If you’re heading out to a cook out for Memorial Day and still scratching your head on what to take over to the host’s home or what salad to make if you are hosing a barbecue or cookout, here are 5 easy and simple salad recipes from the FoodNetwork to consider. Above is the Roman Salad

Ingredients

1 cup balsamic vinegar

1 cup pitted green and black olives, halved

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

3 anchovy fillets, drained and chopped

2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained

1 garlic clove, thinly sliced

8 fresh basil leaves, shredded

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound vine-ripened tomatoes (about 3 tomatoes)

Directions

Cook the balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan over low heat until thick, syrupy, and measuring 1/4 cup, about 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Combine the olives, parsley, anchovies, capers, garlic, basil, pepper, and olive oil in a small bowl and toss to combine.

To serve, slice the tomatoes into 1/4-inch thick rounds and place, slightly overlapping, on a serving plate. Spoon the olive and parsley mixture over the tomatoes. Drizzle the reduced balsamic over the salad and serve.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/cda/recipe_print/0,1946,FOOD_9936_36960_RECIPE-PRINT-FULL-PAGE-FORMATTER,00.html?oc=linkback

BLT Pasta Salad

Ingredients

12 ounces corkscrew-shaped pasta

1/2 cup milk

12 ounces lean bacon

3 medium ripe tomatoes, cut into chunks

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

1 clove garlic, minced

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup sour cream

4 tablespoons chopped chives or scallion greens

5 heads Bibb lettuce, quartered, or 5 cups chopped romaine hearts

Directions

Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water as the label directs. Drain and toss with the milk in a large bowl; set aside.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Discard all but 3 tablespoons drippings from the pan. Add the tomatoes, thyme and garlic to the pan and toss until warmed through; season with salt and pepper. Crumble the bacon into bite-size pieces; set aside 1/4 cup for garnish. Toss the remaining bacon and the tomato mixture with the pasta.

Mix the mayonnaise, sour cream and 3 tablespoons chives with the pasta until evenly combined. Season with salt and pepper. Add the lettuce; toss again to coat. Garnish with the reserved bacon and the remaining 1 tablespoon chives. Serve at room temperature.

Per serving: Calories 960; Fat 56 g (Sat. 20 g; Mono. 30 g; Poly. 18 g); Cholesterol 125 mg; Sodium 2,114 mg; Carbohydrate 73 g; Fiber 5 g; Protein 44 g

Black Bean and Corn Salad

4 ears corn, husks removed

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup diced red bell pepper

3/4 cup diced red onion

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 cup snow peas, julienned

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Directions

Preheat the grill to medium.

Grill the corn until lightly charred, about 2 minutes, turning frequently. Transfer the corn to a cutting board and using a serrated knife remove the kernels. Set aside.

In a medium saute pan over medium-high heat, add the olive oil, then the red bell pepper and the red onion. Saute for 3 minutes, then add the vinegar, beans and corn and saute for 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and the snow peas and saute for 1 minute more. Remove from the heat to a serving bowl and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm or cold.

Quinoa Salad with Asparagus, Goat Cheese and Black Olives

Ingredients

Vinaigrette:

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon mustard

1/2 cup olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Quinoa Salad:

4 cups salted water or vegetable stock

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

2 cups quinoa

16 spears asparagus, trimmed

Olive oil, for brushing

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup pitted nicoise olives

4 ounces aged goat cheese, shaved

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves

Directions

For the vinaigrette: Combine the vinegar, honey and mustard in a blender and blend until smooth. With the motor running, slowly add the olive oil and blend until emulsified. Add salt and pepper to taste and pulse a few times to incorporate.

For the quinoa salad: Bring the salted water or vegetable stock to a boil and add the thyme. Stir in the quinoa, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until cooked through, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Preheat the grill. Brush the asparagus with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill on all sides until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove from the grill and cut into 1/2-inch pieces.

Transfer the quinoa to a large bowl, fold in the asparagus, olives, goat cheese, basil and parsley. Add just enough vinaigrette to moisten the salad; don’t make it too wet. Transfer to a platter and drizzle with more of the vinaigrette.

Serves: 6; Calories: 477; Total Fat: 29 grams; Saturated Fat: 6 grams; Protein: 13 grams; Total carbohydrates: 43 grams; Sugar: 6 grams; Fiber: 5 grams; Cholesterol: 9 milligrams; Sodium: 446 milligrams