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Sesame Pasta Chicken Salad
Submitted by: Olivia Hines
"A refreshing light pasta salad with a delicious Asian flair. Great for a summer cookout or picnic. Tastes great right away, and even better if you can allow it to marinate for a while." Original recipe yield: 10 servings.
INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1 (16 ounce) package bow tie pasta
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup light soy sauce
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 cups shredded, cooked chicken breast meat
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup chopped green onion
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DIRECTIONS:
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add sesame seeds, and cook stirring frequently until lightly toasted. Remove from heat, and set aside.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente. Drain pasta, and rinse under cold water until cool. Transfer to a large bowl.
In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine vegetable oil, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, sesame seeds, ginger, and pepper. Shake well.
Pour sesame dressing over pasta, and toss to coat evenly. Gently mix in chicken, cilantro, and green onions.
Asparagus Cashew Rice Pilaf
Submitted by: Sandy T.
"This is an adaptation of an old Armenian recipe, and this variation is so delicious I can't stop eating it. It's a great way to stretch expensive seasonal asparagus and pricey cashews. It's great as a side dish or as a vegetarian entree." Original recipe yield: 8 servings.
INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup butter
2 ounces uncooked spaghetti, broken
1/4 cup minced onion
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 1/4 cups uncooked jasmine rice
2 1/4 cups vegetable broth
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
1/2 cup cashew halves
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DIRECTIONS:
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Increase heat to medium, and stir in spaghetti, cooking until coated with the melted butter and lightly browned.
Stir onion and garlic into the saucepan, and cook about 2 minutes, until tender. Stir in jasmine rice, and cook about 5 minutes. Pour in vegetable broth. Season mixture with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover, and cook 20 minutes, until rice is tender and liquid has been absorbed.
Place asparagus in a separate medium saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender but firm.
Mix asparagus and cashew halves into the rice mixture, and serve warm.
Cranberry Gelatin Salad
Submitted by: Sharon Wolfe
"Even people who don't like cranberry sauce like this tasty gelatin salad!" Original recipe yield: 12 servings.
INGREDIENTS:
1 (16 ounce) can jellied cranberry sauce
1 (16.5 ounce) can pitted dark sweet cherries, drained
10 1/2 ounces crushed pineapple with juice
1 (6 ounce) package cherry gelatin
2 cups boiling water
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
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DIRECTIONS:
In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the cranberry sauce.
Cut the cherries into pieces and add them to the melted sauce. Stir in the pineapple with its juice. Remove mixture from heat.
In a medium bowl pour the boiling water over the gelatin. And stir until all the gelatin has dissolved.
Add the gelatin mixture to the cranberry mixture and stir. Stir in the optional nuts. Pour into a 9x13 inch pan and chill until set.
Judy's Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Submitted by: Tom Quinlin
"This three layer salad includes a pretzel crust, cream cheese center, and strawberry top." Original recipe yield: 8 servings.
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups crushed pretzels
4 1/2 tablespoons white sugar
3/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup white sugar
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 (6 ounce) package strawberry flavored gelatin
2 cups boiling water
1 (16 ounce) package frozen strawberries
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DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Mix together the pretzels, 4 1/2 tablespoons sugar and melted butter. Press into the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Bake for 10 minutes, or lightly toasted. Set aside to cool completely.
In a medium bowl, beat the sugar and cream cheese until smooth. Fold in whipped topping. Spread evenly over the cooled crust. Refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes.
In a medium bowl, stir together the gelatin mix and boiling water. Mix in frozen strawberries, and stir until thawed. Pour over cream cheese mixture in pan. Refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 1 hour.
Lemon Pepper Pasta
Submitted by: Jane Streich
"Fast and easy to make anytime, and in advance." Original recipe yield: 8 servings.
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound spaghetti
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice, to taste
1 tablespoon dried basil
ground black pepper to taste
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DIRECTIONS:
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until done; drain.
In a small bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, basil and black pepper. Mix well and toss with the pasta. Serve hot or cold. |
