Super Easy Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

1 package your favourite pasta (I used tri-colour pasta shapes)

1 cup of your favourite veggies (I used julienned carrots and diced green peppers)

2 tablespoons oil (I used basil olive oil)

1/2 cup - 1 cup of mayo or Ranch dressing or a mixture of both

1 tsp sugar

milk to thin

Instructions:

Cook pasta as directed. Drain and rinse with cold water. Toss with oil (this will help the dressing not to absorb into the pasta and keeps the salad creamy. Mix mayo/ranch dressing with sugar and milk (should be a pourable consistency). Pour over salad. Can be refrigerated to blend flavours before serving. 

Greek Style Roasted Lemon Potatoes

Ingredients

1.5 pounds mini potatoes, cut into wedges

1 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup lemon juice 

3 teaspoons dried oregano

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Add potatoes and and boil for 8 minutes and then drain potatoes.
3. Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, oregano and salt in a large bowl (large enough to hold the potatoes). Add potatoes, and gently toss in lemon mixture. Spread potatoes in an even layer on a baking sheet...I like my pampered chef baking stone. 
4. Roast potatoes until crispy, turning half way through, about 40 minutes.

Rice Casserole

I love this rice! Very flavorful and a cinch to whip up.
- 2 cups of rice
- 3 1/2 cups water
- 1/2 cup cooking oil*
- 1/4 cup soya sauce
- 1 pkg onion soup mix
- 2 chicken bouillon cubs or chicken soup brine
- 1 can mushrooms
- 1 diced onion
- 1 diced green pepper**
- 1 cup celery ***
- salt****
- pepper

Put all ingredients together and mix. Put in large casserole and bake at 350 for 1 1/2 hours. Stir once and a while.

* I found this to be quite a lot of oil, so I halved the amount
** I didn't have green pepper on hand, so I used red
*** No celery on hand either, but would be an delicious addition
**** I didn't add any extra salt, as the soya sauce, onion soup mix and chicken bouillon add a lot of salt already.
***** Rather large recipe...I halved it for my family of four.

Slow-Cooked Bean Medley

We enjoyed this bean medley this weekend at one of our Easter gatherings. So delicious! Another great recipe from my Mom-in-law. :)

• 1 1/2 cups ketchup


• 2 celery ribs


• 1 medium onion, chopped


• 1 medium green pepper, chopped


• 1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped


• 1/2 cup brown sugar


• 1/2 cup water


• 1/2 cup Italian dressing


• 2 bay leaves


• 1 tbsp cider vinegar


• 1 tbsp prepared mustard


• 1/8 tsp pepper


• 16 oz can kidney beans


• 16 oz can black-eyed peas


• 16 oz can great Northern beans


• 16 oz can whole kernel corn


• 16 oz can Lima beans


• 16 oz can black beans

In a 5 quart slow cooker combine the first 12 ingredients, Rinse and drain canned beans and corn. Stir into the ingredients in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours or until onions and peppers are tender. Discard bay leaves. Serves 12.

Any can of beans may be substituted with beans of choice.

Carrot Casserole

I was looking for a recipe that used carrots, as I have a long row of them in my garden. I tried this casserole recipe was pleased with how it turned out. The harvest crew were my guinea pigs. ;) I only used half of the recipe for half a dozen guys - big recipe!

Sorry, not the greatet picture! Was in a hurry to get the meal out the door to the hungry guys in the field.

• 8 cups sliced carrots
• 2 medium onions, sliced
• 5 tbsp butter, divided
• 1 can cream of celery soup, undiluted
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup seasoned croutons

Place carrots in a saucepan and cover with water; bring to a boil. Cook until tender-crisp. Meanwhile in skillet, saute onions in 3 tbsp butter until tender. Stir in soup, salt, pepper and cheddar cheese. Drain carrots, add to soup mixture. Transfer to a greased 9 x 13 pan. Sprinkle with croutons. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

Yield: 10-12 servings

Penne Pasta Salad

Penne Pasta Salad

• 1 package (16 oz) penne or medium tube pasta



• 1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes



• 1/2 cup chopped green pepper



• 1/4 cup chopped green onions



• 1 can (2-1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained



• 1 bottle (8 oz) Italian salad dressing



• 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper



• 1/4 teaspoon each dill weed, garlic salt, and lemon-pepper seasoning

Cook pasta according to package direction. Meanwhile, in a large serving bowl, combine the tomatoes, green pepper, onions and olives. Drain pasta and rinse in cold water; add to vegetables. Combine the salad dressing and seasonings; pour over the salad and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Yield: 8-10 servings

Cheesy Potatoes

A great side dish with steak or chicken breasts

Cheesy Potatoes

• 4 large potatoes, boiled
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar
• 1/4 cup miracle whip
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• dash pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 4 crispy cooked bacon slices (crumbled) or bacon bits

Mash potatoes and add all ingredients. Beat until fluffy and spread into a casserole dish. Top with a little cheddar cheese and green onions. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Roasted Veggies

carrots peeled & sliced
celery chopped
broccoli
cauliflower
sweet potatoe, red and or white diced
red, green, yellow and or orange pepper sliced
onion sliced
zuchini
tomato
chopped dill
oregano & basil & thyme
salt & pepper


Chop up your veggies whatever kind your family enjoys and place on baking sheet, drizzle on EVOO (extra vergin olive oil) sprinkle with salt, pepper, basil & oregano. Chop dill if you like and sprinkle over. Broil for 10 -15 min. watching so as not to burn, turning every once in a while till slightly browned.

Serve with your fav meat and or spagehti squash & mixed green salad

Golden Parmesan Potatoes

Golden Parmesan Potatoes

• 6 large potatoes
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• parsley

Preheat oven to 375. Peel potatoes and cut into wedges. Toss mixture of flour, cheese, salt and pepper in a bag. Arrange in melted margarine in 9 x 13 baking dish. Bake for 1 hour, turning once. Sprinke with parsley.

