Pasta Salad

This is a great pasta salad to take to an outdoor party or picnic because it does not have mayo!

12 oz. tricolor rotini (just to make it pretty...any other pasta will do)

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. oil

3/4 c. apple cider vinegar + 2 Tbsp

chopped up veggies of your choice: green pepper, carrots, celery, onions, tomato

McCormick's Salad Supreme Seasoning

Cook and drain rotini. Cool. Add chopped veggies to the pasta. Mix sugar, oil, and vinegar and pour over veggie and pasta mixture. Add about 3-4 Tbsp Salad Supreme Seasoning and mix again. Chill at least 4 hours, but overnight is better.

24 Hour Atomic Salad

24 Hour Atomic Salad

3 Large garlic cloves minced
1/4 t dry mustard
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper
2 T lemon juice
2 T Parmesan cheese
1/2 Cup salad oil (I used Olive, but guess you could use Canola)
1/2 lb. fresh spinach (I used a 9 oz. bag)
2 other kinds of lettuce (I just used one more bag of something else)
Cherry Tomatoes
Croutons

Mix first 7 ingredients in the bottom of a large bowl. Taste for additional garlic or dry mustard. Place spinach and other lettuce on top of mixture. DO NOT TOSS. Cover and refridgerate 24 hours. When ready to serve, add tomatoes and croutons, then toss.

Cider Pork Chops

4 Pork Chops (any style you like...but bone-in keeps it moist)
Flour to coat
Season to taste
1 Cup packed brown sugar
1 Cup apple cider (I use juice)
1 Cup raisins (optional)

Coat chops with flour and seasoning. In large skillet, brown each side (approximately 2 minutes each). Slice apples and layer your 9x13 baking dish with your apples. Place browned chops on top of apples. Top chops & apples with brown sugar followed by juice then raisins.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes...longer if you have thicker pork chops.

Quick Turkey Tacos

1 lb. Ground Turkey
1 Can Black Beans
1 Can Whole Kernel Corn (or 1-1/2 Cups frozen)
1 Can Rotel
1/2 packet McCormick (or any other brand) chili mix
MJ Cheese
Tortillas

Brown turkey and season however you wish (garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper). Add the remaining ingredients and simmer.

Spoon onto tortilla and top with cheese.

This makes for a VERY fast dinner.

Throw-It-In Veggie Soup

Got this easy one from a friend. You'll need some stew meat and a large can of tomato juice (not V-8 or tomato sauce). Simmer meat for 30 minutes in some water. Then add the juice and veggies you like: cabbage, mushrooms, peppers, potatoes, anything! Add any spices like salt and some garlic powder. Simmer for three hours. Freezes great too!

Whole Wheat Beer Bread

1-1/2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour

1-1/2 Cups Self Rising Flour

1/2 Cup Sugar

1-12 oz. Beer (any brand)

Butter a loaf pan and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and beer and mix well. The mixture should be sticky. Pour into the loaf pan and bake for 55 minutes. At the last 3 minutes of baking, remove from oven, brush the top of the loaf with butter and return to oven.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Stock:

• 1 (2 1/2 to 3-pound) fryer chicken, cut up
• 3 1/2 quarts water
• 1 onion, peeled and diced
• 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 bay leaves
• 3 chicken bouillon cubes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Soup:

• 2 cups sliced carrots
• 2 cups sliced celery, with leafy green tops
• 2 1/2 cups uncooked egg noodles (I used Whole Wheat)
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1/3 cup cooking sherry (do not omit this)
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves (If you use dried, you may need to scoop them out)
• 1 cup grated Parmesan, optional
• 3/4 cup heavy cream, optional  (I used whole milk)
• Seasoning salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Crusty French bread, for serving

Directions

For the stock: add all ingredients to a soup pot. Cook until chicken is tender, about 35 to 45 minutes. Remove chicken from pot and set aside to cool. Remove and discard bay leaves and onion. You should have approximately 3 quarts of stock. When chicken is cool enough to touch, pick bones clean, discarding bones, skin, and cartilage. Set chicken aside.

