Archive for February, 2009

May be served hot or cold!

A good friend, Mrs. Kelly Hutto, sent this recipe to me a few months ago and somehow I let it get lost in my inbox. So, after recently “finding” it, I decided that it is definitely one to remember! This recipe is a simple one-dish meal that can be served hot or cold, with directions for each provided below.

1 package (16 ounces) linguine (or your favorite pasta)
Any combination of the below vegetables to equal 2-3 cups:
- Chopped sweet red pepper
- Chopped green pepper
- Chopped onion (sweet onion, or green onions)
- Chopped seeded tomato — or cherry tomatoes (quartered)
- Chopped raw, fresh broccoli
2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup of your favorite fat-free Zesty Italian Salad Dressing (not creamy)
2-3 cups cooked and peeled shrimp OR 2-3 cups of Chopped Chicken (cooked)
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (shredded works better than the finely ground Parmesan)
To Make HOT PASTA:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, sauté the chopped vegetables that you chose with the garlic and dressing until vegetables are tender.
Add the shrimp; cook and stir 2-3 minutes longer or until heated through. Drain linguine; toss with shrimp mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

To Make COLD PASTA:
Cook pasta — drain and rinse with very cold water (until pasta is cold) – Drain. Mix vegetables (without cooking) into pasta. Instead of using fresh garlic, use bottled chopped garlic to taste. Toss in the shrimp or chicken and mix well. Refrigerate until 5 minutes before you are ready to serve. Remove from refrigerator and coat mixture with Italian dressing and toss to coat Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and lightly toss.