Conference turris::cooks

                      <<< Note 1746.0 by SALEM::BUCKMAN >>>
                               -< Sunday dinner >-

How about trying a cold pasta salad. Take a pound or so of either fresh or 
frozen tortellini and combine in a large mixing bowl a package of frozen peas. 
Add either a white wine vinegarette or just add some olive oil and fresh 
squeezed lemon juice. Pour the entire contents into a wooden salad bowl and top 
with fresh parsley. This tastes really good!

-Chuck

If using frozen ingredients, let thaw at room temperature before mixing!

    By "cold" do you mean as in sandwiches?  If so, a variety of rolls
    from the bakery instead of hamburger buns from the grocery and a
    variety of mustards would help make it fancier.  A personal fave
    is Waldorf salad with apples, walnuts, celery, lo-cal Cool Whip
    and lo-cal mayo.  Is this going to be a buffet? How many people?
    Will they all arrive at the same time, or will it be more like an
    open house?
    
    Terry

    I would like the meal to be "sit-down".  There will be around 9
    people total.  I was thinking of making the turkey in advance and
    just slicing it the next day.  No, I was not planning on it being
    sandwiches.  I love Waldorf salad and it always seems to go very
    well with everyones taste.  I have never made it with Cool Whip
    and mayo.  Can you expand on that.  Thanks for the suggestion. 
    Susan

    I had some cold sliced turkey at a party last weekend, with a nice
    twist to it.  The hosts served "Cranberry Mayonnaise" as a condiment,
    and it was delicious!  My fiend said she just mixed mayonnaise with
    cranberry sauce (the smooth kind) until she got the taste she wanted.
    She had all kinds of breads, rolls, and croissants to go with it,
    as well as potatoe, macaroni, garden salads, and a nice cold veggie
    salad.  Something for everyone!
    
    Sarah
    

    Chuck,  This may sound very stupid, but if used fresh tortellini
    and frozen peas you would have to cook both of them.  Is that correct.
    I was just confused as to whether you use the peas right out of
    the container.  
    
    Susan

                      <<< Note 1746.5 by SALEM::BUCKMAN >>>
                                -< Pasta salad >-

>>    Chuck,  This may sound very stupid, but if used fresh tortellini
>>    and frozen peas you would have to cook both of them.  Is that correct.
>>    I was just confused as to whether you use the peas right out of
>>    the container.  
    
Not Stupid at all. As a matter of fact, I've never made it with fresh pasta, 
I've always used frozen. As I stated, I let them defrost at room temperature 
and then mix in the dressing.

If you choose fresh tortellini, I would cook ahead of time and set in the 
fridge to chill. Then proceed as though they were defrosted. I think that the 
frozen is just as good for this recipe!!

    RE: Waldorf Salad - I use red and Granny Smith apples and don't
    pare them (adds color), then add celery (sliced) and walnut pieces.
    Then I add the Cool Whip and mayo a spoonful at a time of each until
    the consistency is right.  Quantity depends on how many apples
    I'm starting with.  I have seen it with raisins, mandarin oranges,
    grapes, etc., but I don't usually like all that stuff in it. Chill
    it well.
    
    How about spinach salad?  A little out of the ordinary, and looks
    pretty in a glass bowl with some crumbled bacon, red onion rings,
    maybe some crumbled bleu cheese, walnuts, etc.  Some ranch dressing
    in a pitcher or bowl on the side.
    
    For dessert, definitely the Lemon Mousse Cheesecake in note 60 (I
    think) and maybe fresh fruit.

    Hope this helps!
    
    Terry

    I don't know what you call this... maybe turkey/chicken with chinese
    vegies...but I like taking the canned chinese vegies, like La Choy
    that you use with Chow Mein, leave them cold and mix it with turkey
    or chicken, mayonnaise and a little milk to make liquid, salt &
    pepper....serve chilled...very good and different
    
    Kristen

    another pasta salad which is very good...
    cook some pasta shapes - bows, twists, etc., then let them get cold.
    Mix a can of tuna fish, finely chopped onions (raw), lots of
    black pepper, and smother the lot in mayo.  When the pasta is cool, mix
    them all together and you will have a delicious cold pasta salad.
    An alternative to mayo is fresh cream or salad cream and both are
    equally good.
    
    How about a bean salad....?
    Take cans of all sorts of beans - kidney, borlotti, black-eyed,
    chick peas, etc, etc.  Chop up an onion finely, chop some garlic
    very finely, and mix them all together with olive oil and a mere
    whisper of lemon juice or vinegar.  Very tasty and very colourful,
    depending on the beans you use.
    
    Hope all goes well for you.
    Linda 

    ...and you can make a pasta/bean salad too!  Mix various sorts
    of cooked and cooled (or canned precooked) beans, pasta (I use 
    twists), and your favorite pasta salad dressing, plus various
    chopped veggies - finely chopped raw carrot, onion, rings of
    scallions, a little minced garlic.  The carrot and scallions
    add some good color, and the onions add a little bite.  This
    stuff disappears quickly.
    
    For the calorie conscious, I use about a tablespoon of mayo/miracle
    whip to 1/4 cup of yogurt.  As much of each as is needed for the
    amount of salad you're making, but in those proportions.  The m/mw
    adds a flavor, and the yogurt keeps the calories in bounds.  You
    don't taste the yogurt much with those proportions.
    
    I mound the salad on a platter over lettuce leaves or shredded
    lettuce, and sprinkle parsley or chives or paprica on top.
    
    --Louise

    Re: .9   ...  the mention of the many varietys of beans/lentils
    etc. for a salad -- remined me of a soup that they serve in 
    "Country Kitchen" restaurants here in Colo. They call the combination
    "Calico Soup" The mixture of at least 5/6 varieties of beans.. some
    onion--garlic-- ham hocks is very tasty and attractive-- (caution)
    we made it one time(at home) with some black beans that we had left over
    and as they cooked they "weeped black color" in to the concoction.
    It tasted great but looked "yukky".   <DICK>