I made pasta salad tonight but as usual I wound up with waaaay too much of
it. Seems no matter what I do there is always too much. I have different
versions that I make. Basically there is the pasta, fresh veggies cut in
strips, slices, chunks or left whole depending on size, olives and some kind
of protein. Dressed with some kind of Italian dressing.

Tonight I used a quinoa pasta because it contains protein and also added
kidney beans and chickpeas for more protein. I only used black olives but
will add some stuffed green ones to my portion. The vegetables are sweet
peppers (green, orange and red), grape tomatoes (safe ones), radishes, green
onions, celery and cucumbers.

I have leftover peppers, radishes and tomatoes. Only had half a cucumber so
that worked out well. Used part of the green onions for my dinner tonight
which was nachos. Yes! Nachos. So will have to come up with a use for the
leftover veggies.

But when I began to assemble the salad, I realized I didn't cook enough
pasta for the amount of veggies I had. So I had to cook some more and now I
have a big bowl of it plus what I have packed up for our dinner tomorrow.

I like to use a wide variety of veggies in my salad. I guess that's part of
the problem. I have tried to buy things from the salad bar. I can't always
get what I want though and tonight I wasn't near a store with a salad bar so
made do with what I had and bought a few additional things. And even when I
do use the salad bar, I seem to still wind up with too much.

I did do better than I usually do. Most of the time I have a HUGE bowl of
it and eventually some gets thrown out because there is only so much we can
eat. I am hoping we can either eat this two days in a row or maybe just
come home and eat the leftovers rather than go out to eat on Friday. But
sometimes we just want enough pasta salad for that one meal. So what's the
trick for doing that if you are cooking for just two or three people?

On May 4, 12:58*am, "Julie Bove" > wrote:
> I made pasta salad tonight but as usual I wound up with waaaay too much of
> it. *Seems no matter what I do there is always too much. *I have different
> versions that I make. *Basically there is the pasta, fresh veggies cut in
> strips, slices, chunks or left whole depending on size, olives and some kind
> of protein. *Dressed with some kind of Italian dressing.
>
> Tonight I used a quinoa pasta because it contains protein and also added
> kidney beans and chickpeas for more protein. *I only used black olives but
> will add some stuffed green ones to my portion. *The vegetables are sweet
> peppers (green, orange and red), grape tomatoes (safe ones), radishes, green
> onions, celery and cucumbers.
>
> I have leftover peppers, radishes and tomatoes. *Only had half a cucumber so
> that worked out well. *Used part of the green onions for my dinner tonight
> which was nachos. *Yes! *Nachos. *So will have to come up with a use for the
> leftover veggies.
>
> But when I began to assemble the salad, I realized I didn't cook enough
> pasta for the amount of veggies I had. *So I had to cook some more and now I
> have a big bowl of it plus what I have packed up for our dinner tomorrow.
>
> I like to use a wide variety of veggies in my salad. *I guess that's part of
> the problem. *I have tried to buy things from the salad bar. *I can't always
> get what I want though and tonight I wasn't near a store with a salad bar so
> made do with what I had and bought a few additional things. *And even when I
> do use the salad bar, I seem to still wind up with too much.
>
> I did do better than I usually do. *Most of the time I have a HUGE bowl of
> it and eventually some gets thrown out because there is only so much we can
> eat. *I am hoping we can either eat this two days in a row or maybe just
> come home and eat the leftovers rather than go out to eat on Friday. *But
> sometimes we just want enough pasta salad for that one meal. *So what's the
> trick for doing that if you are cooking for just two or three people?

Start with less pasta? Cut up less pepper? (Maybe leave out a color?)
If not that, I don't get it.

Jerry
--
Engineering is the art of making what you want from things you can get.

Jerry Avins wrote:
> On May 4, 12:58 am, "Julie Bove" > wrote:
>> I made pasta salad tonight but as usual I wound up with waaaay too
>> much of it. Seems no matter what I do there is always too much. I
>> have different versions that I make. Basically there is the pasta,
>> fresh veggies cut in strips, slices, chunks or left whole depending
>> on size, olives and some kind of protein. Dressed with some kind of
>> Italian dressing.
>>
>> Tonight I used a quinoa pasta because it contains protein and also
>> added kidney beans and chickpeas for more protein. I only used black
>> olives but will add some stuffed green ones to my portion. The
>> vegetables are sweet peppers (green, orange and red), grape tomatoes
>> (safe ones), radishes, green onions, celery and cucumbers.
>>
>> I have leftover peppers, radishes and tomatoes. Only had half a
>> cucumber so that worked out well. Used part of the green onions for
>> my dinner tonight which was nachos. Yes! Nachos. So will have to
>> come up with a use for the leftover veggies.
>>
>> But when I began to assemble the salad, I realized I didn't cook
>> enough pasta for the amount of veggies I had. So I had to cook some
>> more and now I have a big bowl of it plus what I have packed up for
>> our dinner tomorrow.
>>
>> I like to use a wide variety of veggies in my salad. I guess that's
>> part of the problem. I have tried to buy things from the salad bar.
>> I can't always get what I want though and tonight I wasn't near a
>> store with a salad bar so made do with what I had and bought a few
>> additional things. And even when I do use the salad bar, I seem to
>> still wind up with too much.
>>
>> I did do better than I usually do. Most of the time I have a HUGE
>> bowl of it and eventually some gets thrown out because there is only
>> so much we can eat. I am hoping we can either eat this two days in a
>> row or maybe just come home and eat the leftovers rather than go out
>> to eat on Friday. But sometimes we just want enough pasta salad for
>> that one meal. So what's the trick for doing that if you are cooking
>> for just two or three people?
>
> Start with less pasta? Cut up less pepper? (Maybe leave out a color?)
> If not that, I don't get it.

I did start with less pasta. But then I had to cook more because there were
too many veggies in proportion to pasta. I like a lot of different kinds of
veggies in the salad and a lot of different colorsl But it seems that once
I put them all in, there is too much salad.

