Summer successes and summer Christmas

[RebPax]

I’m not trying to rub it in, but as summer is just round the corner I’m planning many a great feast and picnic. So I’d be keen to hear what everyone’s top food successes of the summer and spring of 2008 were.
Also, here’s a bit of a head scratcher: Can anyone think of something I can make for a summer Christmas? I’m picturing a summery twist on a traditional dish, as I’m meeting the “in-laws” for the first time and thought I’d bring a hostess gift that’s Northern Hemisphereish (my vocab. fails me), and not too heavy.

[Crocus]

Hi Rebpax, what I sometimes do is to serve my meat cold. Prepare it the previous day, and then just carve it the next day and serve it with some salads, speciality salads. I've got a lovely recipe for a salad which I love to make. It must be prepared 24 hours in advance (which is lovely for Christmas) and the next day you just mix all the ingredients and voila, a lovely salad. It looks quite festive and it really is delicious.
You can also

Here's the recipe if you are interested?

1. Place some crispy cold salad leaves (iceberg's best) in your bowl.
(Place the following ingredients as numbered in layers in your bowl.

2. 4 hard boiled eggs (thinly sliced)

3. 1 cup of grated cheese (a strongish flavour works best)

4. 1 cup cucumber cut into quarters.

5. 1 cup of frozen peas.

6. 8 slices of bacon (streaky) cut and fried. (you can also use any left over meat or even tuna, but I find that the streaky bacon works best because it adds a lot of flavour.

7. 1 cup of mayonaisse.

8. Layer these ingredients on top of the salad as mentioned from no.2 - 6 and lastly spread the mayonaisse over the top. DON'T MIX.
9. Put it in the fridge overnight and just before serving, mix everything together.

This really is a lovely salad, looks festive and tastes great. I always make this for special occasions. I serve it in a silindrical shaped bowl and not a kind of flatish roundish bowl. I also prepare it in a different bowl and after I mixed the lot together, I just dish it into my serving dish as I want the inside of the bowl to be free of any mayonaisse.

This is a recipe I found in a recipe book from a local school. xx

[RebPax]

Wow, I've never heard of anything like that before. Sounds like it would be great fun to make. I'll definitly give it a go. Thanks

[Crocus]

I promise you Rebpax, you won't be disappointed. The fact that one layers the ingredients as mentioned above, and then left overnight or longer to marry is the secret of this salad. It's everyday ingredients so most people will like it. I've tried it with chicken in stead of the bacon, but I must say I prefer the bacon. The salty smoked flavour is perfect for this. It's a bit of work to boil the eggs, fry of the bacon, layering as the recipe says, but it's well worth it, believe me. xxx

[Katelb]

Crocus,that salad sounds amazing,and I can have everything in it too! I shall be trying that as soon as the opportunity presents itself,thanks for putting it on.
Hope your family enjoy it RebPax.