Tuna, Pasta and Cheese Salad

Three-color pasta, cubed cheese, tuna, and roasted sweet peppers blend into a spunky salad that we enjoy over 2 suppers during hot summer days. This is an excellent salad that I’ve served with or without cashews since sometimes I forget those. Fresh basil is essential to this recipe and we just have some fancy fresh breads and butter with it.

15 min | 15 min prep (does not include chill time of 2-8 hours)

Serves 4

• 2 cups dried tri-colored fusilli or rotini pasta
• 3/4 cup cubed swiss cheese or cheddar cheese or provolone cheese
• 2/3 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 cup celery
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 cup creamy roasted garlic salad dressing or peppercorn ranch dressing
• 7 ounces chunk tuna in water, drained
• 1 (7 ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained and coarsely chopped
• romaine lettuce leaf
• 1/3 cup roasted cashews

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.
2. Rinse with cold water; drain again.
3. Transfer pasta to large bowl.
4. Stir in cheese, peas, celery and basil, tuna and peppers.
5. Pour salad dressing over pasta mixture; toss gently to combine.
6. Cover and chill for 2 – 8 hours.
7. To serve, stir in a few tablespoons additional salad dressing, if necessary, to moisten pasta mixture.
8. Arrange romaine leaves in salad bowl or on chilled dinner plates.
9. Top with pasta mixture.
10. Sprinkle with cashews.

Linguine with Spicy Shrimp Sauce

This recipe is so good, quick and easy to make. It’s been a staple in our house for many years now. I tend to add more crushed red pepper flakes then the recipe calls for just to get a little extra heat but it is a great meal just the way it is too. Original recipe calls for pasta and sauce to be mixed altogether in serving bowl but I just leave the sauce in the pan and let family spoon it over their pasta themselves. This just might be Ken’s favourite meal as he requests it often.

20 min | 15 min prep

Serves 4

• 12 ounces linguine
• 3/4 lb fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 3 red bell peppers, cut into thin strips
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced (green and white parts)
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 jalapeno pepper, stemmed,seeded and sliced very thin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar

1. Prepare pasta according to package directions; drain well and transfer to large bowl. Keep warm.
2. Meanwhile, in large saucepan, over low heat, combine all ingredients except shrimp.
3. Cover and simmer for 2 mins. or until sauce is smooth.
4. Add shrimp and simmer for another minute or so being very careful not to overcook the shrimp.
5. Serve over warm linguine.

Source: Woman’s Day Low-Fat Meals Magazine