On May 4, 3:56*am, "Julie Bove" > wrote:
> Jerry Avins wrote:
> > On May 4, 12:58 am, "Julie Bove" > wrote:
> >> I made pasta salad tonight but as usual I wound up with waaaay too
> >> much of it. Seems no matter what I do there is always too much. I
> >> have different versions that I make. Basically there is the pasta,
> >> fresh veggies cut in strips, slices, chunks or left whole depending
> >> on size, olives and some kind of protein. Dressed with some kind of
> >> Italian dressing.
>
> >> Tonight I used a quinoa pasta because it contains protein and also
> >> added kidney beans and chickpeas for more protein. I only used black
> >> olives but will add some stuffed green ones to my portion. The
> >> vegetables are sweet peppers (green, orange and red), grape tomatoes
> >> (safe ones), radishes, green onions, celery and cucumbers.
>
> >> I have leftover peppers, radishes and tomatoes. Only had half a
> >> cucumber so that worked out well. Used part of the green onions for
> >> my dinner tonight which was nachos. Yes! Nachos. So will have to
> >> come up with a use for the leftover veggies.
>
> >> But when I began to assemble the salad, I realized I didn't cook
> >> enough pasta for the amount of veggies I had. So I had to cook some
> >> more and now I have a big bowl of it plus what I have packed up for
> >> our dinner tomorrow.
>
> >> I like to use a wide variety of veggies in my salad. I guess that's
> >> part of the problem. I have tried to buy things from the salad bar.
> >> I can't always get what I want though and tonight I wasn't near a
> >> store with a salad bar so made do with what I had and bought a few
> >> additional things. And even when I do use the salad bar, I seem to
> >> still wind up with too much.
>
> >> I did do better than I usually do. Most of the time I have a HUGE
> >> bowl of it and eventually some gets thrown out because there is only
> >> so much we can eat. I am hoping we can either eat this two days in a
> >> row or maybe just come home and eat the leftovers rather than go out
> >> to eat on Friday. But sometimes we just want enough pasta salad for
> >> that one meal. So what's the trick for doing that if you are cooking
> >> for just two or three people?
>
> > Start with less pasta? Cut up less pepper? (Maybe leave out a color?)
> > If not that, I don't get it.
>
> I did start with less pasta. *But then I had to cook more because there were
> too many veggies in proportion to pasta. *I like a lot of different kinds of
> veggies in the salad and a lot of different colorsl *But it seems that once
> I put them all in, there is too much salad.

Don't put them all in. If you cut up too many veggies, put into the
salad only what it needs, and save the veggies for some other use.
They'll last a day or two.

You're like my husband making cocktail sauce. He starts with
the horseradish rather than the ketchup, and wonders why he
can't make just a little bit of it.

Cindy Hamilton

Cindy Hamilton wrote:
> On May 4, 3:56 am, "Julie Bove" > wrote:
>> Jerry Avins wrote:
>>> On May 4, 12:58 am, "Julie Bove" > wrote:
>>>> I made pasta salad tonight but as usual I wound up with waaaay too
>>>> much of it. Seems no matter what I do there is always too much. I
>>>> have different versions that I make. Basically there is the pasta,
>>>> fresh veggies cut in strips, slices, chunks or left whole depending
>>>> on size, olives and some kind of protein. Dressed with some kind of
>>>> Italian dressing.
>>
>>>> Tonight I used a quinoa pasta because it contains protein and also
>>>> added kidney beans and chickpeas for more protein. I only used
>>>> black olives but will add some stuffed green ones to my portion.
>>>> The vegetables are sweet peppers (green, orange and red), grape
>>>> tomatoes (safe ones), radishes, green onions, celery and cucumbers.
>>
>>>> I have leftover peppers, radishes and tomatoes. Only had half a
>>>> cucumber so that worked out well. Used part of the green onions for
>>>> my dinner tonight which was nachos. Yes! Nachos. So will have to
>>>> come up with a use for the leftover veggies.
>>
>>>> But when I began to assemble the salad, I realized I didn't cook
>>>> enough pasta for the amount of veggies I had. So I had to cook some
>>>> more and now I have a big bowl of it plus what I have packed up for
>>>> our dinner tomorrow.
>>
>>>> I like to use a wide variety of veggies in my salad. I guess that's
>>>> part of the problem. I have tried to buy things from the salad bar.
>>>> I can't always get what I want though and tonight I wasn't near a
>>>> store with a salad bar so made do with what I had and bought a few
>>>> additional things. And even when I do use the salad bar, I seem to
>>>> still wind up with too much.
>>
>>>> I did do better than I usually do. Most of the time I have a HUGE
>>>> bowl of it and eventually some gets thrown out because there is
>>>> only so much we can eat. I am hoping we can either eat this two
>>>> days in a row or maybe just come home and eat the leftovers rather
>>>> than go out to eat on Friday. But sometimes we just want enough
>>>> pasta salad for that one meal. So what's the trick for doing that
>>>> if you are cooking for just two or three people?
>>
>>> Start with less pasta? Cut up less pepper? (Maybe leave out a
>>> color?) If not that, I don't get it.
>>
>> I did start with less pasta. But then I had to cook more because
>> there were too many veggies in proportion to pasta. I like a lot of
>> different kinds of veggies in the salad and a lot of different
>> colorsl But it seems that once I put them all in, there is too much
>> salad.
>
> Don't put them all in. If you cut up too many veggies, put into the
> salad only what it needs, and save the veggies for some other use.
> They'll last a day or two.
>
> You're like my husband making cocktail sauce. He starts with
> the horseradish rather than the ketchup, and wonders why he
> can't make just a little bit of it.

I guess that's the problem. Thanks!

On Tue, 3 May 2011 21:58:24 -0700, "Julie Bove"
> wrote:

> So what's the
> trick for doing that if you are cooking for just two or three people?

For your pasta salad? It sounds like you need practice with
eyeballing volume and then you need to learn to limit it. Estimate
how much food (in volume) that you and your DD eat in one meal and try
to duplicate that when you make your pasta salad. It's not brain
surgery.

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

On Wed, 4 May 2011 00:56:34 -0700, "Julie Bove"
> wrote:

> I did start with less pasta. But then I had to cook more because there were
> too many veggies in proportion to pasta. I like a lot of different kinds of
> veggies in the salad and a lot of different colorsl But it seems that once
> I put them all in, there is too much salad.
>

There's your problem. You knew already that you put in too much.
Next time *don't do it*.

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

On May 3, 11:58*pm, "Julie Bove" > wrote:
> I made pasta salad tonight but as usual I wound up with waaaay too much of
> it. *Seems no matter what I do there is always too much. *I have different
> versions that I make. *Basically there is the pasta, fresh veggies cut in
> strips, slices, chunks or left whole depending on size, olives and some kind
> of protein. *Dressed with some kind of Italian dressing.
>
> Tonight I used a quinoa pasta because it contains protein and also added
> kidney beans and chickpeas for more protein. *I only used black olives but
> will add some stuffed green ones to my portion. *The vegetables are sweet
> peppers (green, orange and red), grape tomatoes (safe ones), radishes, green
> onions, celery and cucumbers.
>
> I have leftover peppers, radishes and tomatoes. *Only had half a cucumber so
> that worked out well. *Used part of the green onions for my dinner tonight
> which was nachos. *Yes! *Nachos. *So will have to come up with a use for the
> leftover veggies.
>
> But when I began to assemble the salad, I realized I didn't cook enough
> pasta for the amount of veggies I had. *So I had to cook some more and now I
> have a big bowl of it plus what I have packed up for our dinner tomorrow.
>
> I like to use a wide variety of veggies in my salad. *I guess that's part of
> the problem. *I have tried to buy things from the salad bar. *I can't always
> get what I want though and tonight I wasn't near a store with a salad bar so
> made do with what I had and bought a few additional things. *And even when I
> do use the salad bar, I seem to still wind up with too much.
>
> I did do better than I usually do. *Most of the time I have a HUGE bowl of
> it and eventually some gets thrown out because there is only so much we can
> eat. *I am hoping we can either eat this two days in a row or maybe just
> come home and eat the leftovers rather than go out to eat on Friday. *But
> sometimes we just want enough pasta salad for that one meal. *So what's the
> trick for doing that if you are cooking for just two or three people?

