It's Salad Season

Have you ever been to a ward dinner or family reunion or any type of pot lock where everyone brings something to share with the group? There is always one dish sits there untouched. Maybe it looks ugly or smells wierd or simply has ingredients that look like they shouldn't go together. I've been there before, i've seen that happen. Sometimes I was the one that actually brought the dish to the party. I know, how sad. Unfortunately, cooking is not one of my strengths.

I was looking at pictures from a friends recent family gathering and there are people smiling and eating and scooping out food on to their plates and chatting and just having a grand time. And just looking at these photos gave me a little nervous pit in my stomach. Isn't that crazy? I didn't even have a food assignment at this particular party and i still got anxious. What if my thing doens't get eaten and i have to leave with the bowl still full? It's like having a yard sale and hauling as much stuff back into the house at the end of the day as you did that morning. It's the worst form of rejection. (And no, that last thing has never happened to me, i was just guessing.)

I actually did bring something to a reunion once that just sat there. I can't remember what it was but no one was interested, so i ate a ton of it and then I kept going back and secretly scooping more on to my plate and oh so descreetly walking past the garbage and dumping it so i could go back and get more just to toss it. Isn't that stupid? My food issues have grown into a full blown complex, i swear. I need professional help. I'm asking for some cooking lessons for my birthday and if that doesn't work I've got the therapist all lined up.

Anyway, the weather has been awesome and every BBQ on the block is singing its mating song. It's looking for it's salad. And sooner than later I'm going to have to ask, "oh, well, what can i bring?" And someone is going to say it... those inevitable, dreaded words, "What about a salad?"

So, i need your help. I need your tried and true super yummy salad recipes. Any kind. macaroni, potato, pasta, spinach, whatever. You can post here or email it to me. The world will thank you. Or at least my family and friends who are subjected to my daily attempts at something edible.

p.s. I hate Martha Stewart and her perfect looking salads.