Recipes using cube, dice, chop and mince.

Hi All,
Here are some very simple recipes using the key techniques.

Simple Appetizer

1 block of cheddar cheese, about 8 ounces

1/4 pound of thin sliced ham

1 small bottle of green olives, no pits (for color I like the pimento centers)

Party toothpicks

Directions:  Cube cheese into 1" squares.(It helps if the block is only 1" high to begin.....less cutting)

Cut ham in strips.(They don't have to be perfect.)

Open and drain olives.

Loosely wrap cheese cube with ham strip.  Spear olive with pick and continue through the ham and cheese.  Place on a plate/platter, cover with plastic wrap and chill until serving time.

Serves:  As Many As You Make (about 20+)

I like this combination of flavors but you can always experiment with flavors you like.

Easy Pasta Salad

1 16 ounce box of pasta (pick the shape you like)

1/2 cup creamy italian dressing (more or less to taste)

additional ingredients, as you like.....for example

chopped green peppers

onions

thawed frozen green peas

(just put them in a colander(round bowl with holes in it) and rinse in cold tap water)

chopped hard cooked egg

sweet or dill pickle relish

chopped fresh carrot

this list is only limited by your imagination, just remember some foods taste better hot than cold.

Cook pasta according to package directions and drain off water. (Rinsing after cooking will cool off the pasta and decrease the surface starch.)  Mix all ingredients together, chill and serve.
Serves 4-6

Very Simple "Homemade" Spaghetti Sauce

2  15 ounce cans of tomato sauce

1  15 ounce can of petite diced tomatoes

1  pound ground beef

1  half large onion

1  tablespoon italian seasoning

2  cloves garlic

Directions:  Cook ground beef in a skillet(about 10" across and 2" deep) until no pink is visible.  Drain off  grease, keeping 1 tablespoon, and remove beef from skillet.  Chop the onion and mince the garlic (don't forget to take off the peel).  Add onion and garlic to oil in skillet.  Cook until the onions start to look clear.  Return ground beef to skillet and add the tomatoes, tomato sauce and italian seasoning.  Cook watching for mixture to form bubbles on the top.  Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes to let flavors blend together.  Serve over your favorite cooked pasta.

Happy Eating!!!

Becky Homecy