Last Updated on June 23, 2026 by Daily News Staff

(Family Features) Some summertime dishes are just too good to be true. This Easy Pasta Salad is simple enough to become a favorite side and filling enough to serve as a light main course. Enjoy more warm weather recipes by visiting Culinary.net.

Easy Pasta Salad

Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy”
Servings: 4-6

• 1 pound pasta noodles of choice
• 1 can (15 ounces) peas, drained
• 1 can (15 ounces) carrots, drained
• 1 package (16 ounces) diced ham
• 1 package (2 1/2 ounces) real bacon pieces
• 1 package (6 ounces) cheddar cheese cubes
• 2 1/2 cups mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 cup juice from bread butter pickles
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons mustard
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and place in large bowl. Add peas, carrots, ham, bacon pieces and cheese cubes.
2. In separate bowl, mix mayonnaise, sugar, pickle juice, vinegar and mustard. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Pour mixture over pasta and mix well.
3. Refrigerate 1-2 hours before serving.

SOURCE:

Culinary.net

Explore the Food and Drink section on STM Daily News for timely coverage of culinary trends, beverage news, seasonal recipes, and food-focused community stories

(Feature Impact) A healthy brain goes beyond reading exercises and completing puzzles – it extends to the kitchen, too. Emerging nutritional science is clear that what people eat doesn’t just fuel the body; it shapes memory, mood and cognitive health.

Among the foods you can include in your diet to give your brain a boost are peanuts and peanut butter, staples valued not only for their convenience but also for their cognitive benefits. In fact, a study published in the “Journal of the Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease” found adults 60-80 years old who did not eat peanuts and peanut butter regularly were 30-50% more likely to perform poorly on tests measuring learning, memory, language, processing motor speed and attentiveness compared to those who did consumer peanuts and peanut butter.

It’s not just the older generation that can benefit. According to research published in “Clinical Nutrition,” a study of college students ages 18-33 showed consumption of peanuts and peanut butter was associated with improved memory function and decreased anxiety, depression and stress.

Consider this key information from the Georgia Peanut Commission before your next meal planning session.

Nutrients that Give the Brain a Boost

Despite their small stature, peanuts pack a nutrition punch. Their unique blend of various vitamins, minerals and bioactive compounds includes:

• Niacin, which can slow cognitive decline and reduce the risk for Alzheimer’s disease, according to the “Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry”
• Vitamin E, found to promote healthy brain aging and delay cognitive decline
• Resveratrol, believed to be beneficial in fighting against Alzheimer’s disease and other nerve degenerating diseases, per the “Journal of Biological Chemistry”
• P-coumaric acid, an antioxidant that appears to target the neurotransmitters in the brain that regulate mood, stress and anxiety

Peace of MIND

Peanuts are included in the MIND diet, a combination of the Mediterranean and DASH diets, which specifically includes foods shown to benefit the brain.

Adding peanuts to your menu can be a breeze. Look no further than a powerful main course like Crunchy and Creamy Cold Green Pea and Peanut Salad, a perfect accompaniment at potlucks and cookouts as an easy side or light main course. Make breakfast-on-the-go part of your daily commute with Flourless Blueberry Muffins that require just five ingredients, including creamy peanut butter, or add a pinch of protein to snack time with Protein Balls that can be refrigerated until hunger strikes.

Brain Food for Thought

Supporting your brain starts with the right nutrition, and evidence makes clear peanuts and peanut butter should be top-of-mind as you head to the grocery store. For help getting started, find more recipes and nutritional information by visiting GAPeanuts.com.

Flourless Blueberry Muffins

Recipe courtesy of The Peanut Institute
Servings: 12

• 2          bananas
  
• 1          cup creamy peanut butter
  
• 2          eggs
  
• 1/2       teaspoon baking powder
  
• 1          cup blueberries

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease muffin pan.
2. In blender or food processor, combine bananas, peanut butter, eggs and baking powder; blend until smooth. Fold in blueberries by hand.
3. Pour mixture into muffin tin. Bake 12-15 minutes.
4. Store in airtight container up to 3 days.

Nutritional information per serving: 155 calories, 10 g carbohydrates, 31 mg cholesterol, 2 g saturated fat, 9 g unsaturated fat, 2 g fiber, 6 g protein, 98 mg sodium, 5 g sugar.

