Vote Now for the CHOW Recipe Challenge, Best Picnic Side!

The recipes for your best picnic side dish are in. Potato salads dominated the submissions, but a simple vegetable salad proved that light and fresh have the potential to knock potatoes from their picnic side dish throne. Thanks to everyone who submitted their creative recipes; it was difficult to choose the three finalists.

It's now up to you to decide which side deserves a spot on your picnic table. You have all week to vote, until 11:59 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 26, 2011. Email your vote to recipe-challenge@chow.com. The winner will be announced next week.

And the three finalists are:

 

daveagp's Summer Green Bean and Potato Salad
We liked this salad for its balance of meaty bacon, fresh herbs, and zesty dressing. The addition of green beans and bell pepper made it practically a meal, and the large portion is enough to serve a crowd.

 

cara c.'s Asparagus and Ricotta Salata Salad with Radishes
This simple salad came together quickly and had bright, clean flavors. A light, fresh, healthy side dish ideal to serve next to fatty ribs or fried chicken.

 

operagirl's Warm Fingerling Potato Salad
With its combo of vinegar, briny capers, and fresh herbs, this recipe has all the flavors for a successful warm (or room-temperature) potato salad. The common pantry ingredients make it supereasy to pull together.

Good luck to the finalists! Don't forget to email your vote to recipe-challenge@chow.com!