Julia Child's (Hot or Cold) Cream of Cucumber Soup Revisited for Cook the Books April/May Pick: Mastering the Art of French Murder

I totally missed the boat for our April/May Cook the Books pick of Mastering the Art of French Murder (An American in Paris Mystery #1) by Colleen Cambridge (April 2023) and I was the host. I have a litany of excuses involving May being full of travel, illness, increased work responsibilities and more travel, but nonetheless, you can see I am posting my review and dish today and we are 4 days into June. I will be rounding up the entries at the Cook the Books site soon --before I leave town again on Thursday and I thank our group for their patience. 

From the Publisher:

As Postwar Paris rediscovers its joie de vivre, Tabitha Knight, who recently arrived from Detroit for an extended stay with her French grandfather, is on her own journey of discovery. Paris isn’t just the City of Light; it’s the city of history, romance, stunning architecture . . . and food. Thanks to her neighbor and friend Julia Child, another ex-pat who’s fallen head over heels for Paris, Tabitha is learning how to cook for her Grandpère and Oncle Rafe.

Between tutoring Americans in French, visiting the market, and eagerly sampling the results of Julia’s studies at Le Cordon Bleu cooking school, Tabitha’s sojourn is proving thoroughly delightful. That is, until the cold December day they return to Julia’s building and learn that a body has been found in the cellar. Tabitha recognizes the victim as a woman she’d met only the night before, at a party given by Julia’s sister, Dort. The murder weapon found nearby is recognizable too—a knife from Julia’s kitchen.

Tabitha is eager to help the investigation but is shocked when Inspector Merveille reveals that a note, in Tabitha’s handwriting, was found in the dead woman’s pocket. Is this murder a case of international intrigue, or something far more personal? From the shadows of the Tour Eiffel at midnight to the tiny third-floor Child kitchen to the grungy streets of Montmartre, Tabitha navigates through the city hoping to find the real killer before she or one of her friends ends up in prison . . . or worse. 

My Review: 

I picked this book because I love cozy mysteries as a palate cleanser for other and heavier books and I love a good foodie cozy. I also love Julia Child and had a Once Upon a Book Club book box for it but I ended up reading it on my Kindle and I haven't opened the box and its corresponding gifts yet. I will try and do that and add to this post when I return from my trip after next week (a couple of days of PTO with a work conference added in in Oregon).

Overall, I thought this was fun--love a Paris after WWII setting and Julia was a fun character--who wouldn't want her as a friend? The food aspect was good and I thought the mystery worked. The main character Tabitha drove me a bit crazy when she called herself and "imp" or "sprite" when she was just making dumb decisions but I will still read the next book in the series that came out in April. (A Murder Most FrenchA Murder Most French) 

Food Inspiration: There was so much food inspiration in this book from Julia's struggle with mayonnaise to roasted chicken, salmon, stews, potatoes.... I didn't even get all of it written down. 

In the end, I went to Maine, got really sick, came back and had massive work commitments before leaving again and didn't get around to cooking a dish. Instead, I'm going to go back a few years and revisit a tasty cucumber soup from Julia Child. (First posted here). You can eat it hot or cold, making it perfect as we head into summer. 

Cream of Cucumber Soup

Slightly Adapted from Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Vol. 2 by Julia Child via TheDailyMeal.com
(About 6 Servings)

1 1/2 lb cucumbers, about 3 large
1/2 cup minced shallots
3 Tbsp butter
6 cups light stock (I used vegan non-chicken stock), plus extra for thinning if needed
1 1/2 tsp wine vinegar (I used tarragon Vinegar)
3/4 tsp dried tarragon
(I added 1/2 tsp dill)
4 Tbsp farina (cream of wheat) breakfast cereal (I used cream of rice cereal)
salt and white pepper to taste
1 cup minced fresh herbs like dill, tarragon or parsley

Peel cucumbers. Cut 18-24 paper-thin slices and reserve in a bowl for later. Cut the rest of the cucumber into 1/2-inch chunks; you should have about 4 1/2 cups

Cook the shallots slowly in the butter for several minutes until tender but not browned. Add the cucumber chunks, broth, vinegar, and herbs. Bring to a boil, then stir in the farina. Simmer, partially covered, for 20-25 minutes. Puree in a blender and then return the soup to the pan. Thin out with more broth if needed, and season with salt and white pepper to taste.

