Food network

INGREDIENTS:

1 package (7 ounces each) rotelle
1 can (15 1/4 ounces each) Medium Green Lima
beans or Green butter beans, drained
1 can (15 1/2 ounces each) sweet green peas, drained
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 green onion, sliced
4 ounces brick Monterey jack cheese, cubed
1 bottle (8 ounce each) creamy salad dressing

DIRECTIONS:

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Place in large bowl, cover, and refrigerate until chilled.

Add beans, peas, tomatoes, onion, and cheese to cold pasta.

Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.

INGREDIENTS:

2 or 3 c. cooked rice or pasta
1/2 to 1 cup each of any leftovers you may have such as:
Diced deli meat
Diced cooked ham, turkey, chicken or seafood
Flaked, canned tuna, mackerel or salmon
Canned or frozen green peas, corn, lima beans or mixed veg.
Chopped black or green olives
Mixed bean salad
Diced American, Cheddar, Colby, Swiss, Mozzarella, Brick or Jack cheese
Sliced raw carrots, celery, cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini, cucumbers, mushrooms, radishes, tomatoes, onions or avocado
Italian or vinaigrette salad dressing

DIRECTIONS:

This recipe was designed to use up all the little bits of leftovers from the refrigerator. Experimenting with it should produce many different salads. Select ingredients and mix together. Pour a generous amount of Italian or vinaigrette salad dressing over top and remix thoroughly. Salad may be served immediately, but will absorb the flavor of the dressing if refrigerated for 1/2 hour before serving. Stir again immediately before serving.

1 pkg. wide noodles, cooked
Lox, steamed shrimp, crab or other seafood
Steamed broccoli or zucchini and carrots (still crispy)
8 oz. nonfat yogurt
2 - 5 tbsp. dijon mustard, depending on taste
1 clove garlic, minced and browned in 1 tsp. oil

DIRECTIONS:

Let ingredients cool, mix yogurt, mustard and garlic. Mix together. If using lox, use much less than other seafood.

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. rotelle macaroni
1 jar artichoke hearts with liquid 4 oz. jar diced pimentos with liquid
1 sm. can pitted black olives
1 raw pepper (green, red or any other)
Fresh broccoli flowerets and/or cauliflower flower
1 can baby corn, drained
1 jar mushrooms, drained
Radishes, ham, bologna, seafood, imitation crab or shrimp may also be added

DIRECTIONS:

Cook macaroni. Add all ingredients above. Add garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper, basil, oregano, Italian seasonings (optional), and Italian dressing to taste. Chill.

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 bag shells or gemelli pasta
1 chopped green onion, diced, tops & all
1 handful frozen peas
1 stalk celery, diced
1 carrot, diced
1/2 cup mayonnaise, adjust to taste
Seasoned salt, to taste
Mrs Dash, to taste (salt free herb and spice blend)
ground pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Cook the pasta and carrots according to the directions on the pasta bag.

Drain and run cold water over the pasta, turning it with your hands or a big spoon to cool it quicker. Mix the pasta and all other ingredients together, taste to see if you need more mayonnaise or seasoned salt. Start with a shake or 2 of each of the seasonings and then judge from there.

Chicken, ham or seafood can be added also or any other “leftover” vegetables, like broccoli, cucumbers, black olives etc…or chunks of cheese. Its very simple, but very good. Be creative, you can make it a little different every time, using just what you have on hand, but the recipe above is pretty much my “starter” salad. I have added chopped, boiled egg, but I’m not crazy about eggs so I prefer it without them, though they do add a certain creaminess. My favorite is just the above with a small can of albacore tuna (packed in water), very well drained.

With a little French bread, its a favorite lunch of mine to take to work.

This recipe for Debbie`s Pasta Salad serves/makes 4.

INGREDIENTS:

12 ounces medium pasta shells
Salt
1/2 pound imitation crab meat, broken into pieces
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup buttermilk
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water until al dente, 10 to 12 minutes. Rinse, drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the crab, mayonnaise, buttermilk, onions, lemon juice, onion powder, garlic, seasoned salt, parsley and pepper to taste. Add the pasta shells and mix again. Cover and chill overnight.

This recipe for Fanara`s Italian Restaurant Crab Seafood Pasta Salad serves/makes 6.

INGREDIENTS:

12 ounces rotini pasta
12 ounces Artichoke hearts (packed in marinade)
10 ounces Jar roasted peppers
1/2 pound Large cooked shrimp - diced
1/2 pound Bay scallops, cooked
1 can Anchovy fillets
10 ounces Can ripe pitted olives
1 1/2 clove garlic, crushed
2/3 cup Olive oil
1/4 cup Wine vinegar
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon Basil leaves
Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Cook pasta al dente, drain and cool. Drain artichoke hearts and halve. Drain peppers and juliene, drain olives. Add shrimp, scallops. peppers. artichokes and olives to pasta. In blender put oil, vinegar, anchovies, garlic, basil, salt and pepper to taste. Add parmesan to mixture. Blend and taste (should taste slightly tart). Add to pasta mixture. Toss.

This recipe for Primavera Seafood Salad serves/makes 6.

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 pound chicken breast, boneless, skinless
6 ounces dried mixed fruit
1 cup ring macaroni or orzo; raw
1 cup jicama; cubed
2 green onions/tops; sliced
1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
2 tablespoons sour cream or plain yogurt
1 teaspoon red chiles; ground
1/4 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:

Heat enough salted water to cover the chicken breast (1/4 tsp salt to 1 cup of water) to boiling in a 4 quart Dutch oven.

Add the chicken breast.

Cover and heat to boiling, reduce the heat and simmer until the chicken is done, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon.

Heat the water to boiling and add the fruit and ring macaroni or orzo gradually so that the water continues to boil. Boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally, just until the ring macaroni is tender, about 6 to 8 minutes or 10 minutes for the orzo, then drain. Rinse with cold water and drain again. Cut the chicken into 1/2-inch pieces and mix with the fruit, macaroni, jicama and onions. Mix the remaining ingredients and toss with the chicken mixture. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours.

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound rotini
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
3 stalks celery — chopped
1 red bell pepper — chopped
2 1/4 ounces black olives — sliced
4 ounces feta cheese — drained & crumbled
3 green onions — finely sliced
16 ounces fat-free Italian salad dressing

DIRECTIONS:

Cook chicken in water to cover with 1 bay leaf. Bring to boil and cook for 30 min. or until juices run clear. Cool and remove skins. Or, you can cook chicken in frying pan until cooked through. Cut into bite size pieces.

Cook noodles and drain. Add all ingredients and mix well. I use only about half the bottle of dressing and then put the rest on the table if someone wants more. Serve warm or cold.

INGREDIENTS:

16 ounces uncooked bow ties, rotini, ziti or other shaped pasta
1 bag (16 ounce size) frozen mixed broccoli, cauliflower and carrots
1 cup Italian, creamy Italian or favorite dressing
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
1 cup pitted ripe olives, halved

DIRECTIONS:

Cook pasta and vegetables according to package directions; drain. Combine pasta and vegetables with remaining ingredients in large bowl. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

For variety, add sliced salami, cheese cubes, cooked chicken, turkey or cooked seafood to the salad.

This recipe for Bow Tie Pasta Salad serves/makes 8.