I have that problem with both pasta and potato salads - always make
too much (I'm a single) .... usually I give the extras to my neighbor,
because she has enough family around all the time to eat it up, plus
she takes care of her dementia-ridden mother who lives with them.

N.

sf wrote:

> On Tue, 3 May 2011 21:58:24 -0700, "Julie Bove"
> > wrote:
>
>
>> So what's the
>>trick for doing that if you are cooking for just two or three people?
>
>
> For your pasta salad? It sounds like you need practice with
> eyeballing volume and then you need to learn to limit it. Estimate
> how much food (in volume) that you and your DD eat in one meal and try
> to duplicate that when you make your pasta salad. It's not brain
> surgery.
>

I thought much the same myself. When i make a green salad for the
elderly relative and I, its 1 diced tomato, i cup of chopped broccoli, 3
- 4 sliced green onions, i red or green bell pepper diced, 2 or 3 sliced
mushrooms and about 1 cup of garbonzoes & a few leaves of red leaf or
butter lettuce roughly chopped. I usually serve that with some poached,
diced & marinated chicken and sometimes a few segments of oranges or
tangerines. All tossed in my home made vinaigrette.

But with pasta or potato salad i double the volumes or more, i like to
have leftovers of potato or pasta salad.
--
JL

"Julie Bove" wrote:
>
> So what's the trick for doing that if you are cooking for just two or three people?

No trick... common sense... a second salad bowl.

On May 3, 9:58*pm, "Julie Bove" > wrote:
snip-snip-snip....
> sometimes we just want enough pasta salad for that one meal. *So what's the
> trick for doing that if you are cooking for just two or three people?
Simple, start with pretending. Put a clear bowl of whatever sort out,
chop up whatever veggies (with meat included if used) you want to fill
the bowl just half way. Eyeball (or actually measure) the amount of
chopped-ups and cook only one-half that amount of dry pasta. Do
remember to imagine the bowl as the total amount of salad you will be
satisfied to serve/eat within however many meals you may want it
for.

Example for two people, one meal: 1-1/2 cups loose-packed veggies/
meat and 3/4 cup dry pasta will give you a good balance, and the
dressing/seasonings are added as appropriate.
....PickyPastaSaladLover

On May 4, 10:51*am, JeanineAlyse > wrote:
> On May 3, 9:58*pm, "Julie Bove" > wrote:
> snip-snip-snip....> sometimes we just want enough pasta salad for that one meal. *So what's the
> > trick for doing that if you are cooking for just two or three people?
> Example for two people, one meal: *1-1/2 cups loose-packed veggies/
> meat and 3/4 cup dry pasta will give you a good balance, and the
> dressing/seasonings are added as appropriate.
With an even simpler method, make your pasta salad on purpose, not as
a way to clean out your refrigerator.
....Picky

sf wrote:
>
> On Wed, 4 May 2011 00:56:34 -0700, "Julie Bove"
> > wrote:
>
> > I did start with less pasta. But then I had to cook more because there were
> > too many veggies in proportion to pasta. I like a lot of different kinds of
> > veggies in the salad and a lot of different colorsl But it seems that once
> > I put them all in, there is too much salad.
>
> There's your problem. You knew already that you put in too much.
> Next time *don't do it*.

That's so easy to say if you don't have
a pasta problem. She needs to join
Pastaholics Anonymous and go to meetings.

"sf" > wrote in message
...
> On Tue, 3 May 2011 21:58:24 -0700, "Julie Bove"
> > wrote:
>
>> So what's the
>> trick for doing that if you are cooking for just two or three people?
>
> For your pasta salad? It sounds like you need practice with
> eyeballing volume and then you need to learn to limit it. Estimate
> how much food (in volume) that you and your DD eat in one meal and try
> to duplicate that when you make your pasta salad. It's not brain
> surgery.
>

I guess I just have a problem with restraint. I do the same thing when
making soup. I just want so many different things in there.

"M. JL Esq." > wrote in message
...
> sf wrote:
>
>> On Tue, 3 May 2011 21:58:24 -0700, "Julie Bove"
>> > wrote:
>>
>>
>>> So what's the trick for doing that if you are cooking for just two or
>>> three people?
>>
>>
>> For your pasta salad? It sounds like you need practice with
>> eyeballing volume and then you need to learn to limit it. Estimate
>> how much food (in volume) that you and your DD eat in one meal and try
>> to duplicate that when you make your pasta salad. It's not brain
>> surgery.
>>
>
> I thought much the same myself. When i make a green salad for the elderly
> relative and I, its 1 diced tomato, i cup of chopped broccoli, 3 - 4
> sliced green onions, i red or green bell pepper diced, 2 or 3 sliced
> mushrooms and about 1 cup of garbonzoes & a few leaves of red leaf or
> butter lettuce roughly chopped. I usually serve that with some poached,
> diced & marinated chicken and sometimes a few segments of oranges or
> tangerines. All tossed in my home made vinaigrette.
>
> But with pasta or potato salad i double the volumes or more, i like to
> have leftovers of potato or pasta salad.

Maybe leftovers are just inevitable.

Nancy2 wrote:
>
> I have that problem with both pasta and potato salads - always make
> too much (I'm a single) .... usually I give the extras to my neighbor,
> because she has enough family around all the time to eat it up, plus
> she takes care of her dementia-ridden mother who lives with them.

I seem to do okay with potato salad, I think because I put fewer different
things in there. Always potatoes and onions and maybe one more thing like
celery or green beans.