Just before serving, beat in 1/2 cup of the sour cream. Ladle soup into bowls and place a dollop of the leftover sour cream on top of each. Float slices of cucumber on top of the sour cream and decorate with a sprinkling of herbs. 

Cooking Notes: If you are planning on eating the soup cold, let it cool down to about room temp, then stir in the sour cream and chill in fridge at least 4 hours before serving.

This soup relies mostly on farina (cream of wheat) for thickening but the cream of wheat I found in my local grocery stores was over $7.00 for a large box that I doubted I'd use up. Instead I grabbed a small box of Cream of Rice soup that was under $4.00. Cream of rice is a good gluten-free option that works just as well. I made a couple of other small changes to the recipe, noted in red on the recipe. 

Notes/Results From When I Made It: I know cold soup, cucumbers and cold soup with cucumbers are not everyone's favorite cup of soup ;-) but this one is really delicious--crisp, refreshing, the flavor of the herbs (tarragon and the dill I added) come through nicely. it's creamy and rich but the sour cream and vinegar give it a bright pop of acidity. On The daily Meal where I found the recipe, they said it was equally good cold and hot and when I tried the warm soup, it was good. There is just something about cucumbers and cold that go together though so that's the way I'll enjoy it. It's going to work with me with egg salad sandwiches this week and I'd happily make it again.

If you like food and books, and foodie books, join us in June/July when we will be reading Family Tree, by Susan Wiggs, histed by Claudia of Honey From Rock.

Happy Reading, Cooking & Eating!

 

The Book Tour Stops Here: A Partial Review of The Secrets of Still Waters Chasm, Served with Penne with Roasted Eggplant Puree

Last year I was on the TLC Book Tour for The Secrets of Ohnita Harbor by Patricia Crisafulli, the first book in the Ohnita Harbor Mystery Series and today, I am happy to be a stop on the tour for book two, The Secrets of Still Waters Chasm. This will be a partial review as I was having challenges with my e-book ARC and it's taking me longer than I expected to read it. So, I'll just post my initial thoughts along with a recipe inspired by my reading. 

Publisher's Blurb:

On a beautiful September afternoon, a hike through the pristine wild of Still Waters Chasm become a path of mystery and deadly danger for Gabriela Domenici and her boyfriend, Daniel Red Deer. First, they take a side trail to an inexplicable construction site in the middle of the woods, where every tree has been cut down and a huge truck bearing strange-looking equipment is parked in the middle. As they continue their hike to the lake, they find a man convulsing with his last breaths, not far from the lifeless body of a woman. After going for help, Gabriela and Daniel return to the scene—only to find the two people and their canoe and gear are gone. It seems impossible that two bodies could revive and leave on their own, but there is no other explanation. 

When she conducts a library outreach program in the rural Town of Livery, near Still Waters Chasm, Gabriela discovers a community that is both curious and suspicious. There, she meets Lucinda Nanz, an herbalist whose encyclopedic knowledge of plants for help and harm is both fascinating and troubling, and Wendy Haughton, a young woman who desperately wants to sell an old drawing of unknown origin so she can escape her abusive husband. Despite the state police's warnings to stay out of the investigation, and Daniel's urging to not get involved, Gabriela cannot stay away from Livery and Still Waters Chasm—which puts her on a collision course with yet another murder and people who will stop at nothing to prevent her from getting too close to the truth that could destroy chasm. 

Publisher: Woodhall Press (September 5, 2023)

Paperback: 220 pages

My Thoughts So Far:

I am at about 35% of the book and find myself caught up in the story. Gabriela is suffering from PTSD from the first book when she was nearly killed. (I won't say more due to spoilers and I do always recommend starting at the beginning of a series even if there is enough info given to catch you up on what happened in the second book.) Being a book lover, I like that Gabriela is a Director of Circulation and Head of Programing of the Ohnita Harbor Library (which is in a castle-like building in town). In this book she is trying too create can outreach program in a local community in nearby Still Waters Chasm but some mysterious goings on and a couple of murders are getting in the way. I will come back and give my full review soon as I think, even though it's a challenge with the ARC format, I really want to know what happens. 

Food Inspiration: 

Even at 35% in, there is plenty of food in this book. Gabriela and her Italian mother cook frequently so there is mention of eggplant parmigiana, pasta, salad, steak, meatballs, cookies, lemonade, fruit punch, tea, berries, maple syrup, salmon, eggs, bread, pies, preserves, potatoes, apples, honey, zucchini, chard, tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, carrots, bananas, yogurt, milk, popcorn, fried perch, Cobb salad, fish sandwich and fries, beer and red wine so far. 

