Test Kitchen's Recipe Box: Spectacular Summer Salads

Summer Salad Recipes:

• Strawberry-Chicken Salad
• Raspberry Vinaigrette
• Shrimp-and-Artichoke Salad
• Honey Chicken Salad
• Tropical Spinach Salad With Grilled Shrimp
• Citrus Marinade
• Fresh Basil Vinaigrette
• Tropical Spinach Salad With Grilled Chicken
• Tropical Spinach Salad With Grilled Pork Tenderloin

The secret to a really good salad is fresh ingredients--simply prepared and well seasoned. Greens should be crisp and cold. Fruits, cheeses, and vinaigrettes are best at room temperature. Beyond that, there are few rules for creating a spectacular salad.

Tropical Spinach Salad With Grilled Shrimp, for example, is just as delicious when prepared with chicken or pork. Substitute fresh peaches for mangoes, feta for goat cheese, or pine nuts for pistachios. Add a little crumbled blue cheese to Strawberry-Chicken Salad, or replace the diced onion with a handful of fresh chives. What could be easier? And if you're lucky enough to have leftovers, just tuck them inside a pita pocket for a terrific sandwich.