So, I'm all about the shortcuts of cooking.
No I REALLY am! I just don't feel you should make shortcuts when salt, fat and flavor content are being compromised.
Take this dish for example. Kraft foods lists this as the "Shrimp, Tortellini & Spinach" recipe.
Some of you are thinking, 'you had me at shrimp', but take a look at the ingredients.
"What you'll need":
1 pkg. (9 oz.) refrigerated cheese tortellini
1/4 cup KRAFT Roasted Red Pepper Italian with Parmesan Dressing
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
3/4 lb. cooked cleaned medium shrimp
1 bag (6 oz.) baby spinach leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 Tbsp. KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese
COOK pasta in large saucepan as directed on package. Drain in colander; set aside. Heat dressing in same pan on medium-high heat. Add garlic; cook 1 min. Add tomatoes and shrimp; mix well. Bring just to boil. Stir in spinach; cover. Simmer 1 to 2 min. or until spinach is wilted, stirring occasionally.
STIR in pasta and basil; simmer, uncovered, 3 to 4 min. or until sauce is thickened, stirring occasionally.
SERVE topped with cheese.
Ingredients: WATER, VINEGAR, SUGAR, TOMATO PUREE (WATER, TOMATO PASTE), SOYBEAN OIL, RED BELL PEPPER PUREE, SALT, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2^ OF PARMESAN CHEESE (PART-SKIM MILK, CHEESE CULTURE, SALT, ENZYMES), GARLIC*, GARLIC, CITRIC ACID, RED BELL PEPPERS*, SPICE, PHOSPHORIC ACID, ONIONS*, SUN DRIED TOMATOES, XANTHAN GUM, WHEY, BUTTERMILK*, NATURAL FLAVOR, VITAMIN E, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, SODIUM LACTATE AND NATAMYCIN (NATURAL PRESERVATIVES). * DRIED
Salt, sugar, phosphoric acid, sodium phosphate, sodium lactate, natamycin. Where all these things aren't "bad" for you, I'd rather not eat the chemistry set over my good, expensive shrimp and stuffed pasta.
At the dollar store you can pick up a jar or roasted red peppers, already skinned and ready to eat. Slice thinly and put in a bowl.
One red onion, half of it really, slice thin or diced finely. Add to the bowl
California Sun-Dried Tomatoes-Julienne cut. No work involved, just add to the bowl!
Boil the pasta, cook the shrimp, wilt the spinach and put in the same bowl.
Use this instead of the dressing:
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 cloves of garlic ( 1 tsp)
1/4 cup olive oil
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 tsp tomato paste (not a must, just gives it body, you can use an 8 oz can of tomato sauce, or just the juice from the tomatoes if you want)
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Heat this mixture through and toss over the pasta. If you don't feel like heating it, just whisk them all together and drizzle, like dressing. Top with Parmesan and basil, Viola!
I like this better, but then again, I like to cook.
This would be a great recipe for Valentine's day. You can look like a master chef! Just make the night before, put in a new container. Tie a bow on top ( for those of you who can't wrap, insta-bows work too) in the morning when your sweetie is packing for work, put the container, a fork and a note in his/her lunch box. You could even add a fresh flower to make them feel extra special.
Yes ladies, men like getting flowers too, just be discrete about it. Pick a flower like a daisy or an rose, something where the head of the flower is compact and won't fall apart. Take a smaller container and fold a napkin in the bottom. Wet the napkin and cut the flower just under the bloom. Place the bud, cut side down on the napkin and put the lid on and sneak it in his lunch. Be sure to write 'do not eat' if its not edible! Some guys just don't know. If you do get eatable flowers place them on top of a small salad. Then when his coworkers see he's got flowers, he can tell them it's part of the meal!
But if you don't feel your guy, or girl, is the flower type. A big cookie or a candy bar says "I was thinking about you" just the same.
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