JeanineAlyse wrote:
> On May 3, 9:58 pm, "Julie Bove" > wrote:
> snip-snip-snip....
>> sometimes we just want enough pasta salad for that one meal. So
>> what's the trick for doing that if you are cooking for just two or
>> three people?
> Simple, start with pretending. Put a clear bowl of whatever sort out,
> chop up whatever veggies (with meat included if used) you want to fill
> the bowl just half way. Eyeball (or actually measure) the amount of
> chopped-ups and cook only one-half that amount of dry pasta. Do
> remember to imagine the bowl as the total amount of salad you will be
> satisfied to serve/eat within however many meals you may want it
> for.
>
> Example for two people, one meal: 1-1/2 cups loose-packed veggies/
> meat and 3/4 cup dry pasta will give you a good balance, and the
> dressing/seasonings are added as appropriate.
> ...PickyPastaSaladLover

Aha! I guess the trick then would be to measure the veggies first instead
of just tossing them in the bowl. Thanks!

the dh starts with what he thinks is the right amount of pasta, then he adds
the protien if warrented, then he chops the veggies, puts them in baggies,
and then assembles our salads onto a plate and puts on dressing... leftover
veggies stay in baggies in frig for use during week, end of week, into
adventure soup. Lee
"Julie Bove" > wrote in message
...
>I made pasta salad tonight but as usual I wound up with waaaay too much of
>it. Seems no matter what I do there is always too much. I have different
>versions that I make. Basically there is the pasta, fresh veggies cut in
>strips, slices, chunks or left whole depending on size, olives and some
>kind of protein. Dressed with some kind of Italian dressing.
>
> Tonight I used a quinoa pasta because it contains protein and also added
> kidney beans and chickpeas for more protein. I only used black olives but
> will add some stuffed green ones to my portion. The vegetables are sweet
> peppers (green, orange and red), grape tomatoes (safe ones), radishes,
> green onions, celery and cucumbers.
>
> I have leftover peppers, radishes and tomatoes. Only had half a cucumber
> so that worked out well. Used part of the green onions for my dinner
> tonight which was nachos. Yes! Nachos. So will have to come up with a
> use for the leftover veggies.
>
> But when I began to assemble the salad, I realized I didn't cook enough
> pasta for the amount of veggies I had. So I had to cook some more and now
> I have a big bowl of it plus what I have packed up for our dinner
> tomorrow.
>
> I like to use a wide variety of veggies in my salad. I guess that's part
> of the problem. I have tried to buy things from the salad bar. I can't
> always get what I want though and tonight I wasn't near a store with a
> salad bar so made do with what I had and bought a few additional things.
> And even when I do use the salad bar, I seem to still wind up with too
> much.
>
> I did do better than I usually do. Most of the time I have a HUGE bowl of
> it and eventually some gets thrown out because there is only so much we
> can eat. I am hoping we can either eat this two days in a row or maybe
> just come home and eat the leftovers rather than go out to eat on Friday.
> But sometimes we just want enough pasta salad for that one meal. So
> what's the trick for doing that if you are cooking for just two or three
> people?
>

with these measures you could chop into measuring cup and just stop when its
full, so you put in what you want most... then make another later using
other things... if i used this method, it would be what needed using most,
Lee
"JeanineAlyse" > wrote in message
...
On May 3, 9:58 pm, "Julie Bove" > wrote:
snip-snip-snip....
> sometimes we just want enough pasta salad for that one meal. So what's the
> trick for doing that if you are cooking for just two or three people?
Simple, start with pretending. Put a clear bowl of whatever sort out,
chop up whatever veggies (with meat included if used) you want to fill
the bowl just half way. Eyeball (or actually measure) the amount of
chopped-ups and cook only one-half that amount of dry pasta. Do
remember to imagine the bowl as the total amount of salad you will be
satisfied to serve/eat within however many meals you may want it
for.

Example for two people, one meal: 1-1/2 cups loose-packed veggies/
meat and 3/4 cup dry pasta will give you a good balance, and the
dressing/seasonings are added as appropriate.
....PickyPastaSaladLover

sf wrote:
> On Wed, 4 May 2011 00:56:34 -0700, "Julie Bove"
> > wrote:
>
>> I did start with less pasta. But then I had to
>> cook more because
>> there were too many veggies in proportion to
>> pasta. I like a lot of
>> different kinds of veggies in the salad and a
>> lot of different
>> colorsl But it seems that once I put them all
>> in, there is too much
>> salad.
>>
>
> There's your problem. You knew already that you
> put in too much.
> Next time *don't do it*.

Then she wouldn't have anything to bitch about.

Well, I take that back, she would have ONE LESS
thing to bitch about.

sf wrote:
> On Tue, 3 May 2011 21:58:24 -0700, "Julie Bove"
> > wrote:
>
>> So what's the
>> trick for doing that if you are cooking for
>> just two or three people?
>
> For your pasta salad? It sounds like you need
> practice with
> eyeballing volume and then you need to learn to
> limit it. Estimate
> how much food (in volume) that you and your DD
> eat in one meal and try
> to duplicate that when you make your pasta
> salad. It's not brain
> surgery.

You DO remember who you are talking to, don't you?

"Storrmmee" > wrote in message
...
> the dh starts with what he thinks is the right amount of pasta, then he
> adds the protien if warrented, then he chops the veggies, puts them in
> baggies, and then assembles our salads onto a plate and puts on
> dressing... leftover veggies stay in baggies in frig for use during week,
> end of week, into adventure soup. Lee

That's another good idea. Thanks!

"Storrmmee" > wrote in message
...
> with these measures you could chop into measuring cup and just stop when
> its full, so you put in what you want most... then make another later
> using other things... if i used this method, it would be what needed using
> most, Lee

Thanks!

sf > wrote:

>On Tue, 3 May 2011 21:58:24 -0700, "Julie Bove"
> wrote:
>
>> So what's the
>> trick for doing that if you are cooking for just two or three people?
>
>For your pasta salad? It sounds like you need practice with
>eyeballing volume and then you need to learn to limit it. Estimate
>how much food (in volume) that you and your DD eat in one meal and try
>to duplicate that when you make your pasta salad. It's not brain
>surgery.

I use the exact opposite approach -- weigh everything, calculate
the amount of calories and match that up against the number of calories
I expect people to consume.

This is when cooking for my household, when cooking for guests I will
high-side it.

Steve

On Wed, 4 May 2011 11:34:18 -0700 (PDT), JeanineAlyse
> wrote:

>On May 4, 10:51*am, JeanineAlyse > wrote:
>> On May 3, 9:58*pm, "Julie Bove" > wrote:
>> snip-snip-snip....> sometimes we just want enough pasta salad for that one meal. *So what's the
>> > trick for doing that if you are cooking for just two or three people?
>> Example for two people, one meal: *1-1/2 cups loose-packed veggies/
>> meat and 3/4 cup dry pasta will give you a good balance, and the
>> dressing/seasonings are added as appropriate.
>With an even simpler method, make your pasta salad on purpose, not as
>a way to clean out your refrigerator.
>...Picky

Good lord we've got a good answer. Soup is for cleaning out the
fridge. Not any kind of salad. The pasta salad I usually make lasts
for days but I use fresh stuff usually bought the day I make it.

Lou

On Wed, 4 May 2011 14:02:45 -0700, "Julie Bove"
> wrote:

>JeanineAlyse wrote:
>> On May 3, 9:58 pm, "Julie Bove" > wrote:
>> snip-snip-snip....
>>> sometimes we just want enough pasta salad for that one meal. So
>>> what's the trick for doing that if you are cooking for just two or
>>> three people?
>> Simple, start with pretending. Put a clear bowl of whatever sort out,
>> chop up whatever veggies (with meat included if used) you want to fill
>> the bowl just half way. Eyeball (or actually measure) the amount of
>> chopped-ups and cook only one-half that amount of dry pasta. Do
>> remember to imagine the bowl as the total amount of salad you will be
>> satisfied to serve/eat within however many meals you may want it
>> for.
>>
>> Example for two people, one meal: 1-1/2 cups loose-packed veggies/
>> meat and 3/4 cup dry pasta will give you a good balance, and the
>> dressing/seasonings are added as appropriate.
>> ...PickyPastaSaladLover
>
>Aha! I guess the trick then would be to measure the veggies first instead
>of just tossing them in the bowl. Thanks!

