Macaroni Salad

I am not a mayo person so foods like pasta salad, chicken salad, potato salad, etc. never enter my mouth.  This never stops me from making it for others though.  I was recommended this recipe for someone who does not like pasta salad.  I tweaked it a bit (cut down on the mayo) so I actually ate it and enjoyed it!  I hope you do too.

Pasta Salad

Adapted from Jamie Cooks

·  1 lb. Elbow Macaroni, or curly pasta

·  ¼ large Spanish Onion (minced)

·  1 Celery Stalk (minced)

·  ¼ cup chives (minced)

·  ¼ cup Fresh Parsley (minced)

·  1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

·  1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard

·  ¼ tsp Garlic Salt

·  ½ tsp Chili Powder

·  1 cup Mayonnaise

·  Black Pepper, freshly ground

·  Kosher Salt

Directions:

1. Cook the macaroni in a large pot of salted water, until al dente. Drain & rinse under cold water. Set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the onion, chives, celery, parsley, lemon juice, mustard, garlic powder & chili powder.
3. Add the macaroni & stir to combine. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes, for the flavors to meld.
4. Add the mayonnaise, stir well and season with salt & pepper to taste.
5. Serve immediately, or refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Creamy Taco Mac

So all of the ladies on my cooking forum always rave about this creamy taco mac.  I figured I would give it a whirl to see what the hoopla was all about.  It pretty much is a grown-up, no-box version of hamburger helper and it was pretty delicious!  Next time I will try it with fat free cream cheese and fat free sour cream though.

• 1 ¼ pound of ground turkey
• 1 can (14.25 oz) Italian style diced petit tomatoes
• 2 packets of sazon (or you can use 1 packet of taco seasoning)
• 3 oz of cream cheese
• 1./2 cup of sour cream
• 8 oz of whole grain shells
• 1 cup of reserved pasta water
• Salt & pepper
• Fat-free mild cheddar shredded cheese

1. In a medium pot, bring water to boil for pasta.  Cook to al dente
2. In at least a 10” skillet, brown ground turkey until no longer pink.  Add in tomatoes and sazon, mix well.  Reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes.
3. Add in cream cheese, sour cream, cooked pasta and reserved pasta water.  Mix well until all cheeses (especially cream cheese) are melted.
4. Reduce heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes or until it reaches your desired thickness.  Add salt and pepper to taste
5. Serve and top with shredded cheese.  Mix cheese well in your bowl.
6. Enjoy!

This makes about 6 servings. 

Weight Watchers Indulgence!  1 serving = 8 points

Italian Sausage & Pepper Pasta

I am on my 3rd week of Weight Watchers and I have to say I am really enjoying it.  I was doing the South Beach Diet for a couple of months and hit a plateau.  I needed more flexibility with my menu now that summer is here and social engagements make it hard to say no to so many glorious food and drinks.  Frank is on a quest to get healthy so he has agreed to eat all of the same meals with me for dinner.  Last night, I made my first WW recipe.
 
Italian Sausage & Pepper Pasta
Adapted from Weight Watchers Website

- 1 pound raw Italian sausage, casings removed  
- 2 tsp olive oil, extra-virgin  
- 2 medium yellow pepper(s), cut into 2-inch long thin strips  (I only used one and it definitely needed 2)
- 1/2 cup(s) red wine  
- 1 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic  
- 28 oz canned diced tomatoes
- 8 oz tomato paste
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, or less to taste  
- 1/4 tsp table salt  
- 1 package of whole wheat or multi grain fuscilli
- 1 package of rigatoni (frank does not like WW or MG pastas)

1. Boil water for pasta in a large pot
2.  Meanwhile, in a skillet, brown sausage while breaking apart with a spoon.  Remove from skillet and put aside
3.  In the same skillet, add olive oil and peppers.  Cook until tender
4.  Add in garlic & wine.  Cook for a couple minutes until it is nearly evaporated.
5.  Add in diced tomatoes, crushed red pepper, salt and browned sausage.  Stir and then add in tomato paste until well mixed.
6.  Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover & simmer for about 10 minutes.
7.  Cook pasta to al dente, drain and rinse with cold water.  Return to pot.
8. Pour sauce over pasta and mix until well blended.

