3 Easy Salads

This post is sponsored by Huhtamaki, Inc. Makers of Chinet® brand. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Warm weather is on its way, and one fun thing my friends and I have done for years is a recipe swap! Everyone brings their favorite salad recipe, we try them all, and then we have a new set of recipes in our arsenal! It’s so fun and also a really organic way to get to know new friends or neighbors! When preparing for any quick get together, Chinet® Cut Crystal® collection has me covered with their line of pretty plates, cups, and cutlery as the base for these tasty salads. These stylish Chinet pieces enhance the beauty of fresh food, and the durable plastic stands up to my enormous portions. 😉 I’ll put the recipes at the bottom of this post for you to use at your next recipe swap!

1. Watermelon Skewers. You’ve likely had a version of this as a salad, but I thought it would be fun to try it on a stick for an easy appetizer. All you need is cut watermelon, finely chopped basil, feta cheese and balsamic glaze (you can buy glaze pre-made!!). Then, stick a toothpick in it and you’ve got an easy bite of sweet watermelon, salty feta, tangy balsamic and fresh basil.
2. Panzanella is a salad of mediterranean flavors and crusty bread! I’ve found the bread can get soggy in a hurry, so I leave it out when I’m entertaining. It’s so tasty and a delicious way to get all those veggie servings in! Just takes some chopping and assembling!
3. This pasta salad can stand alone as a meal; it’s hearty and filling. And my favorite comfort food. I make a huge batch each time I have a baby; it tastes good warm or cold, and it lasts for several days!

I love how the Chinet Cut Crystal collection goes together so everything feels intentionally streamlined! The clear design and elegant swirl pattern perfectly match any theme or decor! They have both the dinner plates and dessert plates, cups and cutlery.

The Chinet Cut Crystal cutlery even comes in a host-ready container so you can transfer from the store right to your table. Of course, it’s disposable, which makes a picnic, BBQ, or dinner with friends a breeze!

Panzanella:

Chop three colorful peppers, a seeded English cucumber, then halve cherry or grape tomatoes (1 cup) and kalamata olives (1 cup.) Then, make the dressing! I do 1/4 c of red wine vinegar, 1 tsp of a dijon mustard, 1 tsp of kosher salt, 1 tsp of pepper and at least a clove of chopped garlic. I often put in 2+ because I love it! Mix those ingredients together, and then whisk in 1/2 cup of olive oil. Dress the salad, and then top with feta cheese.

Pasta Salad:

Cook (or buy a rotisserie chicken) and cube 1 cup of chicken. Cook two cups of bowtie pasta, drain, and set aside. Chop a cup of celery, a cup of purple grapes (halved), drain a cup of canned crushed pineapple, chop 3 green onions, and combine all ingredients with 1 cup of coleslaw dressing. Top with cashews as you serve; if you toss them into the whole batch, they get soft over time.

Watermelon Skewers:

This isn’t so much a recipe as it is an assembly, but my tip for cutting watermelon is to cut the melon in half horizontally from the stem. Place it cut side down on your board and cut the rind off. Then, cut it long ways and horizontally about an inch wide. It will get you uniform cuts every time and it SO much faster!

Hopefully you can put these tips, recipes, and Chinet Cut Crystal collection pieces to good use this summer!