Use a recipe or make your own. Once you have a benchmark you can
deviate but if you're having trouble you need a starting point. More
is not always better as you need a balance.

Here's my benchmark recipe. It's also on the rfc signature dishes
page. It took me a long time to get it right and I may sway a little
but not much and never on the dressing. I'm sure there's something in
it you can't or wont eat but at least you'll get the idea.

sopresetta pasta salad by lou

dressing:

2 1/4 oz. garlic
1 1/2 cup olive oil
2/3 cup red wine vinegar
2 tsp. dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground fennel
1 t. black pepper
1 tb. kosher salt
1/2 t. celery seed
1 t. fennel seed
1 t. dry tyme
1 tb. dried basil

Salad

1 pound cubed mozzarella
1 pound cubed provolone
4 oz. romano
1/2 pound cubed sopresetta
1 pound cubed genoa salami
1/2 pound chopped onion
3/4 lb. chopped green pepper
4 oz sliced baby carrots
6 oz black olives drained and sliced
6 oz. green olives drained and sliced
1 cup curley parsley. Culled, chopped rough
2 cups freshly chopped tomatoes

32 oz. rotinni

In mixing bowl, wisk dressing ingredients together. Set aside.

Prepare remaining ingredients and set aside, reserving tomatoes.

Cook pasta for about 7 minutes. (slightly undercooked)
Drain well and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle dressing all
over pasta
Gently toss to coat. Add remaining ingredients, (except tomatoes)
toss to mix.
Do not overwork or pasta will break. Transfer to appropriate size
serving bowl.
Spread the tomatoes evenly over salad. Cover tightly and refrigerate
overnight.

Service may require additional EVO. Grated parm is also a nice touch.

"Steve Pope" > wrote in message
...
> sf > wrote:
>
>>On Tue, 3 May 2011 21:58:24 -0700, "Julie Bove"
> wrote:
>>
>>> So what's the
>>> trick for doing that if you are cooking for just two or three people?
>>
>>For your pasta salad? It sounds like you need practice with
>>eyeballing volume and then you need to learn to limit it. Estimate
>>how much food (in volume) that you and your DD eat in one meal and try
>>to duplicate that when you make your pasta salad. It's not brain
>>surgery.
>
> I use the exact opposite approach -- weigh everything, calculate
> the amount of calories and match that up against the number of calories
> I expect people to consume.
>
> This is when cooking for my household, when cooking for guests I will
> high-side it.

I don't count calories per se. But... My diet is pretty much the same
calorie-wise. Mostly take in 1,000 per day. Sometimes as high as 1,200
when I eat out. Sometimes less.

"Lou Decruss" > wrote in message
...
> On Wed, 4 May 2011 14:02:45 -0700, "Julie Bove"
> > wrote:
>
>>JeanineAlyse wrote:
>>> On May 3, 9:58 pm, "Julie Bove" > wrote:
>>> snip-snip-snip....
>>>> sometimes we just want enough pasta salad for that one meal. So
>>>> what's the trick for doing that if you are cooking for just two or
>>>> three people?
>>> Simple, start with pretending. Put a clear bowl of whatever sort out,
>>> chop up whatever veggies (with meat included if used) you want to fill
>>> the bowl just half way. Eyeball (or actually measure) the amount of
>>> chopped-ups and cook only one-half that amount of dry pasta. Do
>>> remember to imagine the bowl as the total amount of salad you will be
>>> satisfied to serve/eat within however many meals you may want it
>>> for.
>>>
>>> Example for two people, one meal: 1-1/2 cups loose-packed veggies/
>>> meat and 3/4 cup dry pasta will give you a good balance, and the
>>> dressing/seasonings are added as appropriate.
>>> ...PickyPastaSaladLover
>>
>>Aha! I guess the trick then would be to measure the veggies first instead
>>of just tossing them in the bowl. Thanks!
>
> Use a recipe or make your own. Once you have a benchmark you can
> deviate but if you're having trouble you need a starting point. More
> is not always better as you need a balance.
>
> Here's my benchmark recipe. It's also on the rfc signature dishes
> page. It took me a long time to get it right and I may sway a little
> but not much and never on the dressing. I'm sure there's something in
> it you can't or wont eat but at least you'll get the idea.
>
> sopresetta pasta salad by lou
>
> dressing:
>
> 2 1/4 oz. garlic
> 1 1/2 cup olive oil
> 2/3 cup red wine vinegar
> 2 tsp. dry mustard
> 1/4 teaspoon ground fennel
> 1 t. black pepper
> 1 tb. kosher salt
> 1/2 t. celery seed
> 1 t. fennel seed
> 1 t. dry tyme
> 1 tb. dried basil
>
> Salad
>
> 1 pound cubed mozzarella
> 1 pound cubed provolone
> 4 oz. romano
> 1/2 pound cubed sopresetta
> 1 pound cubed genoa salami
> 1/2 pound chopped onion
> 3/4 lb. chopped green pepper
> 4 oz sliced baby carrots
> 6 oz black olives drained and sliced
> 6 oz. green olives drained and sliced
> 1 cup curley parsley. Culled, chopped rough
> 2 cups freshly chopped tomatoes
>
> 32 oz. rotinni
>
> In mixing bowl, wisk dressing ingredients together. Set aside.
>
> Prepare remaining ingredients and set aside, reserving tomatoes.
>
> Cook pasta for about 7 minutes. (slightly undercooked)
> Drain well and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle dressing all
> over pasta
> Gently toss to coat. Add remaining ingredients, (except tomatoes)
> toss to mix.
> Do not overwork or pasta will break. Transfer to appropriate size
> serving bowl.
> Spread the tomatoes evenly over salad. Cover tightly and refrigerate
> overnight.
>
> Service may require additional EVO. Grated parm is also a nice touch.

Thanks! Yours has more protein and less veg. I think that's my problem. I
like veggies so much that I put too many in.

"Dan Abel" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> "Julie Bove" > wrote:
>
>> "J. Clarke" > wrote in message
>> in.local...
>> > Next time you make it keep a detailed record of everything that goes
>> > into it. Then the time after, cut the quantities in half and see what
>> > happens.
>> >
>> > The trouble with this is that you'll end up with half a pepper or a
>> > third of an onion or whatever that you'll then have to find other uses
>> > for.
>>
>> That is why I try to buy small amounts from a salad bar when I can. But
>> I
>> didn't do that this time.
>
> I haven't seen them lately, but a couple of years ago I was seeing a lot
> of packages of very small, mild, multicolored peppers. They were about
> an inch in diameter and three inches long. They kept very well in the
> fridge uncut. They were very tasty.

