.

Meanwhile, cook the orzo in boiling salted water for 7 to 9 minutes, until tender. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the roasted vegetables to the pasta, scraping all the liquid and seasonings from the roasting pan into the pasta bowl.
For the dressing, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper and pour on the pasta and vegetables. Let cool to room temperature, then add the scallions, pignolis, feta, and basil. Check the seasonings, and serve at room temperature.

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes

2 lbs potatoes
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 dill pickles, chopped
1 tsp salt
3 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp black pepper
3 green onions or red onion, chopped
2 tbsp pickle juice

At least two hours before serving, boil potatoes in salted water until tender, but not mushy. Drain and slice thinly.

In a medium bowl, stir vinegar, oil, salt and pepper. Gently stir in the sliced potatoes, celery, pickle and onion. Add pickle juice, salt and pepper to taste.

8 to 10 stalks
3/4 c. crumbled blue cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
coarsely ground black pepper to taste
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Cut the celery crosswise into 1/2 inch thick pieces to make about 4 cups sliced. Place it in a serving bowl and sprinkle in the crumbled blue cheese. Add the salt, pepper and olive oil and toss well.

Served Chilled.

Serves 6 to 8

8 ears corn — shucked
3/4 cup red onion — small dice
5 tablespoons cider vinegar
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup fresh basil — chiffonade

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the corn for 3 minutes until the starchiness is just gone. Drain and immerse in ice water to stop the cooking and set the color. When cool, cut the kernels off the cob cutting close to the cob. Break into pieces with your hands.

Toss the kernels in a large bowl with the red onions, vinegar, olive oil, salt. Just before serving, toss in the fresh basil. Taste for seasoning, you may need more vinegar and olive oil, and serve cold or at room temperature.

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp cider vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar(maybe a tad more, taste first)
3/4 tsp celery seed
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1 tbsp dijion mustard
1 bag coleslaw mix

Mix together the first six ingredients in a large bowl, add coleslaw mix. Refrigerate until ready to use.