Italian Pasta Salad

If you are like me, during the summer you have approximately 593,000 barbecues and potlucks to attend. I'm always trying to think of salads, side dishes, and treats to bring along with me. This is one of my favorites to make--it is quick, delicious, cheap, and it's always a hit. One of the great things about this salad is that it's very versatile. Swap out the olives for cucumbers. Omit the pepperoni. Change the cheddar for mozzarella. Use balsamic vinaigrette instead of Italian dressing. Leave out the crushed red pepper if you don't want it spicy. My favorite dressing to use on this salad is Kraft Roasted Red Pepper or Sun Dried Tomato Vinaigrette. The possibilities are endless!

Italian Pasta Salad

1 lb. tri-color rotini, cooked and cooled
8 oz. cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes (1/4 - 1/2 inch)
1 can (6 oz.) black olives, drained and sliced
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
2 oz. pepperoni, sliced or cubed
1/2 bottle Italian salad dressing, or to taste
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper (optional)

Combined all ingredients and toss. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 8 hours. Enjoy!

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Brick Oven is Corey's (my husband) favorite restaurant. And his very favorite thing there is the roasted red pepper pasta sauce. I love Brick Oven too, but I think their roasted red pepper sauce is kind of hit and miss. Sometimes it's phenomenal: flavorful, thick, creamy, with just a touch of spice; other times it's thin and flavorless. I've been trying to duplicate the sauce (and improve upon it) at home. This time it turned out the best it has yet. I'm sure I'll still experiment more (that's just what I do) but I had to write down how to make it this time before I forget. Serve this over any type of pasta of your choice. I prefer it with shells, bow ties, or penne. Enjoy!

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

1 - 2 Tb. onions or scallions, minced
1 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tb. olive oil
1 jar roasted red peppers, or 4 - 5 red peppers, roasted and peeled
1 can (8 oz.) no-salt-added tomato sauce
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. basil
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4 tsp. chipotle chili powder
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 - 1 1/2 cups cheese (muenster, smoked Gouda, Romano, Parmesan, or a combination)

1. In food processor or blender, blend roasted red peppers until finely blended.
2. In large saucepan heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add garlic and cook for one more minute. Stir in roasted red peppers, tomato sauce, and spices. Simmer 5 minutes. Stir in heavy whipping cream and cheese until melted and thoroughly combined.
3. Carefully pour mixture into blender or food processor and process until smooth. Serve over pasta and sprinkle with cheese and grilled sliced chicken (if desired).

Spicy Chicken & Pasta Skillet

Two of my favorite foods are pasta & Mexican food. This recipe combines the best of both. It was a quick & easy dinner and was delicious! Enjoy!

Spicy Chicken & Pasta Skillet
Serves 4

1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 Tb. olive oil
1 cup small shells or mini bow-ties pasta, uncooked
1 cup salsa (I used pace medium)
1 cup corn, drained and rinsed
3 oz. cream cheese
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar or colby-jack cheese (or pepper jack if you want it spicier)
2 Tb. finely chopped cilantro
salt, fresh ground black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika to taste
sour cream, sliced green onions, sliced olives, and cilantro (optional) for garnish

1. Cook pasta according to package directions
2. While pasta is cooking, coat chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika to taste. Cook chicken over medium-high heat about six minutes, or until done (no longer pink in the center). Add salsa, corn, cream cheese, cumin, and cilantro. Simmer for 5 minutes, until cream cheese is melted.
3. Drain pasta. Stir pasta and 1/4 cup cheese into chicken mixture. Simmer for 3 more minutes, until cheese is completely melted.
4. Top with cheese, sour cream, olives, cilantro, and green onions.

Southwestern Pasta Salad

This week we had a potluck at work and the night before I was trying to figure out something to take that didn't involve me running to the store and wasn't too labor intensive. The guidelines for the potluck were pretty specific, too, so I was stumped. It had to be healthy, green, and tasty. I figured everyone would be bringing green salads, since that would be an easy thing, so I was trying to think of something else. I ended up throwing this together and it was a hit, everyone loved it! This is a great side dish or main dish. If you want to jazz it up just a little more for a main dish, go ahead and throw in some diced cooked chicken and corn.


Southwestern Pasta Salad

1 pkg. (12 - 16 oz) whole grain rotini, cooked and cooled
1 can (15 oz) low sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup red onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced (color of your choice, I used orange)
1 can olives, sliced (use a small can or a large can, depending on how much you like olives)
5-6 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
8 oz pepper jack cheese, diced
2 avocados, diced
handful chopped cilantro
1 lime, juiced
1 cup ranch dressing
2 Tb. taco seasoning mix

1. In small bowl, combine ranch dressing, taco seasoning, cilantro, and lime juice. Mix well.
2. In large bowl, combine all other ingredients. Pour dressing over pasta mixture and mix until everything is evenly coated. Serve immediately.

*If you are not going to be serving right away (I made mine the night before to take to work) you can still mix everything together except the avocado. Refrigerate up to 24 hours and add the avocado right before serving. It's just as delicious as it is when you first make it!

Creamy Tomato Sausage Skillet

This is a simple one pan meal that is easy to whip up on a weeknight after a long day at work. Corey raved about this meal--he couldn't get enough of it. I love the creaminess of the sauce, it's different than the usual tomato sauce and is a nice way to switch things up without going for a rich and heavy sauce like Alfredo. Enjoy!

