Pasta Salad with Veggies

You need:

• 12 oz pasta
• 1 onion
• 8 oz Crimini mushrooms
• 1 carrot
• 2-3 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons garlic olive oil
• parmesan cheese to sprinkle

Instructions:

Cook the pasta following instructions on the package. Drain well. Add the garlic olive oil. Mix well. Set aside. In a skillet, fry the mushrooms. Slice the onions and add the carrot. Fry the garlic the last minute for a more flavorful taste. Arrange on top of the pasta and sprinkle with Parmesan.

Potato Salad with Mushrooms

You need:

• 2 pounds of potatoes
• ¼ cup olive oil
• fresh parsley
• 1 medium onion
• 8 oz mushrooms
• salt
• sharena sol

Instructions:

Boil the potatoes in a large pot for 25-30 minutes. Peel them and place them in a bowl.

You may want to cut them into pieces, or leave them whole. Wash the mushrooms and fry them along with the chopped onion. Add some salt to state. Pour the fried mushrooms and onion over the potatoes. Add the fresh parsley and mix well. Sprinkle with paprika and/or Bulgarian sharena sol.*

*See it in Secret Ingredient Category

Green Salad with Grilled Chicken

You need:

• 6 oz. spring mix lettuce
• ½ European cucumber
• 2 tomatoes
• 2-3 grilled chicken breasts
• 1/3 cup feta cheese
• 2 tablespoons walnuts
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons grape seed oil
• salt to taste

Instructions:

Peel and cut the cucumber. Chop the tomatoes into very small pieces. Add the green mix. You may use couple teaspoons of bruschetta instead of tomatoes. It will bring even more flavor. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. This serves 4. Fresh salads are fabulous for summer!

Tomato Salad

You need:

• 1 pound tomatoes on the vine
• 1/3 cup of Kalamata olives
• ½ of  onion
• ½ cup cubed Greek feta
• salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of grape seed oil
• few sprinkles of grated Parmesan
• parsley (optional)

Instructions:

Wash and slice the tomatoes. Add half of the olives, the sliced onion, and the feta. Sprinkle with some salt to taste, but not much. The parmesan, the feta, and olives might provide sufficient salty taste. Add the 2 types of oil. Top it with parmesan and the rest of the kalamata olives. This serves 4.

Bulgarian Country Style Salad

You need:

• 5 tomatoes
• 3 roasted peppers
• ½ onion
• 3 boiled eggs
• ½ cup olives
• ½ pound Feta Cheese
• 2 bunches of parsley
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Chop all the ingredients and mix together. You may like them more arranged in layers. When you cut the Feta, form cubes. Sprinkle with salt. Drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil. Sprinkle with black pepper on top. This serves 4.

Bean Salad (Vodenicharska)

You need:

• 2 cups of boiled white beans
• ½  onion, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 3 roasted peppers, finely chopped
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1/3 cup, finely chopped parsley
• black pepper and salt to taste
• 3-4 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions:

Boil the beans. Marinate them in vinegar for 10-15 minutes before you get the other ingredients ready for the salad. Cut the tomatoes and the roasted peppers into small pieces. Chop the ½ onion and the parsley, or use a food processor. Sprinkle with black pepper and salt. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. Mix all the ingredients together. This serves 4.

Roast Pepper Salad

You need:

9-10 yellow, red, or green peppers

½ bunch fresh parsley

2-3 garlic cloves

¼ cup of olive oil

1-2 tbsp red wine vinegar

salt to taste

Instructions:

Roast the peppers on all sides over high heat. Place them in a covered pot for 10-15 minutes. Remove peels, stems, and seeds from the peppers and split them lengthwise. Arrange the peppers in a plate and add the minced garlic cloves atop the peppers. Add the dressing made of salt, vinegar and oil. Sprinkle with finely chopped parsley. You can arrange them with a few olives.

Salad Olivier (Russian Salad)

You need:

• 5-6 large boiled potatoes
• 3 carrots
• 5-6 pickled cucumbers
• 4 hard boiled eggs
• ½ onion
• 6 oz sweet peas
• ½ pound ham
• salt to taste
• 6 oz mayonnaise

Instructions:

Boil the potatoes, peas, carrots and eggs. Dice the potatoes, carrots, and eggs into cubes. Add the chopped onion, pickles and ham. Mix with mayonnaise and the salt. This serves 4.