Here you can get those in the late Spring and Summer. Not sure how they
would do in a salad. The flesh is very thin. I just eat them as is and
toss the stems.

Jerry Avins wrote:
> Vegetables last me a couple of weeks in Green Bags.
> http://www.evertfresh.com/ for one. Use what you keep for soup,
> salad, or whatever is
> appropriate.

Those did not work for me at all. In fact they seemed to hasten the
rotting. I threw mine all away.

"Julie Bove" > ha scritto nel messaggio
...
>
> "Giusi" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> "Julie Bove" > ha scritto nel messaggio >
>>> "sf" > wrote in message
>>
>>>> Try limiting them to no more than a 1/2 c each then.
>>>
>>> That would still give me much more than I need. When I take a small
>>> tongfull from the salad bar it winds up being too much in the end.
>>
>> Only you can decide the amount wanted. Only you can disciplie yourself
>> to that amount. No one has any clue that will work better for you,
>> because there is no other way.
>
> Actually they do because they have told me so.

And which have worked out for you?
>
>

On May 4, 4:59*pm, "Julie Bove" > wrote:
> "sf" > wrote in message
>
> ...
>
> > On Tue, 3 May 2011 21:58:24 -0700, "Julie Bove"
> > > wrote:
>
> >> *So what's the
> >> trick for doing that if you are cooking for just two or three people?
>
> > For your pasta salad? *It sounds like you need practice with
> > eyeballing volume and then you need to learn to limit it. *Estimate
> > how much food (in volume) that you and your DD eat in one meal and try
> > to duplicate that when you make your pasta salad. *It's not brain
> > surgery.
>
> I guess I just have a problem with restraint. *I do the same thing when
> making soup. *I just want so many different things in there.

It's all a matter of taste, of course, but more is not always better.
I often prefer to let the flavors of just a few ingredients shine
through,
rather than always having a mishmash of "everything but the kitchen
sink".

One of my favorite quick soups is:

Bring to a boil half a 16-ounce box of chicken broth with
a slice of fresh ginger and a little salt.

Remove the ginger and add three or four frozen gyoza
dumplings.

While they're cooking, thinly slice a the green part of
a scallion and a few shreds of iceberg lettuce (a couple
of tablespoons or so) and put them in a bowl.

When the dumplings are cooked through, add them
and the broth to the bowl with the scallion and lettuce.

My husband is a heartier trencherman, so he gets the
entire box of broth and twice as man dumplings.

Is this grand cuisine? No. Is it a satisfying lunch? Yes.

Cindy Hamilton

"Giusi" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Julie Bove" > ha scritto nel messaggio
> ...
>>
>> "Giusi" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>>
>>> "Julie Bove" > ha scritto nel messaggio >
>>>> "sf" > wrote in message
>>>
>>>>> Try limiting them to no more than a 1/2 c each then.
>>>>
>>>> That would still give me much more than I need. When I take a small
>>>> tongfull from the salad bar it winds up being too much in the end.
>>>
>>> Only you can decide the amount wanted. Only you can disciplie yourself
>>> to that amount. No one has any clue that will work better for you,
>>> because there is no other way.
>>
>> Actually they do because they have told me so.
>
> And which have worked out for you?

Since they just told me I haven't tried them yet. It will be awhile before
I make it again.

On Thu, 5 May 2011 00:04:54 -0700, "Julie Bove"
> wrote:

>
> "sf" > wrote in message
> ...
> > On Wed, 4 May 2011 13:59:27 -0700, "Julie Bove"
> > > wrote:
> >
> >> I guess I just have a problem with restraint. I do the same thing when
> >> making soup. I just want so many different things in there.
> >
> > Try limiting them to no more than a 1/2 c each then.
>
> That would still give me much more than I need. When I take a small
> tongfull from the salad bar it winds up being too much in the end.
>
Oh for god sake Julie. Use some common sense.

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

not sure about this, i think especially if the noodles are left over, and
you have some iffy veggies, seeing what you can get in it would allow for
using up stuff and a different salad every time, but like i said, if i were
doing this i would put the pasta in a bowl and then just add stuff until it
was the right size, ad drexxing and go.

Lee
"Lou Decruss" > wrote in message
...
> On Wed, 4 May 2011 11:34:18 -0700 (PDT), JeanineAlyse
> > wrote:
>
>>On May 4, 10:51 am, JeanineAlyse > wrote:
>>> On May 3, 9:58 pm, "Julie Bove" > wrote:
>>> snip-snip-snip....> sometimes we just want enough pasta salad for that
>>> one meal. So what's the
>>> > trick for doing that if you are cooking for just two or three people?
>>> Example for two people, one meal: 1-1/2 cups loose-packed veggies/
>>> meat and 3/4 cup dry pasta will give you a good balance, and the
>>> dressing/seasonings are added as appropriate.
>>With an even simpler method, make your pasta salad on purpose, not as
>>a way to clean out your refrigerator.
>>...Picky
>
> Good lord we've got a good answer. Soup is for cleaning out the
> fridge. Not any kind of salad. The pasta salad I usually make lasts
> for days but I use fresh stuff usually bought the day I make it.
>
> Lou

this sounds excellent but i would have to make it for a party, way to much
for just the two of us... or it should be... but probably in reality isn't,
lol, Lee


