Salads, Sandwiches and Sweets (Recipe Roundup: August 2012)

Some weeks it's easier to cook than others.  I have a horrible habit of forgetting how to use a kitchen if I stay out of one for too long. After my wife and I returned from a five week honeymoon in Australia in 2009 it took me about that many weeks to  'recover' and make a dinner I was willing to share with company.   While my broccoli bake and vegan sofrito burritos (coming soon!) were moments of triumph recently, I have found myself sticking to tried and true favorites.  I did not seek a theme for this month's recipe roundup, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking for some inspiration and I always find it hard to consider sandwiches a meal.

Inspiration was not difficult to find as the foodie community is very active online, and I soon found that the tail end of summer is being felt  by fellow foodies.  Quickly I found myself attracted to a number of sophisticated, yet simple sandwiches  salads and sweets, leading me to a number of recipes that make for flavorful and delightful summer meals.  With exceptions made for other dishes that inspired me this month, I share with you the best of the salads, sandwiches that caught my attention in August.

Starting with some savory dishes, A Glug of Oil shared Chicken Tagine with Olives and Lemons, reminding me that I haven't used my tagine since we moved into this house in April.  For the vegetarians and vegans that are reading, Oh My Veggies has a great description of one of my FAVORITE meat-alternatives, tempeh, along with a recipe for Vegan Sloppy Joes.  Louise Mellor has a delicious looking Hatch Chile Potato Hash with photos that really convey the smells and flavors of this dish, and rather than serving this hash with fried eggs, how about Tri-Color Frittata by Dinner in Venice. Departing the flavors of Europe, Magnolia Days shares a  Fried Okra dish and it makes me realized that my exposure to Southern Food is limited – something I need to take steps to change!

When it comes to salad, I need to break the mold and divorce myself from the "lettuce, tomato, cucumber" pattern I have fallen into and this month there was plenty of inspiration to do so.

Although Kitchen Tested is enjoying a vacation, Busy in Brooklyn has stepped in with a Black Quinoa Salad with Garlic Scape Pesto & Dried Cherries.  I am a fan of combing grain and veggies and Cookin Cowgirl has combined some of my favorite ingredients and taken Tabouli to the next level with a Quinoa Tabouli  with Heirloom Tomatoes.  Norene Gilletz has answered my prayers for a authentic tasting dairy-free Tzatziki recipe, now I have to plan a menu around this dish!

This Peach, Tomato and Basil Summer Salad would be a perfect accompaniment to a BBQ or a light supper in and itself and Sharon Matten shares a Warm Mushroom Pasta Salad, topped with Feta.

If you are hungry for carbs, here come those sandwiches,  although it's a term I use losely!  Start by checking out these Jalapeno, Cherry Tomato, Cheddar and Herb Biscuits, which I would certainly try and replicate with Daiya cheese.

I am not going to disagree with Food my Friend's statement that deep fried pastry is SO DELICIOUS, so these Vegetarian Empanadas will be on my menu next time I need a veggie finger food at a party!
I have had a package of chickpea flour in my kitchen for a number of weeks now and thanks to Confident Cook, Hesitant Baker, I can now make Socca Flatbread  with a mushroom and tofu saute.   As well as guest posting for Kitchen Tested, Busy in Brooklyn partitipated in the Kosher Connection Link Up earlier this month, and shared Grilled Cheese with Figs and Honey that would make for the perfect brunch treat or dessert.

Knead to Cook shares beautiful photographs of Vegetarian Rolls, a dish we used to call "Freshie Rolls" and always took to pot luck picnics!  I have never thought to combine peach and avocado, but this Open Faced Avocado and Peach Sandwich from Shockingly Delicious is one to enjoy on the patio with your feet in the water.  To wrap up my sandwiches, 30AEats has a delightful Cucumber and Roasted Corn Salsa on Grilled Bread with Herbed Feta and you might win a copy of Sugar & Salt – A Year At Home And At Sea.

Most of you like to finish a meal with a sweet.  I'm not one to bake and I don't have much of a sweet tooth but I appreciate dessert photography, almost more than I enjoy the dessert itself.  Tongue Ticklers shares Savory Herb Cookies with Chives in which I marvel at both the the photography and foodography!  Ronnie Fein highlights the 15th anniversary of Oreo Cookies becoming Kosher and Savory Simple made a Sweet and Spicy Curried Popcorn, somewhat similar to a Zaatar Garlic popcorn that makes an appearance when we spend a night in front of the movies.

If you want to take a look at previous roundups visit my monthly roundup category, and if you'd like to suggest a theme for next month's roundup, please leave a note in the comments below or click to tweet your submission to @ysilver using #TABrecipe.