Appetizer “Melnik”

You need:

• 2 bell peppers
• 8 oz mushrooms
• 1 medium onion
• 4-5 garlic gloves
• 4-5 small zucchini
• 1 cup of vegetable oil
• 1-2 oz of feta cheese
• 5-6 olives
• ½ bunch of parsley
• salt to taste
• vinegar
• grape seed oil
• 1 cucumber
• 2 tomatoes

Instructions:

Peel and cut up the zucchini into circles. Deep fry them, or fry them in a skillet using the vegetable oil. When they turn golden brown, remove and drain them. In the same oil, fry the mushrooms, peppers, and the onion. Add the garlic to it at the very end. Arrange in a large plate and add fresh tomatoes, a cucumber, and the finely chopped parsley. Top it with feta cheese and olives. Pour the vinegar and the grape seed oil over the top.This serves 4.

Beet Salad

You need:

• 5-6 oz Shredded Green Cabbage
• 1 Large Beet, or 2 small
• 2 boiled eggs
• 1/2 bunch parsley
• 2 oz cut white corn
• salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions:

Shred the cabbage, and arrange it in a bowl. Peel and cut the beet into cubes, and boil it for about 5 minutes. Drain and arrange on top of the cabbage. Add corn that was boiled beforehand. Add the eggs. Chop and sprinkle the parsley over it. Mix with Italian Salad dressing, or make your own with the olive oil, salt, vinegar, and a tablespoon of water. This serves 2.

Potato salad

You need:

• 2 pounds of potatoes
• ¼ cup a butter
• fresh parsley
• 1 medium onion
• salt
• sharena sol

Instructions:

Boil the potatoes in a large pot for 25-30 minutes. Peel them and place them in a bowl.

You may want to cut them into pieces, or leave them whole. Chop the onion and mix it with the potatoes and some salt to state. Warm the butter and pour it over the potatoes and the onion. Add the fresh parsley the very end. Sprinkle with paprika and/or Bulgarian sharena sol.*

*See it  in Secret Ingredient Category

Shopska Salad

You need:

·       1 European cucumber

·       1 lb. ripe tomatoes

·       ½ medium onion

·       3 tbsp. olive oil

·       1 tbsp. red wine vinegar

·       Salt & pepper to taster

·       Chopped green or red pepper

·       Parsley

·       Crumbled or cubed Feta cheese

·       ½ cup olives

 Instruction:

1.     Peel and slice the cucumbers. Place the cucumber slices in a bowl.

2.     Peel and chop the onion and add to the cucumber slices.

3.     Drizzle a few tablespoons of olive oil over the cucumber and onions. Sprinkle with salt and stir.

4.     Add a tablespoon of red wine vinegar and a few dashes of pepper. 

5.     Slice the tomatoes and add to the salad. Cautiously, mix all ingredients.

6.     Place the cubed feta cheese on top of the salad.

7.     Chopped green or red pepper can be added to this salad.

8.     Arrange Parsley and Black olives on top the salad.

Butter Lettuce Salad

You need:

• 7 oz. Butter Lettuce
• 3 oz. Baby Spinach
• ½ pound pearl tomatoes
• 1 red pepper
• ½ medium-sized onion
• 1 cucumber
• ½ lb. olives
• 4 tbsp Italian dressing*

 Instructions:

1. Lightly wash and mix the Butter Lettuce and Baby Spinach

2. Slice the tomatoes, the red pepper, and the cucumber

3. Chop the onion

4. Add the Salad dressing

5. Arrange the olives on top

*Instead of Salad dressing, you could substitute with 2 tbsp wine red wine vinegar, 2 tbsp grape seed oil and a few drops of water, and some salt to taste.

Spinach Salad :

You need:

Fresh washed baby spinach leaves – 1 packet (6 oz)

4-5 medium tomatoes

1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion

crumbled feta cheese, about 3 to 4 tablespoons

walnuts, halves or coarsely chopped, about 2 tablespoons

olives – ½ a cup

Dressing – 1tablspoon granulated sugar, 1/3 cup red wine vinegar,1/3 cup olive oil, or grape seed oil,1 tablespoon water, salt to taste

Preparation:

Arrange the spinach leaves on a salad plate. Slice the tomatoes and the onion. Arrange on the spinach. Sprinkle with the feta cheese and walnuts. Combine dressing ingredients in a saucepan and pour over the salad