This makes about 4 servings for each type of pasta.  1 serving = 5 points.

Goin' Southern!

Last week was our anniversary and I had big plans to try and make crab stuffed shells. However, with the pending patio project and our mini getaway not far behind it, I had a TON of grocery shopping to do. I just did not feel like making another stop to Supreme Lobster to pick up crab legs. So I decided that I would make almost everything in my crock pots to make it easier on me. I was running errands from 6 a.m. that day and wanted something that could cook if I decided to nap and not be ruined.

So, I went as southern as this Midwest gal can go and made ribs, baked mac n cheese & corn pudding.
I really wanted to put the mac n cheese in my second crock pot (a Christmas gift from my mom that I had no used yet) but when I went to open it and wash it for us, it was cracked right down the middle. Bummer. So I had to make the mac n cheese in the oven instead.

What I thought was going to be a quick prep in the kitchen had me (what I felt like) in the kitchen cooking all day. [This was due to company coming in and out all day too though]

Slow Cooker Ribs 

1 slab pork baby back ribs
2 cups ketchup
1 cup chili sauce (recipe below)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
4 tbs. vinegar
Oregano
Dash of hot sauce

Chili sauce -
1 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbs vinegar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp seasoned salt
1 tsp pepper
1. Mix together until all clumps are out.

Recipe:
1. Wash ribs, cut down center and remove back fat off ribs.
2. Season with salt & pepper. Put in baking dish and bake at 400 for 15 minutes on each side.
3. Remove from oven, drain fat.
4. Mix all sauce ingredients until lumps are out. Pour into crock pot. Place ribs on top and turn to coat.
5. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until tender.

*I did 6 hours and they fell right off the bone.
* I also had a lot of leftover sauce so this recipe would have worked better with les sauce or another slab of ribs.

Baked Mac n Cheese
1 pound elbow macroni
3 tbs butter
3 tbs flour
3 cups of milk (whole milk or 2% is best – I did 2 cups of whole milk & I cup skim as it is what I had)
1 large egg
12-14 oz of sharp cheddar shredded cheese
salt & pepper (to taste)

Topping:
3 tbs butter
1/2 cup Italian style breadcrumbs

1. Cook pasta to al dente
2. While pasta is cooking, in a pot melt butter. Whisk in flour for a good 3-4 minutes, until lumps are gone. Stir in milk & pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Whisk in egg for 1-2 minutes and then stir in 3/4 of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Fold cheese mix into macaroni in pasta pot. Pour into casserole dish
5. In a sauce pan, melt butter for topping and toss breadcrumbs to coat.
6. Pour remaining cheese over casserole and cover with topping.
7. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, or until topping has turned golden brown.

Corn Pudding 

Broccoli & Shrimp Scampi Pasta

• 8 oz spaghetti
• ¼ cup butter
• 2-3 tsp minced garlic
• (approx) ½ cup Italian bread crumbs 
• (approx) ¾ cup dry white wine
• 10 oz small shrimp
• ½ pounds of broccoli chopped into florets
• ¼ tsp of each of the following seasonings: cumin, red pepper flakes, basil & onion salt

1. Cook pasta al dente
2. Boil broccoli
3. In a skillet, melt butter and sauté minced garlic. Add in all seasoning & wine, simmer for a moment. Add in shrimp and cook, tossing frequently, until pink. Slowly (a tsp at a time) mix in breadcrumbs. You may or may not use all the bread crumbs, just continue adding until your mixture has thickened up a bit.
4. Drain pasta, do not rinse. Put back in hot pot with drained hot broccoli and mix in shrimp scampi.
5. Serve garnished with freshly grated Romano cheese