Alternatives to Food in a Box

My favorite cook is my dad. Give him a few ingredients, open the spice cabinet, ply him with an Old Grand-Dad Special Reserve on the rocks, and there will soon be something wonderful to eat. I'm sure he spends more time cooking every single day than I do in a week.

My mother often serves this wonderful pasta salad for summertime get-togethers. I love this recipe because it looks, smells and tastes great, and all the ingredients are easy to find at my grocery store.

I like to cook, but doing so regularly was one of the casualties of becoming more serious about writing. I'm always on the lookout for quick, tasty, fabulous looking recipes that look as though you've spent the day cooking instead of about the same time to microwave food in a box. Here are some of the favorite recipes at my house.

Supreme Divine Delight | Pablo's Casserole
Seafood Gazpacho | Tortellini Surprise | Italian Pasta Salad

Seafood Gazpacho

¼ cup uncooked small shell macaroni
1 quart can tomato juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice or red wine vinegar
½ tsp. Salt
c tsp. Pepper
c tsp. Hot pepper sauce (more or less to taste)
1 garlic clove minced
1 ½ cups sea shreds (imitation crab) or cooked shrimp
1 whole cucumber, peeled and chopped
1 can stewed tomatoes or 3 fresh chopped tomatoes
¼ cup finely chopped green pepper
2 tablespoons green onion, finely chopped
Sour cream (optional) (low fat/fat free)
Fresh chopped cilantro (optional)

Cook macaroni; drain and rinse in cold water.

In large bowl, combine tomato juice, oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, hot pepper sauce and garlic. Mix well. Stir in cooked macaroni, seafood, tomatoes, cucumber, and onion. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours (tastes better if left overnight).

To serve, spoon into bowls or mugs, garnish with sour cream and cilantro if desired.

Tortellini Surprise

This tastes fabulous, looks wonderful, and your guests will think you spent hours instead of less than a half hour.

1 8 oz. Package fresh cheese tortellini
½ lb. Sea shreds (imitation crab) or shrimp
1 32 oz. Package of California style vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, carrots)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 / 3 green onions, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ C milk or half & half
½ C shredded Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook the tortellini per package instructions. Keep warm and set aside. Steam the vegetables until al dente. Keep warm and set aside.

In the bottom of a large pan saute garlic and onions in the olive oil just until soft. Over a medium high heat, stir in tortellini, vegetables, and seafood. Add half & half and Parmesan cheese.

Serve immediately with fresh French or Italian bread and a green salad.

Italian Pasta Salad

The recipe first appeared in The Durango Herald a number of years ago and comes from Phyllis Lee, a home economist with the Colorado State University La Plata County extension office.

8 oz. Spiral pasta
2 oz. Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 small bunch of parsley, chopped
4 oz. Salami or pepperoni, sliced and diced
1 bunch green onions with tops OR ½ onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 small can pitted sliced ripe olives
4 oz. Fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 firm tomatoes, diced
1 medium zucchini, diced
4 oz Monterey jack cheese, shredded
½ pkg. dry Italian salad dressing
1 bottle Italian dressing

Cook, drain, and chill pasta. Place in a large bowl. Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over pasta. Place meat and vegetables over pasta in order listed. Sprinkle Monterey jack cheese and dry Italian dressing over top. At this point, you can chill for several hours or over night. When you're ready to serve, add bottled dressing to coat ingredients and toss gently.

Supreme Divine Delight

My friend Michelle shared this recipe with me, and my niece Lexa decided it tasted so good that it needed a wonderful name.

2 cans fruit cocktail, drained (my family likes the chunky varieties)
1 cup Cool Whip

Mix together, refrigerate at least one hour before serving.

Pablo's Casserole

If you have a half bag of stale tortilla chips and a pound of hamburger, you've got the beginning of an easy and delicious main dish.

1 lb. lean hamburger
1 onion
8-12 oz. tortilla chips
1 14 oz. jar of chunky salsa (in whatever heat your family likes)
1 cup milk
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (any variety)

Brown the hamburger and onion together. Drain off excess grease if required, then stir in the salsa. Spray the bottom of an 8 x 11 pan with non-stick spray. Spread tortilla chips on the bottom of the pan. Layer hamburger mixture over tortilla chips. Pour milk over the mixture, then spread cheese over the top. Bake about 30 minutes at 350F or until bubbly and the cheese is slightly brown.

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