Green Bean Salad

Use 1 pound of skinny green beans (Trader Joe's frozen if you don't have fresh). Cook them just as you would pasta, and end up a little bit al dente.

Add one red onion sliced in thin ringlets separated, one can of black olives drained and a cup of walnuts.

Make olive oil and lemon juice dressing (a half-cup of olive oil, a quarter-cup of lemon juice, a half-teaspoon of Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon of salt and freshly ground black paper to taste). Toss all, chill well.

I'm not much of a raw onion fan, but one time I saw the great chef Jacques Pepin rinsing off red onion before putting it into a salad to make it less strong. I plan to try that some time.

Corn, Basil, and Tomato Salad

6 ears corn, shucked
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1/2 cup (packed) thinly sliced fresh basil
5 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Using a large knife, cut corn kernels from cob. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic, sauté one minute. Add corn and sauté until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add fresh basil. Transfer corn mixture to a large bowl. Cool slightly, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomatoes, vinegar, 3 tablespoons oil, and remaining basil. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and chill at least 3 hours, up to 8 hours.