"Lou Decruss" > wrote in message
...
> On Wed, 4 May 2011 14:02:45 -0700, "Julie Bove"
> > wrote:
>
>>JeanineAlyse wrote:
>>> On May 3, 9:58 pm, "Julie Bove" > wrote:
>>> snip-snip-snip....
>>>> sometimes we just want enough pasta salad for that one meal. So
>>>> what's the trick for doing that if you are cooking for just two or
>>>> three people?
>>> Simple, start with pretending. Put a clear bowl of whatever sort out,
>>> chop up whatever veggies (with meat included if used) you want to fill
>>> the bowl just half way. Eyeball (or actually measure) the amount of
>>> chopped-ups and cook only one-half that amount of dry pasta. Do
>>> remember to imagine the bowl as the total amount of salad you will be
>>> satisfied to serve/eat within however many meals you may want it
>>> for.
>>>
>>> Example for two people, one meal: 1-1/2 cups loose-packed veggies/
>>> meat and 3/4 cup dry pasta will give you a good balance, and the
>>> dressing/seasonings are added as appropriate.
>>> ...PickyPastaSaladLover
>>
>>Aha! I guess the trick then would be to measure the veggies first instead
>>of just tossing them in the bowl. Thanks!
>
> Use a recipe or make your own. Once you have a benchmark you can
> deviate but if you're having trouble you need a starting point. More
> is not always better as you need a balance.
>
> Here's my benchmark recipe. It's also on the rfc signature dishes
> page. It took me a long time to get it right and I may sway a little
> but not much and never on the dressing. I'm sure there's something in
> it you can't or wont eat but at least you'll get the idea.
>
> sopresetta pasta salad by lou
>
> dressing:
>
> 2 1/4 oz. garlic
> 1 1/2 cup olive oil
> 2/3 cup red wine vinegar
> 2 tsp. dry mustard
> 1/4 teaspoon ground fennel
> 1 t. black pepper
> 1 tb. kosher salt
> 1/2 t. celery seed
> 1 t. fennel seed
> 1 t. dry tyme
> 1 tb. dried basil
>
> Salad
>
> 1 pound cubed mozzarella
> 1 pound cubed provolone
> 4 oz. romano
> 1/2 pound cubed sopresetta
> 1 pound cubed genoa salami
> 1/2 pound chopped onion
> 3/4 lb. chopped green pepper
> 4 oz sliced baby carrots
> 6 oz black olives drained and sliced
> 6 oz. green olives drained and sliced
> 1 cup curley parsley. Culled, chopped rough
> 2 cups freshly chopped tomatoes
>
> 32 oz. rotinni
>
> In mixing bowl, wisk dressing ingredients together. Set aside.
>
> Prepare remaining ingredients and set aside, reserving tomatoes.
>
> Cook pasta for about 7 minutes. (slightly undercooked)
> Drain well and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle dressing all
> over pasta
> Gently toss to coat. Add remaining ingredients, (except tomatoes)
> toss to mix.
> Do not overwork or pasta will break. Transfer to appropriate size
> serving bowl.
> Spread the tomatoes evenly over salad. Cover tightly and refrigerate
> overnight.
>
> Service may require additional EVO. Grated parm is also a nice touch.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

this detailed stuff works right in with my baggy idea, whatever is left over
can be made into soup in a day or so, Lee
"J. Clarke" > wrote in message
in.local...
> In article >, says...
>>
>> "Lou Decruss" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> > On Wed, 4 May 2011 14:02:45 -0700, "Julie Bove"
>> > > wrote:
>> >
>> >>JeanineAlyse wrote:
>> >>> On May 3, 9:58 pm, "Julie Bove" > wrote:
>> >>> snip-snip-snip....
>> >>>> sometimes we just want enough pasta salad for that one meal. So
>> >>>> what's the trick for doing that if you are cooking for just two or
>> >>>> three people?
>> >>> Simple, start with pretending. Put a clear bowl of whatever sort
>> >>> out,
>> >>> chop up whatever veggies (with meat included if used) you want to
>> >>> fill
>> >>> the bowl just half way. Eyeball (or actually measure) the amount of
>> >>> chopped-ups and cook only one-half that amount of dry pasta. Do
>> >>> remember to imagine the bowl as the total amount of salad you will be
>> >>> satisfied to serve/eat within however many meals you may want it
>> >>> for.
>> >>>
>> >>> Example for two people, one meal: 1-1/2 cups loose-packed veggies/
>> >>> meat and 3/4 cup dry pasta will give you a good balance, and the
>> >>> dressing/seasonings are added as appropriate.
>> >>> ...PickyPastaSaladLover
>> >>
>> >>Aha! I guess the trick then would be to measure the veggies first
>> >>instead
>> >>of just tossing them in the bowl. Thanks!
>> >
>> > Use a recipe or make your own. Once you have a benchmark you can
>> > deviate but if you're having trouble you need a starting point. More
>> > is not always better as you need a balance.
>> >
>> > Here's my benchmark recipe. It's also on the rfc signature dishes
>> > page. It took me a long time to get it right and I may sway a little
>> > but not much and never on the dressing. I'm sure there's something in
>> > it you can't or wont eat but at least you'll get the idea.
>> >
>> > sopresetta pasta salad by lou
>> >
>> > dressing:
>> >
>> > 2 1/4 oz. garlic
>> > 1 1/2 cup olive oil
>> > 2/3 cup red wine vinegar
>> > 2 tsp. dry mustard
>> > 1/4 teaspoon ground fennel
>> > 1 t. black pepper
>> > 1 tb. kosher salt
>> > 1/2 t. celery seed
>> > 1 t. fennel seed
>> > 1 t. dry tyme
>> > 1 tb. dried basil
>> >
>> > Salad
>> >
>> > 1 pound cubed mozzarella
>> > 1 pound cubed provolone
>> > 4 oz. romano
>> > 1/2 pound cubed sopresetta
>> > 1 pound cubed genoa salami
>> > 1/2 pound chopped onion
>> > 3/4 lb. chopped green pepper
>> > 4 oz sliced baby carrots
>> > 6 oz black olives drained and sliced
>> > 6 oz. green olives drained and sliced
>> > 1 cup curley parsley. Culled, chopped rough
>> > 2 cups freshly chopped tomatoes
>> >
>> > 32 oz. rotinni
>> >
>> > In mixing bowl, wisk dressing ingredients together. Set aside.
>> >
>> > Prepare remaining ingredients and set aside, reserving tomatoes.
>> >
>> > Cook pasta for about 7 minutes. (slightly undercooked)
>> > Drain well and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle dressing all
>> > over pasta
>> > Gently toss to coat. Add remaining ingredients, (except tomatoes)
>> > toss to mix.
>> > Do not overwork or pasta will break. Transfer to appropriate size
>> > serving bowl.
>> > Spread the tomatoes evenly over salad. Cover tightly and refrigerate
>> > overnight.
>> >
>> > Service may require additional EVO. Grated parm is also a nice touch.
>>
>> Thanks! Yours has more protein and less veg. I think that's my problem.
>> I
>> like veggies so much that I put too many in.
>
> Next time you make it keep a detailed record of everything that goes
> into it. Then the time after, cut the quantities in half and see what
> happens.
>
> The trouble with this is that you'll end up with half a pepper or a
> third of an onion or whatever that you'll then have to find other uses
> for.
>
>
>
>

i love green bags, and Julie i just thought of another option... suppose you
chopped all the vegggies and mixed those, then made the pasta, and stored
sperately, and another container for the dressing... when it came time for
salad put pasta and right anount of veggies and dressing, then pick protien
of choice... then when the veggies started to go then make soup with those,
and the beans/protien...