For my bookish dish, I decided on pasta with eggplant as Gabriela's mother, Agnese, says Gabriela's son eats too much pasta when she finds out she is serving leftover eggplant farm to her boyfriend for dinner and planning to feed Ben Can there be such a thing?

Giada's Penne with Roasted Eggplant Puree is an old favorite. I posted this recipe in 2011.

Penne with Roasted Eggplant Puree
Adapted from "Giada's Kitchen" by Giada De Laurentiis
(4 to 6 Servings)

1 medium eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 pint cherry tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, whole (I used 5 cloves)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1 pound penne pasta
1/4 cup torn fresh mint leaves
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan (I used feta cheese)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl combine the eggplant, cherry tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and red

pepper flakes. Spread the vegetables out in an even layer on the baking sheet. Roast in the oven until the vegetables are tender and the eggplant is golden, about 35 minutes.

While the vegetables are roasting, place the pine nuts in a small baking dish. Place in the oven on the rack below the vegetables. Roast until golden, about 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and reserve.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta into a large bowl and reserve 1 1/2 cups of the cooking liquid.

Transfer the roasted vegetables to a food processor. Add the torn mint leaves and extra-virgin olive oil. Puree the vegetables.

Transfer the pureed vegetables to the bowl with the pasta and add the Parmesan. Stir to combine, adding the pasta cooking liquid 1/2 cup at a time until the pasta is saucy. Sprinkle the pine nuts over the top and serve.

My Notes/Results: This makes a nice chunky sauce with good flavor. I like the combination of the roasted veggies with the coolness of the mint and the slight kick from the red pepper. I used 5 large cloves of garlic in mine and liked the extra flavor--since it roasts along with the eggplant and tomato it doesn't overpower. I think the Parmesan called for in the recipe would have been good too, but I couldn't resist adding the feta--which I needed to use up anyway, and it went nicely with the mint and pine nuts. I used a multi-grain penne pasta to get a little more fiber in and the thick sauce held up well to it. This is a great hearty vegetarian dish, although adding a little sausage certainly would be delicious too. 

-----------

Note: A review copy of "The Secrets of Still Waters Chasm" was provided to me by the author and the publisher via TLC Book Tours. I was not compensated for this review and as always, my thoughts and opinions are my own.  

You can see the stops for the rest of this TLC Book Tour and learn what other reviewers thought about the book below.

Thursday, September 28th: @donasbooks

Thursday, September 28th: @subakka.bookstuff and Subakka.bookstuff

Friday, September 29th: @strandedinchaos9438

Monday, October 2nd: @aimeedarsreads

Wednesday, October 4th: @paws.read.repeat 

Friday, October 6th: @fashionablyfifty

Monday, October 9th: Bookchickdi

Wednesday, October 11th:  Kahakai Kitchen

Thursday, October 12th: @kristens.reading.nook

Sunday, October 15th: @literally_lit_in_miami 

Monday, October 16th: What is That Book About

Wednesday, October 18th: Girl Who Reads

Thursday, October 19th: @always_reading1

Friday, October 20th: @chicagobooklover 

Monday, October 23rd: Books Cooks Looks

Friday, November 3rd: @welovebigbooksandwecannotlie

TBD: Friday, September 29th: Laura’s Reviews

 

Potato, Cauliflower & Pea Curry (Aloo Gobi Matar) for Cook the Books August/September Pick: Love & Saffron

It's Cook the Books time again. (OK, it's a bit past but I'm hosting so...). As usual, work is keeping me massively busy and likely will for the next bit as I hit six months in my new company and new role. It's all good, just not much time and energy leftover, which is why I am happy I selected Love & Saffron: A Novel of Friendship, Food & Love by Kim Fay for our Cook the Books August/September pick. It's a quick and delightful read, full of delicious food and engaging characters. 

From the Publisher's blurb:

"Two strangers. One recipe. A friendship for the ages.

Creamy risotto alla Milanese. Mussels in a hot, buttery broth. Chicken spiced with cinnamon and cloves. Joan Bergstrom and Imogen Fortier understand the key to a savored life—delicious food. Young Joan is just discovering herself as a foodwriter in bustling Los Angeles, while experienced columnist Imogen is settled in her decades-long marriage on Camano Island outside Seattle. When Joan sends a fan letter to Imogen with an enclosed packet of saffron and a recipe, their journey of culinary exploration and soul-deep friendship begins. 