Crunchy and Creamy Cold Green Pea and Peanut Salad

Recipe courtesy of The Peanut Institute
Servings: 8

Dressing:

• 1/3       cup sour cream
  
• 1 1/2    tablespoons mayonnaise
  
• 2          teaspoons apple cider vinegar
  
• 2          teaspoons sugar

Salad:

• 1          package (20 ounces) green peas, frozen
  
• 1          cup celery, chopped
  
• 1/3       cup red onions, chopped
  
• 1          cup dry roasted peanuts
  
• 6          slices thick cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
  
• 1          pinch salt, or to taste
  
• 1          pinch freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

1. To make dressing: In small mixing bowl, whisk sour cream, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar and sugar.
2. To make salad: In large mixing bowl, combine frozen green peas, celery and onion. Pour dressing over salad and toss to combine. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.
3. Before serving, stir in roasted peanuts and crumbled bacon. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Nutritional information per serving: 230 calories, 17 g carbohydrates, 12 mg cholesterol, 3 g saturated fat, 9 g unsaturated fat, 5 g fiber, 11 g protein, 249 mg sodium, 6 g sugar, 1 g added sugar.

Protein Balls

Recipe courtesy of The Peanut Institute
Servings: 24

• 1          cup chunky peanut butter
  
• 1          tablespoon vanilla
  
• 1/4       cup honey
  
• 2          cups quick oats
  
• 2          tablespoons ground flaxseed
  
• 1/2       cup shredded coconut
  
• 1/2       cup dried, chopped cranberries
  
• 1/8       teaspoon iodized salt
  
• 1/4       cup water

1. Using stand mixer, combine peanut butter, vanilla, honey, quick oats, flaxseed, coconut, cranberries, salt and water; mix until well combined.
2. Form dough into 1-ounce portions and refrigerate 30 minutes before serving.

Nutritional information per serving: 130 calories, 7 g fat, 14 g carbohydrates, 3 g protein, 2 g fiber, 60 mg sodium.

SOURCE:

Georgia Peanut Commission

STM Daily News’ Food and Drink section highlights the stories, trends, flavors, and events shaping today’s food culture. From recipes to restaurant news, it keeps readers connected to what’s fresh and worth tasting.

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Summer tends to fly by, but certain bites slow time down. McDonald’s is betting its Fried Apple Pie is one of them.

According to a new announcement from McDonald’s USA, the OG Fried Apple Pie returns to participating restaurants nationwide starting June 23 for a limited time. The classic dessert is described as featuring a signature filling made with 100% American-grown apples, wrapped in the same golden, crunchy, flaky fried crust longtime fans remember.

Why the Fried Apple Pie comeback matters

McDonald’s is framing the return as a nostalgia play with a patriotic twist, tying the seasonal rollout to the lead-up to America’s 250th birthday. If you grew up hearing people talk about “the fried pies,” this is the moment they mean: hot, sweet, and unmistakably old-school.

And if you’ve never tried it? McDonald’s is positioning June 23 as your entry point—an “if you know, you know” menu item that’s meant to feel like a summer memory in dessert form.

A classic that started as a family recipe

The company also shared a bit of origin story: the Fried Apple Pie traces back to the 1960s, when East Tennessee McDonald’s Owner/Operator Litton Cochran created a fried apple hand pie that became a local favorite. Over time, it made its way into McDonald’s history.

Eric Cochran, a McDonald’s Owner/Operator, said the pie is one of those foods that “take you back,” and credited his grandparents—Litton and Jo Cochran—with helping shape the recipe when McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc was looking for a dessert that would resonate with customers.

The 35-foot Fried Apple Pie (yes, really)

To make the return feel like a road-trip moment, McDonald’s is also unveiling a giant roadside installation: The McDonald’s Largest Fried Apple Pie, a 35-foot version of the dessert placed along Route 66—built to be a photo stop.

Fans can snap a selfie and pick up a McDonald’s souvenir map at:

• 920 N Broadway St., Joliet, IL 60435 (just outside Chicago)

If you’re near Chicagoland, here are the dates

• Kickoff event (June 23): 3:30–6:00 p.m. CT, with live music, an ice-cold Coca-Cola, and complimentary Arch Cards
• June 23–July 4: The installation remains up through the holiday stretch

How to get it

McDonald’s says the Fried Apple Pie will be available all day at participating restaurants nationwide, and can also be ordered via the McDonald’s App, while supplies last.If your summer plans include a long drive, a late-night snack run, or just chasing a little nostalgia, June 23 might be the date to circle. Some menu items are built for convenience—this one is built for the detour.

Related

• McDonald’s (Official Site)
• McDonald’s App (Official)
• PR Newswire (Press Release Distribution)

Source

• McDonald’s USA, LLC press release via PRNewswire: “Summer Just Got Sweeter with the Return of McDonald’s Fried Apple Pie” (June 16, 2026)

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