Veggie's and Pasta Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

I'm getting back into the swing of things now that it is inevitable that fall is on its way.  I have been a little lazy and haven't been trying any new dishes but today I'm ready to go with a very nice pasta salad using orzo pasta.  

I like orzo for a lot of reasons one being it cooks quickly and its small enough for you to take a nice size mouthful of pasta and veggies without looking messy.  Actually this recipe was so good most veggies would work being added.  The dressing is so delicious you can't help but enjoy it.  Happy Cooking!

6/15/15

The ingredients:

2 cups dried orzo cooked according to directions
1 T olive oil

For the dressing:

2 cloves minced garlic
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
3 T lemon juice
1 T red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

The salad:

1/2 finely sliced seeded and skinned cucumber(scoop out the seeds with a small spoon)
2 carrots sliced and diced
1 cup corn kernels
2 T finely chopped chives
1/2 lb. green beans broke in pieces and steamed and cooled
2 T dried parsley
3 T fresh or dried basil (optional)
5 oz. goat cheese(optional) IMO: FYI:  I added a little feta but soon realized this salad did not need any cheese. Salad dressing was perfect taste.
Fresh basil garnish(optional)

Cook orzo according to directions. Drain and set aside tossing with 1 T olive oil. Cool
Drain and cool green beans

Prepare salad dressing and veggies.

When the pasta and beans are cool add cucumber, corn and carrots as well as the chives, parsley and basil if using.

Pour the dressing over the mixture and toss to mix.  Taste.  Place scoop or two or three over a bed of Bibb lettuce.  Chill if desired until serving.

8/26/14 original

3/22/15

Monterey chicken

Hi 

I've been saving this recipe for some time hoping to make it for company.  It's a nice quick casserole type meal.  Served with a salad it completes a meal.

Today seemed as good as any to try it.  It's a first time.  My only complaint is calls for  too much spinach. It was hard to mix it thoroughly through the pasta.  I will definitely cut back for us the next time. I'm really happy it was just the two of us.  I would have been disappointed if I had made it for guests.  The only option you might have is to add more sour cream. I did add the one cup but maybe two would have been better. Also It needed a pinch of salt so make sure you add salt to your water when you boil the spaghetti. 

Another suggestion. Freeze any left over chicken you may have for meals like this.  They come in handy as mine did today. Original 8/7/17

Add caption

Here's a recipe you can make with rotisserie chicken in a pinch. 

When I make soup I always use lots of chicken and what I don't use I cut up and store in zip lock bags in the freezer for meals like this one.

6 oz. spaghetti, broken in half,  cooked according to directions

1 cup shredded or diced cooked chicken(you can use store bought cooked chicken in a pinch)

1 cup sour cream

1 egg

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2 cups grated Monterey Jack Cheese

10 oz. frozen spinach, rinsed and drained. Note: I think 10 oz. is too much but if you love spinach then it might be ok for you. I would use half a package or 5 oz. if I were to make it again.

3 oz. can french fried onions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Spray a 13x9 in baking dish with cooking spray

Boil spaghetti and drain and add to a large mixing bowl.  I rinsed mine slightly to remove some starch.

In another bowl add egg, sour cream, garlic powder,salt, chicken, spinach and half of the french fried onions.  Stir and mix well. Add to drained pasta and mix well.

Place in baking dish and top with remainder of french fried onions. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake 20 minutes at 350. Remove foil and bake another 5 minutes.  Serve immediately.  Enjoy!

Happy Cooking from my kitchen to yours,

5/29/17

Cheeseburger mini pies

Here's another easy back to school meal that the kids will love.  Make your own cheeseburger mini pies using large muffin cups.   Easy to make

with all basic ingredients.

I know we thought they were pretty awesome.  It’s a Betty Crocker  recipe! Old cookbooks come in handy!  Enjoy!!

1

lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef

1

large onion, chopped (1 cup) 

1

tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1

teaspoon garlic salt

1

cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz)

Baking Mixture

1/2

cup milk

1/2

cup Original Bisquick™ mix( I used 3/4 cup)

2

eggs 

Garnishes, if desired

12

mini kosher dill pickles

1

medium tomato, chopped 

Ketchup and mustard

• 1.Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 12 regular-size muffin cups with cooking spray.
• 2.

