In the summer months my tastes turn tropical. If you’re looking for a taste of the tropics, turn to the symbol of hospitality; the pineapple.

Choose pineapples that are slightly soft to the touch with crisp green leaves and no yellow or brown tips. It should have a strong, fresh pineapple smell.

Today I’m whipping up a perfect summer salad and serving it with the just-right glass of wine on FOX19 and Q102. Click here to see the video.

Stubb’s Cherry and Pecan Sirloin Salad

Serves 4-6
Pair with Dancing Bull Merlot, the dark berry fruit of the wine compliments the soy and garlic flavors in the Beef Marinade.

1 Bottle of Stubb

Don’t you just love the rich, buttery texture of an avocado?

Look for avocados that are unblemished and heavy for their size. A ripe avocado will yield slightly to palm pressure. If you need to speed up the ripening process, place several avocados in a paper bag and leave them at room temperature for a couple days. Once they’re ripe, you can store them in the fridge for a few days longer.

A rose is a rose….. is a strawberry? It’s true!

I’m shooting Salad segments for HomeWoRX today. Here’s one of the trio of recipes I’m putting together. It’s so easy, creamy and rich tasting but packed healthy, good -for- you ingredients. Add grilled chicken or shrimp to make it a main dish salad.

Summer Citrus and Avocado Salad with Cashews and Creamy Yogurt Dressing
Serves 4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Hint: Substitute Dole Pineapple Chunks in 100% Pineapple Juice and Dole Mandarin Oranges in Light Syrup for fresh fruit if desired

Creamy Yogurt Dressing
3 tablespoons honey

Still looking for ideas for Fathers Day dinner?

One of the nicest parts of Summer is that dinner is usually something easy on the grill along with a simple side. Dole Coleslaw is a fresh and easy side dish for just about anything, from chicken to fish to beef. Its naturally fat free, cholesterol free, low in sodium and packed with vitamins. A package of coleslaw mix is like starting with a blank canvas. Toss in additional ingredients to make your own masterpiece. Add a really simple touch like your favorite ranch dressing, some crumbed bacon and sunflower seeds. Get a little more adventurous and create an Asian-inspired slaw using Ramen noodles, sunflower seeds, almonds and green onions with a light vinaigrette. Make a sweet slaw by stirring in pineapple and raisins. One of my favorite coleslaws is made with Italian dressing and crumbled blue cheese- it

Roasted Redskin and Green Bean Salad
Serves 4-6
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Chill time: at least several hours to best overnight
Make ahead: Tastes best made a day ahead.
Tip: Make this salad easily with a little advance prep. When roasting potatoes for another meal, roast extra. Blanch extra green beans when making another meal, too, and refrigerate until ready to assemble the salad.

2 pounds small red new potatoes, scrubbed and cut into quarters
Olive oil as needed
1 pound fresh green beans

Dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped, plus more for garnish
1/3 cup chopped sweet onion
2 ribs celery, chopped
2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped [Read more →]

Rough-cut Cole Slaw with Blue Cheese
Serves 6

Prep time: 20 minutes
Make ahead: This tastes better made one day ahead. It keeps for a couple days in the fridge.
Tip: Stir in diced red onion or carrot if desired.

Earlier this week I was chatting about rice. Today is perfect for a bowl of Spicy Black Beans and Rice with Lime.