taste of tuesday: dinah's asian noodle salad

with the temperature reaching into the 90's last week, I had no desire to make a hot meal. I planned a menu of no baking/minimal baking/crockpot items. it just so happened, the day I made this salad, the temperature had dropped 30* and I was wearing long sleeves and socks. my mom ate this at a wedding shower and emailed me the recipe (from my YW president). must try it if mom tho't it was good enough to pass along. I don't know who Dinah is (maybe a restaurant in CA?), but they make a tasty salad. love the cilantro. didn't love the smell of cooking sesame oil. Dinah’s Asian Noodle Salad
(Carla Coonradt)

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. angel hair pasta (you can use spaghetti, fettuccine. I used linguine)
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 3 Tbl. Sesame oil
• ¾ tsp red pepper flakes
• 4 Tbl soy sauce
• 3 Tbl honey
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup peanuts – chopped (1/2 c. is more than enough)
• 1 bunch green onions sliced--reserve 2 Tbl for top of salad as garnish (optional)
• ½ cup cilantro – chopped
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• ½ English cucumber – seeded and chopped, not peeled
• ¼ cup sesame seeds – toasted
• Grilled chicken – chopped (optional)

Directions:

1. Cook pasta. Rinse in cold water, drain.
2. Heat oil and red pepper flakes until warm. Remove from heat and add soy, honey and salt. Pour over pasta. Refrigerate for several hours. An hour before serving combine all other ingredients. Stir well.

a great mayo-free salad for your summertime BBQ

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another salad for a hot summer day: Asian Chicken Salad. brings me right back to high school, hanging out at JJ's house. (toss together: iceberg lettuce or cabbage, 1 pkg top ramen (crushed, uncooked noodles), sliced almonds, 1 can mandarin oranges, chicken (cooked and cubed), & Paul Newman's sesame ginger dressing).