MEDITERRANEAN PASTA SALAD

I wasn’t sure what I wanted to call this salad… Greek or Sicilian…macaroni or not.  So this seemed to fit the bill.  The flavors of a Greek salad or Sicilian macaroni.

This is one of those ‘recipes’ that is more a method discussion than an amount of what is needed.  This salad is opened to whatever is in the pantry, frig and or on your favorite list.  I made it as a side to leftover grilled chicken and threw a can of tuna into the leftovers for lunch the next day.

I have listed what I used and hope you try it this way or with your own faves.

 

• 1/4-1/3 lb cavatappi (corkscrew shaped pasta)
• 1/2 tomato, diced
• 1/4 large cucumber, diced
• handful each of black and green olives
• dash of extra virgin olive oil – just enough to lightly dress the past
• dash or two of oregano to taste

1. cook and drain pasta according to package directions
2. place pasta in serving bowl and dress with oil
3. stir in remaining ingredients

NOTES:

• after I ate this I wondered why I hadn’t added fresh ground black pepper or even a light sprinkle of crushed red pepper
• diced peppers and chunks of hard cheese would go well with these flavors
• pasta with crevices work better with these types of salads than regular elbows or tube shaped pasta
• ENJOY

DUMP CHILI

Chili can be such a different taste depending on your favorite ingredients or your explorations yet not lending itself to an interesting title.  Yet this totally describes my chili of the day.  I had ground beef on hand needed beans and wandered the aisle to determine my mood.  So the next rainy day – gloomy calls for comfort but the humidity calls for easy and the slow cooker reappeared.  My plan (gasp I actually had a plan) was to make sure I had lunch and dinner possibilities for the week or barring last minute changes something that shared or froze well.

The chili turned out to be a perfect symphony of flavors blending well with toppings and a satisfying bowl for lunch, over a salad for a second day, breakfast over potato nuggets and a great topping for some homemade mac and cheese.

• 1 lb ground grass fed beef
• 1 jar medium salsa (brand optional)
• 1 small can diced chilies
• 1 can dark red kidney beans, drained
• 1 can red kidney beans, drained
• 1-1/2 tsp chili powder, plus 1/4 tsp if seasoning beans
• 1-1/2 tsp cumin, plus 1/4 tsp if seasoning beans
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp thyme (optional)
• 1/2 onion sliced (optional)
• scallions thinly sliced (optional)
• fresh tomato diced (optional)
• 1-2 tsp sour cream (optional)
• shredded cheese (optional)

1. Place beef in slow cooker
2. Season and top with onions
3. Dump both cans of beans on top
4. Season beans (optional)
5. Dump salsa
6. Dump dice chilies
7. Cook on low 6-8 hours until bubbling
8. ENJOY

NOTES:

• I have found it isn’t necessary to pre brown meat before placing it in the slow cooker although you will have to break it up before serving
• chili freezes well in air tight container 3- 4 months

SOUR CREAM CORNBREAD

Last night’s thunderstorms cleared the humidity … for awhile … so I baked this morning as soon as my eyes opened.  Of course the frig held no milk and the pantry held no can of coconut milk.  No worries in my carefree world.  Hey lower humidity and sunshine do that for a girl.  I did however have an open container of sour cream that worked well along with water for moisture.

The frig did hold the rest of yesterday’s coffee or my own version of cold brew and two strips of bacon from the weekend’s brunch.  I love it when breakfast comes together.  As to doing cold brew there are tons of suggestions on the Internet but I just make a strong batch of coffee and chill it.  I’ve even been known to make a pot the night before to chill.  No need for more than that since I like flavored (hazelnut) coffee and use no milk or sugar (although a splash of Patron Cafe has happened on occasion).  And bacon is one of those items where if you are heating the oven you might as well make a whole pack because it works all week with eggs in sandwiches and salads as well as freezing well for same reasons.  My go to bacon these days is Trader Joe’s nitrate free Black Forest.

The sour cream that I thought was about 1/2 cup was probably not but I just added a cup of water gradually to moisten the mixture.  There was no indication in taste that I had used sour cream although if I had used the same amount of sour cream as the milk called for I expect there would be a tartness (not in a bad way) to the corn bread.  Speaking of which it was corn bread not muffins and for a weekday breakfast since I was planning a slow cooker chili the next day (already knew the humidity was coming back).

So meal prep complete, leftovers used up and a treat for breakfast and I started the weekend with a smile.

• 1 package of corn bread/muffin mix prepared according to package directions substituting sour cream for some or all of the milk with enough water to moisten the mixture and baked
• leftover bacon or breakfast sausage
• hot or cold brew coffee of choice

NOTES:

• I use Bob’s Red Mill GF Cornbread Mix
• if you don’t want to make cold brew coffee or want some at hand always tryTrader Joe’s Cold Brew Coconut Cream Lattes
• Use muffin tins for portion control
• Freeze muffins or squares of cornbread 3- 4months for future breakfast and side dishes
• No compensation received for the use of Trader Joe’s, Bob’s Red Mill or Patron products

OLIVE BAR PASTA SALAD

So soggy Saturdays and picnic planning calls for salads and whats better than a salad that is easy to prepare and safe to leave at room temperature.  This weekend was a warm up (pun intended) for the Fourth.

Macaroni salad is as common as potato salad at a picnic yet it doesn’t mean it can’t be lightened up.  Macaroni salad is one of those dishes that children (of all ages) prefer their mothers’ the best and in a certain style be it with or without peas or tuna or her personal dressing.

I tend to make pasta salad meaning my shapes of pasta change from the ubiquitous elbows and my add ons change according to my moods.

This particular pasta salad was an offshoot of my antipasto pasta salad which is made with your favorite shape pasta accompanied by your favorites from an antipasto plate at your favorite Italian restaurant.  I am fond of Trader Joe’s vegetable radiatore which is colored by the veggies added to the flour.  My mouth was watering for tart and tangy while my head said cool, cool, cool.

So a trip around the olive bar at my grocery store filled a container with stuffed cherry peppers, kalamata olives, peppers and onions enough to mix into 1/3 pound pasta.  A quick rough chop to bite size pieces while the pasta cooked and drained then a toss together with a splash of olive oil created this great side dish.  This is a salad  that a can of tuna or salmon will ramp it into a meal.

In fact I am off to the grocery store to stock up on some rigatoni and the makings for sausage and peppers.  The sausage and peppers are for grinders on the Fourth and the rigatoni will turn the leftovers into another pasta salad for the hazy days following the parade.

• 1/4 -1/3 lb Trader Joe’s vegetable radiatore or your favorite pasta
• 1-3 stuffed cherry peppers
• 6-10 kalamata olives (pitted)
• 1/2 scoop peppers and onions
• 1/2 scoop mushrooms (optional)
• 1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1. cook pasta to package directions
2. chop vegetables into bite size pieces
3. drain pasta
4. toss pasta with vegetables and olive oil
5. cool or serve at room temperature

NOTES:

• make sure your olives are pitted or you are in for some fun trying to pit and chop
• use whatever vegetables you like from the olive bar or marinated in jars
• salt and pepper are totally optional – I normally reach for the crushed red pepper
• when using marinated vegetables it is best not to salt until after salad has sat
• lasts in frig 3-4 days
• check out Facebook to see a picture of Sister#2’s pasta primavera using tri-color pasta and fresh veggies drizzled lightly with olive oil