Lemon Pasta Salad

 

 Source: Food Network

Ingredients

Salt
1 pound corkscrew pasta
1 pound asparagus
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup freshly chopped dill leaves
1 cup frozen peas, defrosted
7 ounces crumbled feta cheese

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and rinse. Set aside.

In another large pot of boiling salted water, add the asparagus and blanch until bright green and slightly tender, about 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon or a spider and shock in icy cold water. Remove from the water and dry well.

Trim the ends of the asparagus and cut into bite-size pieces on the bias.

Whisk together the mustard, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Combine the reserved asparagus and pasta in a large serving bowl. Add the tomatoes, dill, peas, feta, and the mustard dressing. Toss with tongs to coat the salad well. Taste and add additional salt and pepper, if needed.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/patrick-and-gina-neely/neelys-lemon-pasta-salad-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

BLT Pasta Salad

Ingredients: 

• 1/2 pound fusilli pasta
• 1/4 cup light mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup lowfat buttermilk or milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 pound sliced bacon, cooked until crisp and chopped
• 2 large tomatoes, preferably heirloom, diced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 4 lightly packed cups sliced romaine or other crispy lettuce

Method: 

Cook fusilli according to package directions until just tender; drain, cool under cold running water and drain again.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, buttermilk, mustard, garlic and salt. Add pasta and toss until coated. Add bacon, tomatoes, onion and lettuce and toss again. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Info: 

Per Serving:280 calories (130 from fat), 14g total fat, 4g saturated fat, 20mg cholesterol, 570mg sodium, 26g carbohydrate (2g dietary fiber, 4g sugar), 11g protein

Tomato Basil Pasta

 

 Source: Getting Healty & Staying Healthy (FB page)

Throw it all in the pot, INCLUDING the uncooked Pasta, and cook! - Bring it to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. The starch leaches out of the pasta and makes a rich, warm sauce for the noodles. The other ingredients cook right along with the pasta
Ingredients

12 ounces pasta (I used Linguine)
1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes with liquid ( I used zesty red pepper flavor)
1 large sweet onion, cut in julienne strips
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
2 large sprigs basil, chopped
4 1/2 cups vegetable broth (regular broth and NOT low sodium)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Parmesan cheese for garnish

Directions

Place pasta, tomatoes, onion, garlic, basil, in a large stock pot. Pour in vegetable broth. Sprinkle on top the pepper flakes and oregano. Drizzle top with oil.

Cover pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer and keep covered and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes or so. Cook until almost all liquid has evaporated – I left about an inch of liquid in the bottom of the pot – but you can reduce as desired .

Season to taste with salt and pepper , stirring pasta several times to distribute the liquid in the bottom of the pot. Serve garnished with Parmesan cheese.

Cracker Barrel chicken n' dumplins

Ingredients
2 cups Flour
½ teaspoons Baking Powder
1 pinch Salt
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 cup butterMilk, A Bit Less Than A Full Cup (you can use regular milk if needed)
2 quarts Chicken Broth
3 cups Cooked Chicken

Recipe Description
A bowl of chicken and dumplings. A glass of sweet tea. It’s a meal any Kentuckian would be proud to fix and danged happy to sit down to. And it’s not hard to make. Come on, I’ll show you how.

Preparation Instructions
In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a fork or pastry blender. Stir in the milk, mixing with a fork until the dough forms a ball.

Heavily flour a work surface. You’ll need a rolling pin and something to cut the dumplings with. I like to use a pizza cutter. I also like to use a small spatula to lift the dumplings off the cutting surface.

Roll the dough out thin with a heavily floured rolling pin. Dip your cutter in flour and cut the dumplings in squares about 2″x2″. It’s okay for them not to be exact. Just eye ball it. Some will be bigger, some smaller, some shaped funny.

Use the floured spatula to put them on a heavily floured plate. Just keep flouring between the layers of dumplings.

To cook them, bring the broth to a boil. Drop the dumplings in one at a time, stirring while you add them. The extra flour on them will help thicken the broth. Cook them for about 15-20 minutes or until they not doughy tasting. Add the cooked chicken to the pot and you’re done!

For more pictures and instructions, see the related link below...

http://tastykitchen.com/blog/2011/11/homemade-chicken-and-dumplings/

Hawaiian Dream Cake

1 package yellow cake mix
1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained, reserve juice
1 8-ounce package cream cheese
1 (3-oz.) pkg. instant vanilla pudding
1 cup cold milk
1 (9-ounce) container cool whip
Nuts and coconut

Prepare cake mix according to package directions, using the reserved pineapple juice and water for the liquid called for in the directions. Bake at 350° F. for about 35 minutes in a greased and floured 15 x 10 x 1 inch jelly roll (I used a 9-/12 x 13 pan). Cool in pan, set aside.
In a large bowl blend together cream cheese, pudding mix and milk until smooth. Fold in drained pineapple and spread over top of cake. Cover with whipped topping and sprinkle with nuts and coconut. Refrigerate.

Zucchini Paremsan Crisps

Zucchini Parmesan Crisps -
1 lb. zucchini or squash (about 2 medium-sized)
1/4 cup shredded parmesan (heaping)
1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs (heaping)
... 1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
freshly ground pepper, to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line two baking sheets with foil and spray lightly with vegetable spray.

Slice zucchini or squash into 1/4 inch-thick rounds. Toss rounds with oil, coating well.

In a wide bowl or plate, combine breadcrumbs, parmesan, salt and pepper.

Place rounds in parmesan-breadcrumb mixture, coating both sides of each round, pressing to adhere. The mixture will not completely cover each round, but provides a light coating on each side.

Place rounds in a single layer on baking sheets. Sprinkle any remaining breadcrumb mixture over the rounds.

Bake for about 22 to 27 minutes, until golden brown. (There is no need to flip them during baking -- they crisp up on both sides as is.)

Asian Chicken Wraps

Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps


Ingredients:

2 tsp canola oil
8 oz white mushrooms, chopped
1 lb lean ground chicken
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1 cup green onions, sliced
1 (8 oz) can sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped
8 large lettuce leaves
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1/2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
3/4 tsp lower-sodium soy sauce
1/2 tsp honey
crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

Directions:

Heat canola oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Place mushrooms in a large bowl, set aside.

Add chicken, garlic and ginger to skillet and cook for 6-7 minutes or until chicken is brown, breaking the meat up as it cooks. Combine the chicken mixture with the bowl of mushrooms; add green onions and water chestnuts; toss together. Combine sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, lower-sodium soy sauce, honey and crushed red pepper flakes in a small bowl; whisk to mix well. Divide chicken mixture evenly between each lettuce leaf and top with sesame oil mixture. Optional: Garnish with fun, bright extras, like the red peppers and scallions seen above.



Serves 4