Lee
"Jerry Avins" > wrote in message
...
On May 4, 9:40 pm, "J. Clarke" > wrote:
> In article >, says...
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > "Lou Decruss" > wrote in message
> .. .
> > > On Wed, 4 May 2011 14:02:45 -0700, "Julie Bove"
> > > > wrote:
>
> > >>JeanineAlyse wrote:
> > >>> On May 3, 9:58 pm, "Julie Bove" > wrote:
> > >>> snip-snip-snip....
> > >>>> sometimes we just want enough pasta salad for that one meal. So
> > >>>> what's the trick for doing that if you are cooking for just two or
> > >>>> three people?
> > >>> Simple, start with pretending. Put a clear bowl of whatever sort
> > >>> out,
> > >>> chop up whatever veggies (with meat included if used) you want to
> > >>> fill
> > >>> the bowl just half way. Eyeball (or actually measure) the amount of
> > >>> chopped-ups and cook only one-half that amount of dry pasta. Do
> > >>> remember to imagine the bowl as the total amount of salad you will
> > >>> be
> > >>> satisfied to serve/eat within however many meals you may want it
> > >>> for.
>
> > >>> Example for two people, one meal: 1-1/2 cups loose-packed veggies/
> > >>> meat and 3/4 cup dry pasta will give you a good balance, and the
> > >>> dressing/seasonings are added as appropriate.
> > >>> ...PickyPastaSaladLover
>
> > >>Aha! I guess the trick then would be to measure the veggies first
> > >>instead
> > >>of just tossing them in the bowl. Thanks!
>
> > > Use a recipe or make your own. Once you have a benchmark you can
> > > deviate but if you're having trouble you need a starting point. More
> > > is not always better as you need a balance.
>
> > > Here's my benchmark recipe. It's also on the rfc signature dishes
> > > page. It took me a long time to get it right and I may sway a little
> > > but not much and never on the dressing. I'm sure there's something in
> > > it you can't or wont eat but at least you'll get the idea.
>
> > > sopresetta pasta salad by lou
>
> > > dressing:
>
> > > 2 1/4 oz. garlic
> > > 1 1/2 cup olive oil
> > > 2/3 cup red wine vinegar
> > > 2 tsp. dry mustard
> > > 1/4 teaspoon ground fennel
> > > 1 t. black pepper
> > > 1 tb. kosher salt
> > > 1/2 t. celery seed
> > > 1 t. fennel seed
> > > 1 t. dry tyme
> > > 1 tb. dried basil
>
> > > Salad
>
> > > 1 pound cubed mozzarella
> > > 1 pound cubed provolone
> > > 4 oz. romano
> > > 1/2 pound cubed sopresetta
> > > 1 pound cubed genoa salami
> > > 1/2 pound chopped onion
> > > 3/4 lb. chopped green pepper
> > > 4 oz sliced baby carrots
> > > 6 oz black olives drained and sliced
> > > 6 oz. green olives drained and sliced
> > > 1 cup curley parsley. Culled, chopped rough
> > > 2 cups freshly chopped tomatoes
>
> > > 32 oz. rotinni
>
> > > In mixing bowl, wisk dressing ingredients together. Set aside.
>
> > > Prepare remaining ingredients and set aside, reserving tomatoes.
>
> > > Cook pasta for about 7 minutes. (slightly undercooked)
> > > Drain well and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle dressing all
> > > over pasta
> > > Gently toss to coat. Add remaining ingredients, (except tomatoes)
> > > toss to mix.
> > > Do not overwork or pasta will break. Transfer to appropriate size
> > > serving bowl.
> > > Spread the tomatoes evenly over salad. Cover tightly and refrigerate
> > > overnight.
>
> > > Service may require additional EVO. Grated parm is also a nice touch.
>
> > Thanks! Yours has more protein and less veg. I think that's my problem.
> > I
> > like veggies so much that I put too many in.
>
> Next time you make it keep a detailed record of everything that goes
> into it. Then the time after, cut the quantities in half and see what
> happens.
>
> The trouble with this is that you'll end up with half a pepper or a
> third of an onion or whatever that you'll then have to find other uses
> for.

Vegetables last me a couple of weeks in Green Bags.
http://www.evertfresh.com/
for one. Use what you keep for soup, salad, or whatever is
appropriate.

Jerry
--
Engineering is the art of making what you want from things you can get.

this is a very good point... lets say you have a menu for a party... you
don't want to make a nine hundred calorie meal followed by a seven hundred
calorie dessert... if you know the "serving calories" of a portion of a dish
you are considering you can put the meal together, see what it totals to and
perhaps go from a broccoli cheese soup to a vegetable soup cutting a couple
hundred calories, or in the dessert department, you might switch the peach
pie to peach sorbet and considerabley reduce as well.

along with not wasting food, it shows respect for the people you are feeding
by not overstuffing them.

Lee
"Steve Pope" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> Julie Bove > wrote:
>>
>>"Steve Pope" > wrote in message
...
>>> sf > wrote:
>>>
>>>>On Tue, 3 May 2011 21:58:24 -0700, "Julie Bove"
> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> So what's the
>>>>> trick for doing that if you are cooking for just two or three people?
>>>>
>>>>For your pasta salad? It sounds like you need practice with
>>>>eyeballing volume and then you need to learn to limit it. Estimate
>>>>how much food (in volume) that you and your DD eat in one meal and try
>>>>to duplicate that when you make your pasta salad. It's not brain
>>>>surgery.
>>>
>>> I use the exact opposite approach -- weigh everything, calculate
>>> the amount of calories and match that up against the number of calories
>>> I expect people to consume.
>>>
>>> This is when cooking for my household, when cooking for guests I will
>>> high-side it.
>>
>>I don't count calories per se. But... My diet is pretty much the same
>>calorie-wise. Mostly take in 1,000 per day. Sometimes as high as 1,200
>>when I eat out. Sometimes less.
>
> Understand. But knowing how many calories are in the batch of food one
> is preparing, for home economic purposes, is different than "counting
> calories" for dieting purposes.
>
> Perhaps it's a subtle difference, but the idea is that one doesn't
> need to be "on a diet" for calorie (or macronutrient, or micronutrient)
> information to be useful. The more information, the better the
> decision-making.
>
> Unfortunately the simple objective act of weighing food to calculate
> portions has acquired negative baggage for some individuals and
> situations,
> and I personally believe this can lead to wasting food which is not good
> for the planet. My goal is to un-stigmatize the measuring of calories
> and nutrients.
>
>
> S.

another suggestion i have is that you cull all of the ideas from this thread
you think might work/you might try and list them in an organised fashion...
then keep notes on what works, then when you have arrived at what works,
report back to help others,

Lee


"Julie Bove" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Giusi" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> "Julie Bove" > ha scritto nel messaggio
>> ...
>>>
>>> "Giusi" > wrote in message
>>> ...
>>>>
>>>> "Julie Bove" > ha scritto nel messaggio >
>>>>> "sf" > wrote in message
>>>>
>>>>>> Try limiting them to no more than a 1/2 c each then.
>>>>>
>>>>> That would still give me much more than I need. When I take a small
>>>>> tongfull from the salad bar it winds up being too much in the end.
>>>>
>>>> Only you can decide the amount wanted. Only you can disciplie yourself
>>>> to that amount. No one has any clue that will work better for you,
>>>> because there is no other way.
>>>
>>> Actually they do because they have told me so.
>>
>> And which have worked out for you?
>
> Since they just told me I haven't tried them yet. It will be awhile
> before I make it again.
>