For the soup: bring stock back to a boil, add carrots, and cook for 3 minutes. Add celery and continue to cook for 5 to 10 minutes. Add egg noodles and cook according to directions on package. When noodles are done, add chicken, mushrooms, parsley, sherry and rosemary. Add Parmesan and cream, if using. Cook for another 2 minutes. Adjust seasoning, if needed, by adding seasoning salt and pepper.

I used a larger fryer (close to 5 lbs.) and I increased the water and added additional chicken buillion.  I wish I would have added more water so the soup had more broth.  This soup was very good and hearty.

Pizza Dough

• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1. In a large bowl, dissolve sugar in warm water. Sprinkle yeast over the top, and let stand for about 10 minutes, until foamy.
2. Stir the olive oil and salt into the yeast mixture, then mix in the whole wheat flour and 1 cup of the all-purpose flour until dough starts to come together. Tip dough out onto a surface floured with the remaining all-purpose flour, and knead until all of the flour has been absorbed, and the ball of dough becomes smooth, about 10 minutes. Place dough in an oiled bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover loosely with a towel, and let stand in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
3. When the dough is doubled, tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and divide into 2 pieces for 2 thin crust, or leave whole to make one thick crust. Form into a tight ball. Let rise for about 45 minutes, until doubled.
4. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Roll a ball of dough with a rolling pin until it will not stretch any further. Then, drape it over both of your fists, and gently pull the edges outward, while rotating the crust. When the circle has reached the desired size, place on a well oiled pizza pan. Top pizza with your favorite toppings, such as sauce, cheese, meats, or vegetables.
5. Bake for 16 to 20 minutes (depending on thickness) in the preheated oven, until the crust is crisp and golden at the edges, and cheese is melted on the top.

I halfed this recipe and used only 1-1/4 cup of all purpose flour and used 1 Tablespoon of Italian Seasoning and the crust turned out great.  It made a large and medium pizza.  If you make it thinner cut the second cooking time.  This has been the best pizza dough recipe I have found and used!

Not Your Traditional Meatloaf

1-1/2 - 2 lbs. Ground Beef or Ground Turkey

1/2 Cup Evaporated Milk (or if you want to be like me, use sweetened condensed milk...yum!)

1/2 Cup chopped onion or just throw in some onion flakes

1 Cup uncooked oatmeal

1 Egg

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 Tablespoon chili powder (optional)

Topping Sauce

1 Cup Katchup

3/4 Cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon liquid smoke

Thoroughly mix together meatloaf ingredients.  Shape firmly into greased loaf pan.  Mix together sauce ingredients and pour on top of meatloaf, and let drizzle down the sides.  Bake at 325 for 1 to 1-1/2 hours.  Note that turkey does cook faster than ground beef and watch it carefully toward the end of the cooking time.

This is my great aunt's meatloaf recipe that I have had for several years now.  I inadvertantly used sweetened condensed milk instead of evaporated milk, and I am unsure why.  I encourage you to try it both ways.

Oven Roasted Bourbon Salmon

Marinade:
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup bourbon
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons peeled and grated fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
2 cloves crushed garlic

Combine ingredients in gallon size ziploc bag, add salmon fillets. Seal bag and marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes, turning once (I suggest marinating longer, I think the flavor would be greater if you can do it longer).

Fish
8 skinless Salmon skinless fillets (mine had the skin on and did fine)
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion
4 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 400. Line baking dish with foil and spray with nonstick spray. Place fillets in baking dish and discard marinade. Roast in the oven for 15-18 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Once you remove from oven, sprinkle each fillet with sesame seeds and green onion.

Easy Baked Strata

1 small onion chopped
1/2 cup red pepper chopped
4 Cups packed torn fresh spinach
1 package Stove Top Stuffing Mix (I use whole wheat)
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
6 eggs
3/4 Cup mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375. Spray large skillet with cooking spray (I also use a tablespoon or two of olive oil). Add onion and pepper saute 5-10 minutes, stir in spinach; set aside.