A long-lost flavor surfaces buried memories, and a quest to make carne asada opens the doors of a sheltered life. Into this beautiful, intimate world comes the ultimate test of their friendship, and of their belief that food and love can sustain us during our darkest hours."

I loved this book! The letters that chronicled the friendship between Joan and Imogen were wonderful. Set in the 1960s, when "snail mail" was the option for penpals, they moved from strangers to a solid friendship over the years. It made me both smile and brought me to tears as both women faced challenges in their lives and were there for each other during them. I loved that Immy lived in Seattle (my old stomping grounds) and the mentions of Frederick & Nelson department store and Frango Mints as I worked there in the late 80s and the mints are still an occasional treat from Macy's. The fact that an earlier Cook the Books pick, The Unprejudiced Palate was mentioned and its author Angelo Pellegrini was a secondary character was also fun. But mainly I loved watching a friendship forged in delicious food unfold. 

There was so much food packed in the pages from risotto to hamburgers and hot dogs, Hungarian chicken, homemade blackberry jam, omelettes with saffron and herbs de Provence, cottage cheese and salmon mold, tamales, grilled crab, chile rellenos, meatloaf, jerk chicken, pesto, teriyaki and tempura, ceviche, Aplets & Cotlets (another Pacific Northwest tradition), coq au vin, clam chowder, aebleskivers, homemade sausage in Milanese stew, heart of palm salad, muffins, and apple butter--just to name some of it. 

For my book inspired dish, I ended up going with curry. Joan wrote, "At Stanford I was drawn to students from India because they cooked up little pots of curry in their rooms." I too am drawn to the smells of a delicious curry and I love how easy it is to knock one together. I decided on an old favorite, Aloo Gobi Matar which is simple potatoes, cauliflower and peas in a dryish simple tomato curry, served with rice. 

Potato, Cauliflower & Pea Curry (Aloo Gobi Matar)

Slightly Adapted from Food & Wine Magazine

(Makes 4-5 servings)

1/4 cup ghee or olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
1 Tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp finely chopped ginger 
1 Tbsp finely chopped garlic 
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp chile powder or to taste
1.5 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and chopped/quartered depending on size
salt to taste

1 bag (12-oz) frozen cauliflower florets, thawed

1 (14-oz) can crushed tomatoes
3/4 cup coconut milk, water or broth
1 cup frozen green sweet peas, thawed

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Heat oil or ghee over medium heat in a large heavy-bottom pan. Add onion, ginger, garlic, and chile; cook, stirring often, until soft, about 4 minutes. Stir in coriander, cumin, garam masala, turmeric, and chile powder and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add cauliflower, potatoes, and salt and cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, coconut milk or broth and peas and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer about 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender. Stir in cilantro and season to taste with more salt as needed. Serve with basmati rice. 

Notes/Results: Just a good simple curry--hearty and good. You can change around the spices, add more chile, or liquid if desired. This hit the spot as I was craving curry and I'd happily make it again. 

I'll be rounding up the dishes from this round of Cook the Books shortly on the site. If you missed this round and love food, books and foodie book, join us for our October/November round, hosted by Claudia of Honey From Rock. We'll be reading The City Baker's Guide to Country Living by Louise Miller. 

 

Everything But The Bagel & Nova Salmon Cottage Cheese Bowl for Cook the Books June/July Pick: Food Americana

Time again for Cook the Books, our bi-monthly virtual foodie book club. For June/July, our pick is Food Americana: The Remarkable People and Incredible Stories behind America’s Favorite Dishes by David Page, hosted by Simona of Briciole.

Publisher's Blurb:

David Page changed the world of food television by creating, developing, and executive-producing the groundbreaking show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Now from this two-time Emmy winner comes Food Americana, an entertaining mix of food culture, pop culture, nostalgia, and everything new on the American plate.

The remarkable history of American food. What is American cuisine, what national menu do we share, what dishes have we chosen, how did they become “American,” and how are they likely to evolve from here? David Page answers all these questions and more.

Engaging, insightful, and often humorous. The inside story of how Americans have formed a national cuisine from a world of flavors. Sushi, pizza, tacos, bagels, barbecue, dim sum―even fried chicken, burgers, ice cream, and many more―were born elsewhere and transformed into a unique American cuisine.

