bowtie chicken pasta salad

Shelly I can't believe you haven't posted this recipe yet! Anytime grapes go on sale I make it. We love it.
We usually cut the recipe in half and it lasts us about 2 meals, but for the average person it would probably last 3 meals for 2 people. McKay's in basketball and I'm pregnant, so we eat more...well thats our excuse anyway. : ) I'll get a picture as soon as I can

5 chicken breasts
1 pkg bowtie pasta, cooked
1 pkg colored rotini primavera pasta, cooked
1 bunch green onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 apple, chopped
1 can pineapple tidbits, drained
1 can mandarins, drained
2 cups red grapes, halved
1 cup cashews
1/2 craisins
1 bottle coleslaw dressing
1/2 cup mayo

Combine, refrigerate. You may want to add cashews just before serving.

Quick Paella

Submitted by Kelsey - 5 Stars  (very tasty!)

Serves 4 to 6

For the Vinaigrette

3 tbsp each white wine vinegar and fresh lemon juice

½ tsp saffron threads (substitute for turmeric, but saffron is well worth the cost!)

¼ cup fat-free mayonnaise or plain yogurt (I prefer Greek yogurt)

1 tsp each minced garlic and powdered sugar (or regular sugar)

1/3 cup olive oil

Salt and cayenne pepper to taste

For the Pasta

½ lb kielbasa or chorizo, sliced

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

½ lb shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 tbsp minced garlic

2 cups diced red bell pepper

8 oz dry whole wheat orzo pasta

1 cup frozen peas

4 Roma tomatoes, seeded and sliced

½ cup chopped scallions

Step 1 - Warm vinegar and lemon juice; add saffron and seep until everything else is made. 

Step 2 – Heat water and cook orzo al dente while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.  If orzo is cooked before everything below, dump out water and coat heavily with olive oil so that it doesn’t continue to cook and stick together.  Remove from heat.

Step 3 – Sautee kielbasa in a little olive oil over medium-high heat until kielbasa begins to brown.  Remove kielbasa from pan and place on plate.  Add shrimp to pan and cook until opaque, then set on plate with kielbasa.  Add 1 tbsp garlic and white wine vinegar, sauté for 1 minute to deglaze pan.  Do not rinse pan!  Add peppers and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.  Add kielbasa, shrimp, frozen peas, and tomatoes into the pan and turn temperature to low. 

For vinaigrette, whisk mayonnaise (or yogurt) 1 tsp garlic, sugar, 1/3 cup olive oil, cayenne pepper and salt to taste into the saffron mixture.  Add vinaigrette and orzo to pan and mix well.  Dish up and sprinkle with chopped scallions.

Goat Cheese and Chive Gnocchi

Submitted by Kelsey
serves 2-4

4 ounces goat cheese at room temperature
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup fresh chives, chopped (or ¼ cup dried chives)
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
White pepper
Thyme
1/2 - 3/4 cup all purpose flour
3 tablespoons butter

In a small mixing bowl, combine goat cheese, Parmesan, egg, 1/4 cup chives and 1 teaspoon salt. Mix with a fork until smooth. Add flour a spoonful at a time until dough comes together but is still a little wet.

Lightly flour a work surface and line plate with wax paper. On the floured surface, knead dough for about a minute. If it's still a little sticky, add some flour as needed, a spoonful at a time.

Divide dough in half. Flour hands and roll into each piece back and forth until it becomes a rope about 1-inch thick. Cut each rope into 1-inch pieces. If desired, roll each piece against the back of a fork to add texture. Place gnocchi on wax paper-lined pan and refrigerate for 10 minutes.

Bring a pot of water to boil for the gnocchi.  When water is boiling, salt generously. Add gnocchi and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until they rise to the surface. Drain and set aside.
In a large sauce pan, heat butter over medium heat until it begins to brown. Add the asparagus, gnocchi, 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining chives. Cook for 1 minute. Add black pepper to taste. Serve. Garnish with chives if desired.

Note – Make sure to add something to this recipe!  Here are some additions that I have tried.  They are listed in order of what I think tasted the best with the gnocchi.

Beets cooked and diced.  Sautee with a little garlic and butter.

Pesto sauce with chopped asparagus.

Butter sautéed with rosemary, sage, and salt.

Alfredo or cream sauce.

Curry Chicken Pot Pie with Puff Pastry Croutons

Posted by Kelsey
2 cups cooked, chopped rotisserie chicken

1 cup diced onions

1 cup diced carrots

1 cup frozen peas

½ cup chopped or dried celery

1 tbsp garlic

1 tbsp olive oil

¼ cup water

2 cups fat free milk

½ tsp curry powder

Dash of paprika or cayenne

Salt and pepper to taste

3 tbsp flour

Sautee garlic for one minute.  Add onions, carrots, olive oil, and water.  Cook until carrots and onions are soft which takes about 7 to 8 minutes.  Add milk, curry powder, paprika or cayenne, and stir well.  Bring everything to a boil, stirring frequently, and then turn heat down to medium.  Add chicken and peas and turn temperature to low and keep it on low until croutons are ready.  Make puff pastry croutons.

For Puff Pastry Croutons

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

One sheet of puff pastry *

1 to 2 tbsp grated or shredded parmesan

Paprika

Salt

1 Egg

*I used Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets.  The box contained two sheets with a total net weight of 17.3 ounces.  I just used one sheet and it was enough unless you double the chicken pot pie mixture above.

Place puff pastry on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Coat pastry with egg, then sprinkle with parmesan, light paprika, and salt.  Cut sheet into 1 to 1 ½ inch squares and spread apart on baking sheet as pastry expands.  Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until pastry is fully cooked.

Mexican Salad

One of Jordan's favorite meals.

Mexican Salad

Submitted by Shelly

4 stars (6 stars if you ask my kids)

4 tomatoes 

1 1/2 romaine lettuce depending on size (original recipe calls for one head lettuce but I use romaine cause it has more vitamins)

1 can kidney beans

1 lb hamburger cooked and cool (I usually use 1 can of black beans or white beans instead)

1 avocado

4 oz grated cheddar cheese

frozen corn thawed (original recipe calls for 1 can of corn)

Thousand Island dressing

1 bag Fritos

Mix all ingredients together except the dressing and chips.  Add dressing to your liking and mix till coated evenly.  Add chips, mix and serve.

Variation:  Instead of the Thousand Island you can use 1 pkg Good Seasoning Roasted Garlic Dressing Prepared.

  

Sweet Bread Made With Pudding

Submitted by Jessica

5 stars

Ingredients:

1 cup oil

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup milk

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 eggs

1 large box instant vanilla pudding

OR

2 small boxes instant vanilla pudding

Starter

1 cup flour

1 cup sugar

1 cup milk

Mix all of the starter ingredients together. Then add all of the other ingredients, mixing thoroughly.

Grease 2 large loaf pans, or a 9x13 cake pan. Combine 1/4 cup sugar with 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and coat bottoms and sides of pans. Place the batter into pans. Coat top of batter with butter and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon/sugar mixture.

Bake at 325 for 50-75 minutes, or until done.

(I cooked mine for 65 minutes)