Cooking on the Colorado
Here's some cold weather recipes
Leigh Pless

The days are getting shorter and a little cooler and I am hopeful that some cool fronts will start making their way down here. Today's recipes will get you prepared for colder weather, just in case we get some.

Deli Pasta Salad

1 (16 ozs.) package tricolor spiral
pasta
2 medium plum tomatoes, seeded
and julienned
8 ozs. sliced salami, julienned
8 ozs. provolone cheese, julienned
1 small red onion, thinly sliced and
separated into rings
1 (5 3/4 ozs.) jar stuffed olives,
drained and sliced
1 (2 1/4 ozs.) cans sliced ripe olives,
drained
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 (8 ozs.) bottle Italian salad dressing

Cook pasta according to packaged directions; drain and rinse in cold water. In a large bowl, combine the pasta, tomatoes, salami, cheese, onion, olives and Parmesan cheese. Add dressing and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Cabbage Stroganoff

1/2 head cabbage, finely shredded
1 medium sweet onion, sliced and
separated into rings
1 tsp. beef bouillon powder
3 Tblsp. butter
1/3 cup sour cream
Salt and pepper

Melt butter in nonstick skillet. Add onion and saute 1 to 2 minutes over medium high heat. Add cabbage and saute until tender and edges are lightly browned. Reduce heat to medium, sprinkle bouillon powder over the mix and stir, continuing to fry. Salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and add sour cream. Toss until cabbage is coated with sour cream.

All-Day Rebel Venison Stew

2 lbs. venison, cubed
1 tsp. coarsely ground pepper
2 large potatoes, diced
1 can tomato sauce
4 carrots, diced
3 Tblsp. chunky peanut butter
1 cup red table wine
2 tsp. soy sauce
2 medium onions, chopped
Beef broth to cover
2 bay leaves
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. thyme

Combine all ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on LOW for 8 hours and 15 minutes. Serve with cornbread.

Chicken and Dressing Casserole

Make one 8-inch square pan of cornbread the day before.
1 cup thinly chopped celery
1 large onion, thinly chopped
1/2 stick butter
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can chicken broth
4 chicken breasts

2 to 3 tsp. sage
Salt and pepper

Cook chicken pieces in water with salt and pepper until done. Cool, then cut into small pieces. Cook celery and onion in butter until tender. Crumble cornbread into large bowl. Mix celery and onion and chicken pieces all together with cornbread. Mix all 3 soups into the mixture.

Add up to 3 teaspoons sage, salt and pepper to taste. Pour into large baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees F until done, about 30 minutes, until lightly browned on top. Serve with chicken gravy ladled over servings, with cranberry sauce on the side.

Easy Goulash

1 lb. ground beef
1 medium onion,
chopped
1 green bell pepper,
chopped
1 (17 ozs.) can diced tomatoes

1 (15 ozs.) can whole-kernel
corn
2 cups macaroni
1 cup shredded cheese, if
desired

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Brown beef with onions and green peppers. Drain. Add tomatoes and corn. Cook until heated well. Cook macaroni and drain. Add to beef mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour into baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes. If desired, sprinkle cheese over the top and bake just long enough for cheese to melt.

Southern Praline Pecan Cake

1 (18.25 ozs.) box butter
pecan cake mix
1 (16 zs.) container coconut
pecan frosting
4 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup water
1 cup chopped pecans

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9- or 10-inch Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray. Combine the cake mix with the frosting, eggs, oil, water and 1/2 of the pecan pieces. Mix until combined.

Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 of pecans in the prepared Bundt pan then pour in the cake batter. Bake at 350 degrees F for 50 minutes or until a wooden pick comes out clean.