Mango (May 4, 2021)

I like foodie non-fiction and food origin stories so that made Food Americana an enjoyable read. At 214 pages, it's a quick read too, making it optimal for summer and the for how busy life is lately. A lot of the information was not new to me but written in an engaging way that also managed to make me quite hungry as we tour through pizza, Mexican food, barbecue, fried chicken and chicken sandwiches, sushi, bagels, chicken wings, burgers, Chinese food, lobster rolls, oysters and other seafood, and ice cream. As a creator and producer of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, Page knows how to keep it interesting and I'd recommend it to any foodie looking for a good read. 

There was plenty of food inspiration in the book and a recipe for a food mentioned followed each chapter. I considered making ice cream, sushi, or a lobster roll but decided, as usual, I was down to a time crunch also, it's been warm and humid, and I have been trying to eat better and lighter lately, so quick, easy, and no-cook was what I was craving. 

Although my new job has me working from home which lessens my commute, it also means that I need to come up with quick and easy, healthy home lunches. A new favorite way to get lots of protein is making cottage cheese bowls. Cottage cheese has had a big comeback this year and has become the cauliflower of the healthy eating world. I decided to take inspiration from the chapter on bagels and make a bowl with Nova salmon and everything but the bagel-spiced cottage cheese, along with some other toppings that might be found on a bagel and some Everything But the Bagel Chips. 

This isn't a recipe--it really just involves mixing some (in my case Trader Joe's) Everything But the Bagel Seasoning (about a tablespoon) into a cup of cottage cheese along with a squirt of lemon juice and (if desired) a bit of horseradish. I like to mix it in in the morning so the flavors get a chance to meld and it's less "crunchy." Everything else--smoked salmon (I used Acme Nova from Brooklyn), capers, sliced baby cucumber, baby tomatoes, dill, red onions (I made some quick pickled ones) and the chips, just need to be arranged in a large dinner bowl. Add anything you like and/or take away what you don't. If cottage cheese isn't your thing you could yogurt or even a scoop of rice. I think rye or pumpernickel toast would make a nice dipper too. 

Notes/Results: Quick, tasty and satisfying, this is the perfect lunch or dinner when you don't feel like cooking. I will happily make it again. 

As usual, I am right at the deadline for this Cook the Books round (July 31st) and Simona will be rounding things up on the CTB Club website soon, but if you like food, books, and foodie books, join us for August/September when I'll be hosting the epistolary novel, Love & Saffron: A Novel of Friendship, Food and Love by Kim Fay.  

Tofu Tom Kha Soup for Cook the Books June/July Selection: A Cook's Tour & Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays

Hello Friends! It's been a while again I am afraid. Still not doing much in the kitchen but, every now and then, I pop in and make something I am craving like this Tofu Tom Kha Soup inspired by Thailand and my book-inspired dish for Cook the Books and our June/July pick of A Cook's Tour: Global Adventures in Extreme Cuisines (or my e-book's subtitle: In Search of the Perfect Meal) by Anthony Bourdain, hosted by Claudia of Honey From Rock. (See her post here)

According to Goodreads (as I wasn't sure) I first read A Cook's Tour back in 2002. I was a bit shocked that it was 20 years ago, which made my reread of it almost like reading it for the first time. This time, having lost the great Anthony Bourdain in 2018, it was a very bittersweet journey through the pages. Also, although lapsed at times, my mostly vegetarian lifestyle probably led me to squirm a little more while reading it (poor little piggy, especially...) than when I was a full-blown carnivore. I was happy to revisit Bourdain's stellar food writing. Although he is rough around the edges, his love and respect for food and food traditions and his ability to make even the dubious to downright nasty sound anywhere from possibly edible to downright delicious are unmatched. I especially enjoyed his times in Asia--Vietnam and Cambodia where I have not journeyed yet to Tokyo where I spent a lot of time but not as adventurously as Bourdain. I really think you can't go wrong with any of Bourdain's books or shows, as sad as they are to read and watch with him gone. The world truly lost a talent and I appreciated getting him back for a bit with this book. 

For my dish inspiration, I was going to make a Vegetarian Pho Soup based on Bourdain's Vietnam travels. but at the last minute I was really craving Thai flavors and creamy coconut milk so I tossed together a Tofu Tom Kha Soup. It's not traditional and I took some shortcuts but it totally hit the spot. 

