Here are some quick and easy recipes that are easy to make and that are perfect for quick summer dinners or entertaining.
Short and Sweet
There are times during the summer when the kitchen just seems
like a prison. Even 15 minutes seems like an eternity when it is
hot outside. It is for those days that I rely on these recipes.
They are simple, easy to make, and best of all, fast. Most don't
have to be cooked and many require just a few ingredients. A few
can even be made in less than five minutes. What could be easier?
A dinner mixed and matched from these recipes can be served to
company in less than 30 minutes and both you and your kitchen
will keep your cool.
The recipes:
Classic Clam Dip
Once you make this easy clam dip you will never purchase a
pre-packaged one again. It is simple and easy to prepare and
tastes just marvelous. It can be made up to 48 hours in advance,
or whipped up and served immediately.
Ingredients:
6 1/2 ounces minced clams
8 ounces softened cream cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 minced garlic cloves
Dash cayenne pepper
Freshly ground black pepper
Preparation:
Drain the clams, reserving 2 tablespoons of juice. Beat the juice
with the cream cheese, sour cream, and Worcestershire sauce. Fold
in the clams, parsley, garlic, cayenne, and pepper. Serve
immediately or chill.
Makes about 2 cups of dip.
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Light Cucumber Canapés
We are always
looking for tasty low fat appetizers that look great and taste
even better. This is one of our more popular and savory staples
that everyone really enjoys. The Parmesan mixture also makes a
great topping for crackers or tomatoes. The Parmesan mixture can
be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until ready
to serve.
Ingredients:
1 cup low fat cottage cheese
1/4 cup fat free mayonnaise
3 tablespoons grated low fat Parmesan cheese or Asiago cheese
1 thickly sliced English cucumber
Fresh parsley
Preparation:
Place the cottage cheese, mayonnaise, and Parmesan in a blender
or food processor and process until smooth. Drop about two
teaspoons of the mixture onto each cucumber slice and garnish
with a fresh parsley sprig.
Makes 4 servings
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Chicken, Spinach, and Raspberry Salad
A favorite
dish for the end of a busy day, this salad is summer comfort food
for me. Cubed roast or poached chicken can be used in this
recipe, but I always use grilled chicken. On a cool day I
marinate dozens of boneless skinless chicken breasts in raspberry
vinaigrette (recipe below) and then grill them while it is cool
outside until they are cooked through. I then cool them slightly,
slice them into thin strips and freeze them. Whenever I want
cooked chicken with tons of flavor I just grab them from the
freezer and thaw. Store-bought raspberry vinaigrette can be used
in this recipe, or you can use the recipe for Wen's Raspberry
Vinaigrette below.
Ingredients:
3 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 pint washed raspberries
20 ounces washed and trimmed baby spinach leaves
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1 1/2 cups raspberry vinaigrette (recipe below)
Preparation:
Toss all of the ingredients together. Serve immediately.
Makes 6 servings
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Wen's Raspberry Vinaigrette
This is our "house" raspberry vinaigrette. If you do not have the
fresh tarragon, simply omit rather than using dried. The dressing
stays fresh for about a week in the refrigerator if stored in a
tightly sealed container.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup raspberry vinegar
1/4 cup chopped fresh shallots
2 crushed garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup olive oil
Preparation:
In a bowl whisk together the vinegar, shallots, garlic, mustard,
tarragon, and salt and pepper to taste. Slowly whisk in the oil
until it is well blended. Use immediately, or store in the
refrigerator and shake or stir well before serving.
Makes 1 1/2 cups of dressing
Preparation time: 5 minutes
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