Prepare Stove Top Stuffing according to packaged directions. Stir in onion mixture and parsley. Beat eggs and mix in with stuffing. Pour into 8" square baking pan. Top with cheese.

Bake 30 minutes or until firm. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Black Bean and Corn Salad

1 Can of Black Beans, drained and rinsed
1 Can of Corn, drained and rinsed
I cucumber, peeled and chopped
1/2 a bunch of green onions (greens and whites) chopped
Handful of fresh cilantro leaves, chopped fine
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar (or sugar substitute)
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
1 Tablespoon olive oil

Mix all these ingredients in a bowl and stir together. Chill. Serve with corn chips or to top some Mexican style grilled chicken salad! Fresh and delightful.

Never Fails Grilled Chicken

I like to marinate meats and finish. Whenever I am going to marinate, I say my mantra to myself: salt, oil, and acid. I usually use salt and soy sauce for flavor; except when I know that wouldn't work (like on turkey, for example). For acid, I usually use vinegar. Rice wine vinegar is the mildest, apple cider is a good all-purpose, and balsamic is great on beef and Italian foods. With fish, I like to use lemon juice for the acid. I almost always use olive oil for oil. But, feel free to change things up. Frying fish in coconut oil is great (or spreading it on the fish before grilling it).

The night before you're going to grill your chicken breasts, put them in a large ziplock bag. (The following are approximate amounts as I am a "toss this in" kind of cook. But I am offering measurements here. Change them around to suit your taste.) To 4 chicken breasts, add: 1/2 - 1 teaspoon salt, 1/8 cup soy sauce (or Bragg's), 1/8 cup olive oil, 2 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar (although any vinegar would do), and for the kicker, 1 Tablespoon of garlic paste. Close bag and rub all that stuff into the chicken. Leave that bag in your fridge until you want to use it. Even a few days is fine.

When you're ready to grill, consider pounding the thicker parts of the chicken breasts if they're a lot thicker than the rest (or if you need to vent some aggression). Then put the chicken onto the grill for 6-10 minutes on each side or until done. To really make this yummy, add some teriyaki sauce while grilling. Cover and let stand about 5 minutes before eating.

* Health Tip: If you're dieting, marinate and grill up a huge portion - like one from Sam's club. The next day, take leftover and chop into strips. Freeze in smaller freezer bags. You'll be set for salads, stir fry, chicken, chili, or just a snack!

** This garlic paste is great stuff! I use it for all my garlic needs now. I've found it at Super Target and HEB in the produce section near the herbs.

Roasted Cauliflower

1 head of fresh cauliflower
3-4 garlic cloves chopped or pressed
Shredded Parmesan Cheese
Lemon juice
Olive oil

Preheat oven to 450. Take cauliflower off of head and line in a greased 9x13 glass dish or bar pan. Sprinkle garlic and lemon juice over cauliflower followed by olive oil (be more generous with olive oil than lemon juice). Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese (however much or little you want).Roast in the over for at least 20 minutes checking on it periodically, could take a little bit more time than that.

Red Cabbage

1 head of red cabbage
3 slices turkey bacon chopped
2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 apple chopped
onion (however much or little, but it really helps the flavor)

Saute bacon, onion & apple in large skillet (largest you have). Toss in chopped cabbage and add vinegar & brown sugar. Stir occasionally and simmer for 30-40 minutes. The longer it cooks the better it is. It is also really good the next day.

Pumpkin Dump Cake

1 15 oz can pumpkin
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 12 oz can Milnot (sweet milk)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 yellow cake mix box
1 stick butter melted

Mix first 5 ingrediants in mixer.  Pour into a 9x 13 baking dish that has been greased.  Sprinkle cake mix on top then drizzle with melted butter. Bake at 350 for 1 hour uncovered.