  In 10-inch skillet, cook beef and onion over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until thoroughly cooked; drain. Cool 5 minutes; stir in Worcestershire sauce, garlic salt and cheese.
• 3.

  In medium bowl, stir baking mixture ingredients with whisk or fork until blended. Spoon 1 scant tablespoon baking mixture into each muffin cup. Top with about 1/4 cup burger mixture. Spoon 1 tablespoon baking mixture onto burger mixture in each muffin cup.
• 4. Bake about 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, and muffin tops are golden brown. Cool.

Ground Beef Stroganoff

I continue to look for different recipes that my family would enjoy and it's not always easy.

My hubby is a pasta and red sauce guy.  He also enjoys steak and hamburgers.   It's not always easy cooking for this guy but after 52 years I am used to it.

I enjoy most foods with  few exceptions (not crazy about fish of any kind) but as long as I cook he will try it and either just eat it and say nothing or give me a few compliments on what he thought of dinner. I love cooking and baking too so I'm in the kitchen a lot and usually by choice.  

Today I felt I needed to make something a little different without red sauce and using beef so hamburger(hubby's favorite) was my meat of choice and this recipe is for Hamburger Beef Stroganoff .  Enjoy!

Please note:  I adapted this recipe to eliminate mushrooms which we both do not care for.

2 tsp. butter

1

package (8 oz) sliced baby portabella mushrooms

1

cup chopped or grated onions 

2

cloves garlic, minced

1

lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef 

1 1/2

cups beef broth (from 32-oz carton)

1

tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

3/4

teaspoon salt

1/4

teaspoon pepper

1/4

cup  all-purpose flour

1

cup sour cream 

6

cups cooked egg noodles

Chopped Italian (flat-leaf) parsley, if desired

• 1

  In 10-inch nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Cook mushrooms, onions and garlic in butter 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Remove from skillet to small bowl; set aside.
• 2

  Increase heat to medium-high. In same skillet, cook beef 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until no longer pink; drain. Stir in 1 cup of the beef broth, the Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper; heat to boiling. Beat flour and remaining 1/2 cup beef broth with whisk until incorporated; stir into beef mixture. Add mushroom mixture; return to boiling, and stir constantly about 1 minute or until mixture thickens. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream.
• 3

  Serve with cooked egg noodles. Garnish with parsley.

Salsa Chicken

 As I promised I am going to post at least twice a week some new dishes for the health conscious person.

Hubby and I are trying very hard to maintain (he) and me (lose) and not be deprived of any dishes that we find interesting yet healthy so I will attempt to do this everyday and post a few of the recipes twice a week.

This simple crockpot meal is one that you can easily prep the night before and cook while you are out working or shopping.  

We were out all day from 11 to 6 and came home to this wonderful dish.

I decided to quickly make some cornbread to enjoy with it for a nice change. 

 While he set the table I through a package cornbread mix and in less than 20 minutes we had dinner.  You can easily substitute rice or a salad if you choose.

4/8/18

 1  1/2 lb. boneless chicken breasts
1 green pepper sliced thick
1 red pepper sliced thick
1 medium sweet onion sliced thick
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 cup bottled Salsa (I used pineapple salsa to add some sweet to the recipe) but your favorite salsa will work fine
 1/2 cup diced lite peaches in it's own juice add juice too! (optional) 
1 package cornbread mix baked according to directions.


In a slow cooker(crockpot) place chicken, peppers and onion.  Stir chicken broth, diced peaches and salsa together.  Pour over chicken..

Cover and cook on low setting for 7 to 8 hours or high setting for approx. 5 hours. When chicken is cooked I removed approximate 1/2 cup of juice and added 2 T flour to it to make a paste.

  Once the paste was smooth I added it to the chicken mixture to slightly thicken it.  It will not be a heavy sauce but just enough to add a little more texture.

Serve with cornbread or rice.

  Happy Cooking

12/6/17