Start At the Deli

We all love delicatessan food, and we all have our favorites at our local deli. The Busy Cook, however, looks at all that food in a new way. Think of the deli case as a source for prepared ingredients that can jump start your recipes and save lots of time! Vegetable salads can become quesadillas. Add some cooked leftover pasta to fruit salad for a great lunch recipe. And prepared meats can be transformed into a hearty main dish recipes with just a few ingredients. These foods can become wonderful home cooked meals in very little time, with just a bit of imagination on your part - and the recipes below.

Roasted or Fried Chicken

• Asian Apricot Chicken
• BBQ Chicken Pizza
• Italian Chicken Salad
• Asian Chicken Salad
• Chicken Potato Casserole

Turkey

• Raspberry Turkey Salad
• Turkey Sandwiches with Spinach Aioli
• Baked Turkey Sandwiches
• Smoked Turkey Pizza
• Turkey Mornay

Roast Beef

• Roast Beef Sandwiches with Garlic Aioli
• Mini Roast Beef Pizzas
• Cheesy Roast Beef Wraps
• Cold Roast Beef Pizzas
• Beef Rolls Italiano

Ham and Pork

• Ham Broccoli & Rice Skillet
• Hero Sandwiches
• Ham Potato Casserole
• BBQ Pork and Coleslaw
• Sour Cream Ham over Potatoes
• Ham and Spinach Pie

Cheeses

• Quesadillas
• Almost Instant Fondue
• Boursin Soup
• Waffle Wiches

Vegetable Salads

• Deli Corned Beef Sandwiches
• Hot Antipasto Subs
• Couscous Vegetable Salad
• Speedy Veggie Wraps
• Vegetable Omelet
• Steak and Antipasto Salad
• Mediterranean Pitas

Fruit Salads

• Creamy Fruit Pasta Salad
• Fruity Chicken Sandwiches
• Fruit Pavlova

Pasta, Potato, Meat Salads

• Spinach Tortellini Salad
• Potato Salad Loaf
• Pasta Focaccia Sandwich
• Chicken Salad Wraps
• Salad Nicoise

Bread

• Overnight French Toast
• Caramelized Onion Focaccia
• Vegetable Supreme Pizza
• Tuscan Chicken Sandwiches

Seafood

• Salmon Pesto Rolls
• Smoked Salmon Florentine
• Hot Seafood Sandwiches
• Shrimp Salad in Bread Bowls

Hints:

• Make sure you taste the salads and other foods before you buy them so you know you like the seasonings before you put them into a recipe.
• Add more of your favorite ingredient to the deli food to make the finished dish seem more home made.
• Stir some low-fat mayonnaise or sour cream, mixed with a little milk, into the salads when you add more ingredients so the salad stays creamy.
• Serve the roast chicken "as is" one night, and use the leftovers for any of these recipes the second night.
• Browse the selection at your deli and pick out some great pizza toppings. Put them on a Boboli crust with some sauce and cheese and you have designer pizza in a flash.
• Any stew or meat sauce makes a great baked potato topping.
• Toss deli meats and vegetables with pasta sauce, heat, and serve over spaghetti for a quick meal.