Food In The Fort

If your place is like mine, it’s oppressively hot in the summer, even with the air conditioning running. So the last thing you want to do is add more heat by cooking. Still, unless you want to subsist on a steady diet of deli meats and fast food all summer, you’re going to have to turn that stove on some time. Although, now that I think about it, eating more fast food would give me an excuse to loiter and soak up that sweet, cool, air-conditioned atmosphere… Ah, who am I kidding? They all kick you out after the first couple of hours anyway.

The key to summer cooking is to cook for as short as possible, do it as early in the day as possible, then forget about it and spend the rest of the day competing with the dog for the primo spot on the sofa right next to the A/C vent. This recipe fits the bill. To its advantage, it happens to be quite tasty too and literally takes under a half hour to make (including the time it takes the water to come to a boil). Now move over dog, it’s my turn!

Chilled Lemon Shrimp Pasta Salad

Ingredients

• 16 oz. fettucine, cooked, drained and cooled
• 16 oz. medium shrimp, peeled, deveined (frozen cocktail shrimp work great!)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
• 1/2 cup fresh parsely, chopped
• 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
• 2 tsp. Cajun seasoning
• 1 tsp. ground black pepper (or to taste)

Preparation

1. Toss the shrimp and lemon juice in a large bowl (I do this ahead of time and refrigerate to allow the shrimp to soak up the lemony goodness)
2. Mix everything else together, except the pasta
3. Toss the mayonnaise mix with the fettucine and shrimp
4. Cover and refrigerate salad, 1 to 2 hours

About the author:  Leo is a technologist and writer living in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He is a transplant to the Mid West from Central New York and was promised cheaper gas and better winters. He feels somewhat lied to in this respect but otherwise finds the people pleasant. Read more from this author