Creamy Tomato Sausage Skillet
Serves 4 - 6

2 cups uncooked pasta (I used small shells, you could also use rigatoni, penne, etc.)
1/2 lb. Italian sausage
1/2 large green pepper, finely diced
1/2 small onion, finely diced
4 sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil, finely diced
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can Italian style diced tomatoes
1/4 c water
8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain completely.
2. Meanwhile, cook sausage in 10 inch skillet over medium high heat for 5 minutes. Add pepper and onions and cook until sausage is no longer pink.
3. Reduce heat to medium. Add soup, tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, and seasonings. Stir in cooked pasta. Cook for 5 - 10 minutes or until sauce is heated through and thickened. Garnish with cheese.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken Noodle Soup

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

This is perfect for a cold, cold winter night like we've been having plenty of. Corey likes the soup extra creamy, so I make this for him. Sometimes I just like regular chicken noodle soup, so I leave the cream of chicken soup and sour cream out. Either way, it's divine!

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

2 quarts water
8 chicken bouillon cubes
6 cups uncooked wide egg noodles
1 - 2 cups carrots, sliced
1 - 2 cups celery, sliced
3 cups chicken, cooked and cubed
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream

1. Bring water and bouillon to boil in large pot. Add noodles, carrots, and celery. Cook until tender (about 10 minutes). Do not drain. Add chicken. Season with salt and pepper and serve.
2. If you want creamy chicken noodle soup, add cream of chicken soup and mix well. Remove from heat and add sour cream.

Creamy Vegetable Penne with Chicken

As promised, here is a healthy recipe that I whipped up for dinner last night. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

1 8 oz. package penne
1/2 jar (26 oz.) spaghetti sauce, or 1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings plus 1 tsp. Italian seasoning (dried)
2 - 4 Tb. sun dried tomato Italian dressing (if you don't have this, you can substitute light zesty Italian dressing)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 red pepper, finely chopped
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
1 cup fresh mushrooms
2 oz. cream cheese (I used 1/3 less fat variety)
1 roma tomato, diced
1 lb. chicken, cooked and cubed
1/4 cup Parmesan or mozzarella cheese, shredded

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, heat Italian dressing in large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, pepper, and onion. Saute 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook 3 more minutes. Add spaghetti sauce or tomatoes and Italian seasoning. Cook 5 minutes. Stir in cream cheese and cook until completely melted and blended.
3. Serve pasta covered with sauce. Sprinkle chicken, tomato, and Parmesan cheese over top. Serve with garlic bread and fresh asparagus.

Goulash

For some reason I've been craving some good goulash like crazy for the past few weeks. Today I decided to make some...I'm not really sure what exactly is supposed to go in it, so I just threw some things together and it turned out great. Corey said I had to post it on here because it's the best goulash he's ever eaten.

Goulash

1/4 lb. small pasta, uncooked.

1/2 lb. ground beef

1/2 small onion, diced

1/2 bell pepper, diced (I used orange because that's what I had, but any color would be good)

1 can Italian diced tomatoes, undrained

1 small can tomato sauce

2 - 3 Tb. fresh parsley

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp garlic salt

dash oregano

grated cheese

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.

2. While pasta is cooking, cook ground beef, onions, and pepper in large saucepan. Drain well.

3. Combine pasta, ground beef mixture, and remaining ingredients (except cheese) in a large pot and cook for 5 - 10 minutes or until heated through.

4. Serve topped with cheese.

Mac and Cheese

Everybody loves Mac and Cheese. Only I'm not so much of a fan of the Kraft Easy Mac and stuff anymore. It just didn't grow up with me. So when I saw this recipe in Bon Appetit I knew that I had to make it (even if it is technically part of an ad). I made a few modifictions (but not many).

Kerrygold Mac and Cheese

1 pound macaroni, penne, or ziti, cooked tender and cooled
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup onion, small dice
pinch of sugar
4 tablespoons all purpose flour
3 cups milk (I used half whole milk and half 2 percent)
1 cup heavy cream
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup chedder, grated (the original says to use the Kerrygold brand- which is great cheese, but pricey)
1 cup Swiss, grated (I subbed Jarlsburg in here)
1 1/2 cups Kerrygold Dubliner, grated (This I actually used, it's fantastic!)
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 slices bacon or prosciutto (this is my addition, I used half of each)
1 cup bread crumbs
fresh parsley

1. Cook pasta and set aside to cool.
2. In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat, add onion and just a little salt. Add the pinch of sugar and cook until onion is tranluscent.
3. Add flour and cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Don't let it color! Whisk in milk and cream, incorporating totally. Bring mixture to a simmer and add the bay leaf and cloves.
4. Reduce heat to low. Cook for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off heat and remove bay leaf.
5. Whisk in chedder and Swiss cheese, until incorporated. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
6. Combine the pasta, bacon and cheese sauce in a large bowl. Spoon into a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish.
7. Top with grated Dubliner, parsley and breadcrumbs (you could also add other herbs like thyme, but I like it simple).
8. Bake at 375 degrees farenheit for 8 to 10 minutes.

(In the magazine they also mention adding sauteed mushrooms for another variation. Could be tasty.)

It's very, very tasty. But not exactly healthfood.

Adapted from a Kerrygold ad in the October 2008 Bon Appetit magazine.

Broccoli Macaroni Salad

I had this salad at my 5 year high school reunion. I have to say, it was the best part of the whole event! It's good because it's a great combintation of crunchy and soft, salty and sweet. Enjoy!

Macaroni Salad

Ingredients
Salad: mix the following in a big bowl
Small macaroni salad pasta (8 - 10 ounces), cooked and drained
About 2 cups broccoli
4 green onions, chopped
8 strips bacon, cooked and diced
1 cup shredded swiss or mozzarella cheese
1 - 2 cups red grapes, sliced in half

Dressing: mix the following items well
1/2 cup mayo
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tb. red wine vinegar

Cook macaroni and bacon (let cool) and then combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Top with dressing and stir well. Refrigerate for a few hours before serving to let the flavors combine.
If you use a large package of macaroni, double the dressing. If the dressing goes sugary, it’s okay. It will dissolve in the salad.