Summer favorites

I love summer salads... with busy kids coming and going to soccer and gymnastics practices, it is wonderful to be able to make a meal ahead of time then just pull it out of the refrigerator when it's time to eat!! You probably know by now that I love the Barefoot Contessa!! I love how easy and delicious her recipes are, and I have all of her books. When I saw this recipe on one of her shows, I knew I had to make it. It has become one of our family favorites...

Roasted Shrimp and Orzo Salad

Kosher salt
Good olive oil
3/4 pound orzo pasta (rice-shaped pasta)
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (3 lemons)
Freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds (16 to 18 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup minced scallions, white and green parts
1 cup chopped fresh dill
1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and medium-diced
1/2 cup small-diced red onion
3/4 pound good feta cheese, large diced

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Fill a large pot with water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and a splash of oil, and bring the water to a boil. Add the orzo and simmer for 9 to 11 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's cooked al dente. Drain and pour into a large bowl. Whisk together the lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Pour over the hot pasta and stir well.

Meanwhile, place the shrimp on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to combine and spread out in a single layer. Roast for 5 to 6 minutes, until the shrimp are cooked through. Don't overcook!

Add the shrimp to the orzo and then add the scallions, dill, parsley, cucumber, onion, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Toss well. Add the feta and stir carefully. Set aside at room temperature for 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend, or refrigerate overnight. If refrigerated, taste again for seasonings and bring back to room temperature before serving.

Lately I have been replacing the fresh dill with cilantro (since we love it so much), and sometimes I keep the feta cheese on the side because I don't like cheese... (I know, how is it possible!!!!). I also added corn because we love corn and it goes pretty well together!

Another super easy summer favorite of ours (and one that never lasts long around here) is Strawberry Lemonade. All you need are these two ingredients and water....

I find the frozen sliced strawberries (1 lb sweetened) at Safeway, but I am sure you can find similar packages anywhere. Add a can of good ole' lemonade, water and ice and you are done!! Simply delicious!!