Yield: 6 servings

*I found my potatoes were done after about 45 minutes in the oven. Depends on the size of your wedges I guess. I like them with sour cream and ketchup.

Easy Bean Bake

I love baked beans! So tasty with chicken or anything from the bbq. And it's a very simple recipe.

Easy Bean Bake

• 3 14oz cans of pork and beans
• 1 medium onion, chopped fine and sauteed until tender
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp worchestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp mustard
• dash of tabasco sauce
• 1/2 cup bbq sauce
• 2 tbsp parsley flakes
• 2 or 3 strips of bacon, diced and fried*

Mix all ingredients and put into roaster. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes, covered, until it's heated through and the flavors have had a chance to mesh.

This works great in a slow cooker too.

* The bacon is optional, but I would definately put it in next time. The more flavor the better!

Onion Strings

I recently tried this recipe for the first time - wow! These are incredible. Thanks to Claudette for passing it along. ;)

Onion Strings

• 1 whole large onion
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 2 cups flour
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 - 2 quarts canola oil
• black pepper to taste

Slice onion very thin. Put in shallow dish and soak onion rings in buttermilk for at least an hour. (If you don't have buttermilk add 2 tbsp vinegar to just under 2 cups of milk).

Combine dry ingredients and set aside.

Heat oil to 375. Put soaked onion rings in dry mixture in batches. Tap off excess flour on the side of bowl and plunge into hot oil. Fry for a few minutes and remove when golden brown.

Repeat until all onion rings have been fried.

*My family wents nuts for these. Even my three year old was eating them up. :)

**I skipped the cayenne pepper and seasoned the fried onion rings with seasoning salt. Mmmm...

Italian Peas

This is a nice variation with peas. Adds some flavor! Excuse the foggy picture - they were fresh from the skillet. ;)
Italian Peas

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 16 ounces frozen green peas
• 1 tbsp chicken stock
• Salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion and garlic; cook about 5 minutes. Add frozen peas and stir in stock. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until peas are tender; about 10 minutes.

Buttery Corn Bread

Ingredients:

2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened.
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 2/3 cups milk
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal
4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter adn sugar. Add the eggs and milk, mix again. Add flour, cornmean, baking powder and salt. Mix.
2. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Bake at 400'F for 22-27 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cut into squares; serve warm.

This is the easiest recipe ever. We love love love it. We pull it out of the oven, and serve it up immediately with butter.

Steamed Asparagus with Sauce

A few years ago I bought some asparagus, never having tried it before - it's delicious!! Especially local and fresh! This is one of my favorite ways to prepare it.

Steamed Asparagus with Sauce

• 1/2 pound asparagus
• 1/4 cup miracle whip
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup shredded cheese

Steam asparagus. Heat and whisk remaining ingredients on stove top. Add steamed asparagus and heat thoroughly.

Cuban Recipes

The following 3 recipes were submitted by a reader. I've never tried any Cuban recipes myself. Be to sure to post comments if you decide to give any of these recipes a whirl.

Pollo Con Quimbobó Platanos

• 1 cup of chopped okra, fresh or defrosted
• 1 whole chicken cut into 8 pieces (about 3 pounds)
• 2 tbsp of adobe seasoning or a mixture of the following:
  salt or MSG, black pepper, paprika, cumin, coriander
  vegetable oil
• 1 large onion chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic minced
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 ½ cups of water
• 2 medium ripe plantains
• 2 medium tomatoes coarsely chopped
• 2 tbsp of lime juiceSeason chicken with adobe or the alternative.

In a heavy cast iron skillet brown the chicken pieces in hot oil on all sides. Remove the chicken to a plate. In the remaining oil, stir fry the onion, garlic and bell pepper for about 2 or 3 minutes.
Cut the okra in 1 inch size pieces. Cut away the tips and caps if desired. Peel the plantain and cut into 1 inch pieces.
Place the chicken in a deep stewing pot. Add the water and all the other ingredients. Cover and simmer until the chicken is very tender, about 15 minutes
Serve with white rice.

Cuban Black Beans

Black beans are a staple to Cuban cooking, and its amazing in how many dishes it can be used. But it is used everyday. The following serves 6 as a side dish. It can also be thinned with chicken stock to make black bean soup, another common Cuban staple.

• 1 pound dried black beans
• cups of water
• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
• 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
• pound salt pork, chopped
• 1 pound smoked ham hocks, cut in 1 inch pieces
• teaspoons paprika
• 3 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 cups chicken stock
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste
  

Place black beans and water in large stock pot. Cover and boil two minutes. Turn off heat and let stand covered for 1 hour. Remove the lid and add the rest of the ingredients, except the vinegar, salt and pepper. There should be enough water to just cover the beans, so if necessary add a bit or water. Cover and simmer until the beans are tender, about 2 hours. Take out the hocks and remove the bones. Return the meat to the pot. Add the vinegar, salt and pepper. Simmer long enough to heat the vinegar.

Black Beans and Rice

• 2 cups of cooked white rice (1 cup of dry uncooked rice)
• 1 cup of cooked Cuban black beans (recipe above)

Drain the beans. Does not have to be well drained, just get rid of the excess liquid. Stir with the white rice until evenly incorporated.

Dirty Rice

Dirty Rice

Sorry, this isn't a great picture, but it is a tasty and very easy recipe.

• 1 cup dry rice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 package onion soup mix
• 3/8 cup butter

Add rice, salt and soup to melted butter in large casserole dish. Cover with 3 cups boiling water and bake at 350 (covered) for 40 minutes.

*I usually throw the whole package of onion soup mix in and leave out the extra salt.