Vegetable Recipes for Those that Don't Cook

I don't know about the rest of you guys, but I'm not much use in the kitchen. I leave it mostly to my wife. She manages just fine without my getting in her way. However, every now and then, I like to shock, stun and amaze her with something she doesn't expect. So I've gathered a few recipes that can't fail and will make you look like a culinary genius.

Recipe Number One...

Peas Vinaigrette... Take one can of peas, drain them well (rinse them if you like) and pour them into a tight sealing bowl. Then pour whatever vinaigrette you prefer over them. I like Caesar, myself. Don't fill the bowl, of course, just enough so that when you seal the bowl and shake it up all the peas get coated with the vinaigrette. Put it in the fridge and forget about it until a little while before dinner. Then shake it again. Serve cold.

Recipe Number Two...

Cucumber and Onion Salad... Peel a cucumber (or two, depending on how many you're feeding and how hungry they are) and slice them fairly thin (1/4 inch or even thinner). Take an onion, it doesn't matter which kind, white, yellow or purple, and slice it as thin as the cucumber. Separate the onion slices into rings. Put them into a tightly sealing bowl. Add a generous amount of whatever type of vinaigrette you like. For this one, my favorite is red wine and garlic. Put it in the fridge for a couple of hours and shake it a few times so the flavors combine. Serve it cold.

Recipe Number Three...

Spanish String Beans... this one is the easiest of all! Open a can (or two) of string beans and drain them. Pour salsa over the top until they're almost covered. This one can be either served cold or heated up.

Recipe Number Four...

Cauliflower and Cheese... My personal favorite. Either break up fresh cauliflower or use frozen florets and steam them until they're tender. Drain them thoroughly! Using one jar of cheese spread (my favorite is cheddar and bacon), spoon the spread into the pan you cooked the cauliflower (with the cauliflower) in and shake it around like you were making popcorn until the cheese spread melts and coats the cauliflower. Serve hot.

Recipe Number Five...

Bean Salad... Open rinse and drain one can of kidney beans, one can of string beans and one can of garbanzos. (My wife likes yellow wax beans, but I like the green ones. Don't use French cut string beans, they don't work very well.) Put all the beans into a tightly sealing bowl and pour vinaigrette over them. My favorite one for this recipe is sweet wine and garlic, but you can use a little sugar if you like with red wine and garlic... or whatever flavor you prefer. You can also add pearl onions or sliced red onions (for the color). Chill a couple of hours, shaking a few times, and serve cold.

Main courses...

When it comes to the rest of the dinner, I use Banquet Fried Chicken or pork chops with Shake and Bake on them. Steaks on the grill are always a winner, too. Which vegetable you use with which meat is entirely up to you. Mix and match can be great fun! As for potatoes, my favorite is baked. Wash them, cut the ends a little and pop them into the micro wave til their tender enough to penetrate with a regular fork. A little butter or sour cream and your guests will pig out happily.

Desserts...

If I can get away with it, I usually just buy a pre-made cake or pie from the market. But if I have to actually cook something for dessert, cream pies are my favorite by far. I buy a graham cracker crust, a box or instant pudding and a bag of mini marshmallows. Mix the instant pudding (adding fresh banana slices if called for) and pour it into the graham cracker crust. The mini marshmallows go all over the top of the finished pie. Pile them as high as you want. Stick the completed pie under the broiler until the marshmallows are fluffy and golden. Serve immediately.

See, guys, even if you aren't a natural born cook, there are ways to help the wife a little and look like you know what you're doing at the same time. It works for me! Of course, if you're single and really want to impress a date, it works pretty well, too.