First, let me take a moment to send out a heartfelt apology to Kim. Last week I shared her recipe for Spinach Salad and I told you it came from Lisa. Sorry Kim, I hope you will continue to share! Now, how about another brief trip down memory lane?
Raise your hand if you are old enough to remember when the toy “Mr Potatohead” came with the eyes, nose, mouth, etc and you had to supply your own potato. How messy that would have been if they had come out with the “TomatoHead” back then. Do you remember when strawberry jam was almost always homemade? And made from field berries? If we found a patch with berries as big as the tip of your little finger-you struck gold! A strawberry as big as the palm of your hand was just your imagination. Bigger berries and plastic potatoes. What’s next? A car that runs on electricity? Or a phone that you can carry everywhere you go. What other miracles will we experience during our lifetimes? I can only imagine. With spring on the calendar – even if it isn’t in the yard yet – how about a couple of warm weather salads?
1 1/4 cups uncooked tri-color spiral pasta
1/4 cup reduced sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar or cider vinegar
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 large sweet red pepper, julienned
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions: Cook pasta according to package directions; rinse under cold water. Drain. In a large bowl, whisk together the broth, vinegar, oil, garlic, sugar, basil and salt. Add pasta, broccoli, tomatoes, pepper and Parmesan and toss to coat.
2 cups uncooked medium shell pasta
1 1/2 cups imitation crabmeat, chopped
1 cup broccoli florets
1/2 cup diced green pepper
1/2 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped green onions
Dressing
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup creamy Italian salad dressing
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions: Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold water. Place in a large bowl. Stir in crab, broccoli, green pepper, tomatoes and onions. Combine dressing ingredients. Pour over salad and toss gently to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2-4 hours before serving.
Have a great week and keep those letters and emails coming. I love hearing from you. We’ll talk more next week. Please contact me at susieqcooking@ainop.com or c/o Pioneer Times, P.O. Box 456, Houlton, Maine 04730.
