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.