By: Ariel Worthing  

Summer is coming to an end, and school is just around the corner, but there is still time for those ends of summer parties and events like baby showers and birthdays don’t stop just because we are headed back to the books. If you’re human, just like the rest of us, you’re probably stressing about getting ready to head back to campus while still having a social life. And if you’re even more human, you also probably waited until the last minute to decide which side dish you’ll bring; but don’t show up empty-handed. I’ve had years of experience in the last-minute, “what the heck am I going to bring” department… so here are my top 3, quick, easy, and always a hit, party side dishes that won’t disappoint:  

Feta Summer Salad 

• 2 whole Avocados  

• 2 whole Cucumbers 

• 1 (16-ounce) container Cherry Tomatoes 

• 1 (8-ounce) container of Feta Cheese 

• Olive Oil, Salt, Pepper, and Garlic Powder to taste 

Chop avocados, cucumbers, and cherry tomatoes. In a medium-to-large-sized bowl, toss avocadoes, cucumbers, and tomatoes with feta cheese, olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Cover and refrigerate (or skip refrigeration if you don’t have time) and serve! 

Sweet Vildal Pasta Salad 

• 1 package Tortellini  

• 1 whole chopped sweet onion 

• 3 whole chopped peppers- 1 red, 1 orange, 1 yellow 

• 1 (16-ounce) package Cheddar Jack Cheese, chopped  

• 16 FL Oz Sweet Onion Vidalia dressing 

Cook tortellini according to package directions. Let cool (or rinse with cold water to speed up the process). Chop onions, peppers, and cheese. In a medium-to-large bowl, toss the tortellini with onions, peppers, and cheese, then add the whole bottle of sweet Vidalia onion dressing. Refrigerate for two hours (again, you can skip this step if time is an issue) and serve! 

Buffalo Cauliflower Dip

• 1 small head of cauliflower, steamed and chopped 

• 1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese, roughly cut into 1-inch cubes 

• 2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese 

• 1 cup hot sauce 

• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream 

• 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions 

• 1 tablespoon olive oil 

• salt and pepper 

• optional: 1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese 

• optional toppings: extra crumbled blue cheese, thinly sliced green onions, chopped celery, and/or a drizzle of hot sauce 

Toss cauliflower, cream cheese, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, hot sauce, Greek yogurt (or sour cream), green onions, salt, pepper, and optional blue cheese in a large bowl.  

Using a 13 x 9 baking dish coated with olive oil, spread the contents of the bowl evenly. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup of Mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 mins. Top with optional toppings.  

Serve with tortilla chips.