Get out of the kitchen in a hurry with these throw-together recipes
Cooking on the Leigh Pless

Looks like warmer weather is here to stay and spring fever must have set in because I don't want to do anything unless it involves being outside. To get out of the kitchen fast, just throw one of these dishes together and you are set.

Lazy Day Salad

Fresh fruits 1 tsp. almond extract

1/4 C. granulated sugar

Use melons, grapes, cherries, strawberries, bananas (sprinkled with lemon juice), cantaloupe, etc.

Cut into bite-size pieces. Mix with sugar and almond extract. Chill well.

Waldorf Salad 1 tsp. lemon juice 2 1/2 C. diced apples 1 C. thin celery strips,

about 1-inch long 1/2 C. broken walnuts 1 Tblsp. granulated sugar Dash of salt 1/2 C. low-fat yogurt 2 Tblsp. mayonnaise

Crisp lettuce leaves

Drizzle lemon juice over diced apples; toss well. Mix in celery and walnuts.

Blend together sugar, salt, low-fat yogurt and mayonnaise. Fold into apple mixture; chill. Serve on lettuce leaves.

Shrimp Pasta

Salad

1 1/2 C. pasta spirals 1/4 C. chopped green onion 1/2 C. sliced celery 1/2 C. frozen peas, defrosted 1 (6 ozs.) can tiny shrimp 1 carrot, grated 1/2 C. plain low-fat yogurt

2 Tblsp. low-fat mayonnaise 1 tsp. dry mustard Salt and pepper to taste

Garlic powder to taste

Cook pasta; Cool and rinse. Mix with other ingredients. Chill. Variations: Use tuna or salmon instead of shrimp.

Crockpot Shrimp

Creole

1 1/2 C. diced celery 1 1/4 C. chopped onion 3/4 C. chopped bell pepper 1 (8 ozs.) can tomato sauce 1 (28 ozs.) can whole tomatoes 1 clove garlic or 1 tsp. garlic powder 1 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. pepper 6 drops Tabasco (optional) 1 lb. shrimp, deveined and shelled Combine all ingredients except shrimp. Cook 3 to 4 hours on HIGH or 6 to 8 hours on low. Add shrimp last hour of cooking. Serve over hot rice. Chicken, rabbit or crawfish may be substituted for shrimp.

Baked Ham

and Cheese

in a Mashed

Potato Crust

2 C. mashed potatoes 2 Tblsp. prepared mustard 1/2 C. low-fat cottage cheese 1 lb. cooked ham, cubed 2 slices low-fat Cheddar

cheese, crumbled

Mix mashed potatoes and mustard. Spread evenly in bottom of nonstick 8-inch square baking dish. Add ham cubes in layer on top of potatoes.

In electric blender, blend cottage cheese and Cheddar cheese until fairly smooth. Spread over ham.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until casserole is heated through.

Fettuccine Alfredo

1 C. low-fat cottage cheese 1 C. low-fat (1%) milk 1 egg yolk 1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper 2 Tblsp. butter 1/2 C. grated Parmesan cheese, divided

8 ozs. fettuccine noodles

In blender, combine cottage cheese, milk, egg yolk and pepper. Puree until smooth. In small saucepan, melt butter over low heat.

Add puree and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Stir in all but 4 teaspoons Parmesan cheese. Meanwhile, cook fettuccine according to package directions; drain. Toss with sauce.

Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.

Vegetable Lasagna

9 lasagna strips 4 C. mixed fresh vegetables(cauliflower florets, thinly sliced carrots, small strips green pepper, etc.) 1/4 Pkg. Knorr's leek soup (dry) 1 (18 ozs.) jar meatless spaghetti sauce 1 1/2 C. low-fat, skim milk

Ricotta cheese

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Boil lasagna strips less than full cooking time on package. Mix vegetables with soup. In 13 x 9-inch glass baking dish, spread small amount of sauce. Put 3 strips of lasagna on top. Spread 1/3 of the cheese on the lasagna and pour 1/2 of the vegetables on top.

Pour more sauce on top of the vegetables. Repeat with lasagna, ricotta, vegetables and sauce. End with lasagna. Pour remaining sauce and cheese on top.

Marble with rubber spatula. Bake for 1 1/2 hours or until top browns. Can be made ahead, covered with foil and left in warm oven for several hours before serving.