Quick and Easy Tofu Tom Kha Soup

By Deb, Kahakai Kitchen

(Makes About 4 Servings)

2 Tbsp peanut oil or other cooking oil
2 lemongrass stalks, peeled and bruised (or 1 Tbsp Gourmet Garden Lemon Grass Paste)

1-inch piece ginger, peeled and grated (or 2 cubes Dorot frozen crushed ginger)

1- 2 Tbsp Thai Yellow or Red Curry Paste
4 cup non-chicken/vegetable stock
4-5 kaffir lime leaves, torn

1 medium carrot, peeled and diced

1 can baby corn

1 can straw mushrooms 

8-oz tofu pressed and cubed (or 1 package Nasoya Baked Sesame Ginger Tofu, 7 oz) 
1 pinch brown sugar
2 Tbsp tamari or soy sauce
1 can (400 ml) of coconut milk
400 ml canned coconut milk
fresh lime juice to taste
Thai basil to garnish

Add the peanut oil to a large pot over medium heat and add lemongrass stalks and ginger. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, then add curry paste and cook another minute or two. 
Pour the stock into the pot and add the kaffir lime leaves, carrots, baby corn, and mushrooms and bring to a simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add the tofu, sugar, and soy sauce and cook another 5 minutes. 
Reduce heat add the coconut milk and stir for 2 minutes, not letting it boil. Add lime lime juice to taste. Serve with chopped Thai basil and enjoy!

Notes/Results: I love Thai soups--the blend of creamy and tangy with the lime leaves and juice so this was a great way to avoid takeout. The shortcuts came from the pantry--the curry paste, canned baby corn and straw mushrooms, and the freezer and fridge--lemon grass paste, cubes of frozen ginger and pre-marinated and baked tofu. All added lots of flavor. I am a mild spice person, especially lately since COVID and a newish asthma inhaler did a number on my taste buds, but you could certainly add more curry paste or a Thai chili or two if you want to up the spice level. I will make this again. 

Today (7/31/22) is the deadline for this round of Cook the Books and Claudia will be compiling all the entries on the Cook the Book site. If you missed this round and like food and books and foodie books, join us for August/September when we will be reading Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, hosted by Debra of Eliot's Eats. 

We have a few friends who have been waiting in the Souper Sundays kitchen for quite a while now! Let's take a look!

Judee of Gluten Free A-Z Blog shared Coleslaw Macaroni Salad and said, "This salad combines two old fashioned picnic favorites: coleslaw and macaroni salad! Does it get better than that? ... Think of this salad for guests with special eating needs. It meets gluten-free, vegan, dairy -free and kosher-parve standards. It can be made quickly and stored in the refrigerator for at least 2 days."

Melynda of Scratch Made Food brought French Lentil Salad and says, "French Lentil Salad is a taste of springtime! Yes you read that right, this lentil salad with fresh vegetables and a light vinaigrette is light, delicious and the perfect salad to make right now!"

Debra of Eliot's Eats made Nicoise Style Chopped Salad, saying, "The farm bag delivery is the highlight of my Tuesdays. Most of the recipes that they feature are great. This one is pretty darn tasty (even though all the ingredients were not included in the bag). In hindsight, I should have thrown in the sliced mushrooms that came that week. (Please note the original recipe calls for Kalamata olives. Not having any, I left them out. I did add a few more capers to adjust.)"

Tina of Squirrel Head Manor shared Potato Salad Two Ways, saying, "This is a decent potato salad which is easy to prepare. Doug liked it (and he doesn't like potato salad) so I am going to call this a win. Here is a snap of the dish before the sour cream was added.  It could be served warm like this.Here it is chilled with the sour cream added.  Winner either way, just depends if you like a warm or chilled salad."

Thank you, Judee, Melynda, Debra and Tina for joining me and being patient while I got around to posting. 

If you'd like to join in Souper Sundays, I am opening up the below link for two weeks.

Anyone interested can post their soups, salads, or sandwiches any time during the two weeks and I will post a recap of the entries on Sunday in two weeks.) 

(If you aren't familiar with Souper Sundays, you can read about of the origins of it here.  

To join in this week's linkup with your soup, salad or sandwich:

• Link up your soup (stew, chili, soupy curries, etc. are fine), salad, or sandwich dish, (preferably one from the current week or month--but we'll take older posts too) on the picture link below and leave a comment on this post so I am sure not to miss you.

On your entry post (on your blog):

• please mention Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammies) Sundays at Kahakai Kitchen and link back to this post.
• you are welcome to add the wonderful Souper Sundays logo (created by Ivy at Kopiaste) to your post and/or blog (optional).

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

8/14/22 Update! Extending one more week! Use this link and I'll combine both in a recap post. 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Have a happy, healthy week!