(NAPSA)—Let’s face it, people love to eat. Many major events in life involve food: wedding banquets, baby showers and anniversary dinners to name just a few. When wespend time with family and friends, it’s natural to enjoy a meal together. When you're joining friends for dinner, you may want to bring a dish to share. Even if you don’t cook often, it’s possible to bring something impressive. Easy, homemade recipes, like those developed by The Pampered Chef, look elegant and taste great, yet are simple to prepare. Picnics are very popular when the weather permits, but potlucks are common throughout the year. If you’re attending a potluck, be sure to coordinate with the other guests to ensure the menu hasall of the necessary components: appetizers, side dishes, main course and desserts. Concentrate on recipes that are easy to transport. If the recipe needs to stay cool, consider a con- tainer like a Chillzanne bowl from The Pampered Chef. Chillzanne products are filled with a unique gel that, when pre-frozen, keeps the food inside the bowl cold for hours. Keep in mind, that you should keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. On hot days, food should not go without refrigeration for more than two hours. After that, it should be thrown away. For a fun way to present your contribution, identify the dish you brought by writing your name and the recipe name on an index card and place it on a cake tester. Insert the cake tester into the dish for easy identification. You may even want to include the recipe on the card. Garnishing a dish with fruits or vegetables can give an impressive look without much work. For example, combining a simple dol- lop of whipped cream with a curl of chocolate and a banana slice can make a brownie look like a much more interesting dessert. Use an Easy Accent Decorator for the whipped cream and a Vegetable Peeler for the chocolate curl to help you to get the job done in minutes! Here is a delicious, but easy, recipe from The Pampered Chef to take to the next potluck or picnic you attend. To learn more about The Pampered Chef, Gift Certifi- cates from The Pampered Chef, or to find a Kitchen Consultant in your area, call (800) 266-5562 or visit www.pamperedchef.com. Family Pasta Salad 1 package (16 ounces) uncooked cavatappi pasta 1 package (8 ounces) mild cheddarcheese, cut into 1 % % 1 1 1 %-inch cubes cup frozen peas, thawed cup sliced celery cup finely chopped onion small carrot, grated cup light mayonnaise container (8 ounces) plain fat-free yogurt % teaspoon salt % teaspoon ground black pepper 1. Cook pasta according to package directions in Professional (8-qt.) Stockpot; drain using large Colander. 2. Meanwhile, cut cheese into 1/2-inch cubes using Crinkle Cutter. 3. Place frozen peas in small Colander and rinse under cold running water to thaw; drain. Slice celery using Chef’s Knife. Finely chop onion using Food Chopper. Grate carrot using Deluxe Cheese Grater fitted with coarse grating drum. 4. Place pasta in large Colander Bowl. Add cheese cubes, peas, cel- ery, onion and carrot; mix gently using Mix ’N Scraper’. 5. Combine mayonnaise, yogurt, salt and black pepper in Small Batter Bow]; stir into pasta mixture. Cover; refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. Yield: 16 servings
