With the
warmer months coming soon, or for some of us, already here,
salad making can be a valuable asset. Why? because when it's
warm,
most of us would rather be doing something other than cooking
like
relaxing in the sun, visiting with family and friends, or gardening.
Pasta salads can be made ahead and when served with grilled meat,
dinnertime can be hassle free which will allow for more sleeping
in
the sun or doing what YOU want to do.
I happen to be very fond
of pasta salads not only because they taste
good, but because they are so versatile. They can also be a
complete
meal by themselves. But even though they can be a complete
meal, I
usually serve them with grilled meats. Here are some ideas
for making
pasta salads.
Make a unique pasta salad
by using ingredients from each of the
following categories:
Pasta: your choice; macaroni,
spaghetti, bow ties, spiral, or whatever
you want; prepare according to package directions.
Dressing: your choice of
purchased salad dressing, homemade dressing,
or a dry mix. Tip: if you want low-cal, use a dry mix with
nonfat sour
cream, plain yogurt and/or reduced fat mayonnaise.
Vegetables: your choice
of chopped vegetables; peppers, mushrooms,
tomatoes, snap peas, celery, onion, cucumber, zucchini or whatever
you
have on hand. Sometimes the vegetables (green beans and carrots
are
examples) taste better if you cook them for a minute or two
in boiling
water.
Meat (optional): pepperoni,
chopped roast beef, chopped bologna, tuna,
salmon, bacon, leftover meat or any meat you may have on hand.
Cheese (optional): cubed
or shredded mozzarella, cheddar, Monterey
jack, colby or whatever you have on hand.
Other (optional): chopped
dill or sweet pickles, chopped fresh herbs,
or chopped olives.
By using this method, you
get a different salad every time you make
one!
My favorite pasta salad
is spaghetti salad. My mom first served this
at a Fourth of July gathering and we have been hooked on it
since. All
you do is cook spaghetti noodles, drain, run them under cold
water to
cool them down and drain again. Add the drained noodles to
a bowl, add
purchased Italian Salad dressing (to taste), your choice of
chopped
vegetables and, if you want, chopped meat. Chill.
Be sure to make pasta salads
ahead of time and refrigerate them to let
the flavors blend and to save preparation work at dinnertime.
If for
some reason you don't get to make it ahead of time, don't worry
about
it, the salad will still taste good.
You can garnish your pasta
salads with fresh herbs, or, if you don't
have any fresh, sprinkle some dried herb on top.
I hope you'll be making
more pasta salads than ever this summer so you
can spend more of your time enjoying the summer the way you
want.
©,
2001, Monica Resinger
Monica
Resinger is the Editor of Creative Home Ezine, a fun
ezine
packed with homemaking tips, inspiring articles, recipes and
themed
content from folks just like yourselves - its readers! After
each
twice-weekly issue, you'll surely be inspired to organize your
home,
cook mouth-watering recipes, entertain your friends and family,
beautifully decorate your home and much more! Don't miss another
issue - join now! Send a blank e-mail to:
CreativeHome-subscribe@yahoogroups.com |
