Just~One~Donna

This fresh tomato salad is one of the simplest and most delicious salads you can make.  At my house, we only make this salad at this time of year, when garden-ripened tomatoes are easily available. The Best Tomato Salad The anticipation builds as we watch the tomato plants in my garden grow and mature.  We'll eat this salad as a side dish or as the main event.  Tomatoes are the star ingredient.

Have you been making a lot of summer salads lately? The hot weather in my part of the country has a lot to do with my salad making. Hot, humid weather makes the prospect of cooking using the oven or stove unpleasant. This cucumber salad makes a cool side dish for a hot summer day. You might even consider making this cucumber salad instead of potato salad for your next picnic or barbecue. It's that good. Crunchy Cucumber Salad   This is not your momma's cucumber salad recipe. I've changed it up, replacing sour cream with mayonnaise, and dill with celery seeds.  I love this version of cucumber salad and trust you will, too.

Has the summer heat been getting to you? There's no better time to make delicious ice cream at home.  A quick Google search for favorite ice cream flavors in the United States reveals vanilla ice cream as either in first or second place depending on the source. Since vanilla ice cream is such a favorite flavor, let's cool off with some creamy, homemade, vanilla ice cream! Creamy Vanilla Ice Cream in Your Ice Cream Maker I'm not a fan of single-use kitchen appliances but I make an exception for my ice cream maker. It's so easy to use that a child could operate it! Just add the ingredients, push the on button and 20 minutes later you can have creamy ice cream.

When you are pickling this year don't forget about pickled beets.  This refrigerator pickled beets recipe is so easy you'll find yourself making them over and over again.   There is no need to go through a tedious canning process for them either.  These beets will last a week or two in your refrigerator but you'll find so many ways to add them to your menu that they will be gone before you know it. How to Make Easy Refrigerator Pickled Beets Just look at the color of those beets! Yum!  Both the pickled beets and the onion stay crisp in the brine and have just the right amount of tartness.  The vibrant color means they will add a pop of color to any dish.  You may never have considered making pickled beets but just check out your local gourmet foods shop and you'll see the jars of beautiful pickled beets for sale.  They really are special. You can use any color of beets but the deep red ones will make the biggest impact visually in your salads and as a side dish. Tips fo

Making Bread Machine Pizza Dough is quick and easy because your bread machine does all the work for you.  It just takes a minute or two to add the ingredients to your bread machine and you will soon have enough dough to make multiple pizzas, never mind the cost savings over takeout pizza. How to Make Bread Machine Pizza Dough The other great thing about making this pizza dough in your bread machine is that it is a make-ahead recipe and the flavor of the dough improves as you let it sit.   That means when you make the dough on a Tuesday or Wednesday you will have the most delicious pizza dough you can imagine for Friday's pizza night. Pro Tips for Perfect Pizza Dough in Your Bread Machine Add ingredients to the bread machine in the order listed in the recipe.  The liquid ingredients go first. Be sure your water is warm, not hot.   Water that is too hot will keep the yeast from working. Use a flavorful olive oil in this

When grilling season hits I look to easy, flavorful side dishes to complement grilled meats. This grilled potatoes and onion recipe is an adaptation of a grilled potato recipe I have been making for years and years because it is flavorful and versatile.   When you want a potatoes side dish, these potatoes are a nice change from potato salad. This recipe is a little less fussy to make and that means the preparation is quick and easy.  I'm all about quick and easy, especially where the grill is involved. A Grilled Potatoes Side Dish Once you make these grilled potatoes you will be sure to add them to your grilling menu rotation.