Pizza Pasta Salad

Quick and Easy Pasta Salad
inspired by This Gathered Nest's recipe

Cooked pasta
Italian dressing (& lots of pepper) or pesto
Meat- pepperoni and/or salami
Veggies- tomatoes, bell peppers, red onion
Mozzarella- pearls or shredded

Pie Crust

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup shortening
1 T. sugar
1 t. salt
1 1/2 sticks cold butter, cubed
1/4 cup vodka
3 T. cold water (Ice water works best)

Add dry ingredients, butter, and shortening to food process until crumbles form. Then add liquid until dough forms. 

Divide into two rounds
Wrap in plastic
Refrigerate or freeze

Garlic Pesto Chicken

1/2 bottle Italian dressing

4 Tbsp pesto, divided

2 chicken breast halves or 4 bone-in pork chops

8 oz penne pasta

2 Tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic minced

1/2 cup chicken broth

8 oz tomato sauce

1 cup half-and-half

1-2 Tbsp flour as needed

How to Make It:

Step 1

Cut chicken into one-inch strips. Add to a gallon-size zip-top plastic bag. Whisk together 2 tablespoons pesto and dressing (or marinade) in bowl. Pour marinade mixture over chicken and make sure chicken is fully coated. Marinate overnight in refrigerator or freeze for several months.

Step 2

Boil water and start on noodles. Add chicken to skillet, heated over medium, and cook fully, 3-5 minutes on each side. The marinade will cook down.

Step 3

In a separate skillet, heat olive oil. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds. Mix in remaining 2 tablespoons pesto and and chicken broth. Simmer until mixture has reduced by half. Add tomato sauce and half-and-half. Simmer for 5 minutes. Toss with pasta and add 1-2 tablespoons flour if mixture needs to be thickened.

Step 4

Place chicken over pasta and serve.

I received this meal as a frozen meal from Jennifer Wright.

5 Minute Mediterranean Bowls

Ingredients 

Salad
• 1 small cucumber, cubed
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• small bunch of parsley, chopped
• 1-2 spring onions, thinly chopped
• olive oil

For the bowl
• 7-8 olives 
• 1/3 cup chickpeas, canned, rinsed & drained
• 2 tbsp hummus
• 1 tbsp tzatziki
• 2-3 tbsp quinoa, cooked
• black pepper, freshly ground

Instructions

1. Salad: Wash the vegetables, chop them, place in a mixing bowl. Add olive oil, vinegar, and salt to taste. 
2. Assemble your bowl: Salad, rinsed and drained chickpeas, the olives, quinoa. In the middle/on top: 2 tbsp hummus and 1 tbsp tzatziki + freshly ground black pepper. Ready.

This recipe is from https://www.beautybites.org/5-minute-mediterranean-bowl-healthy-lunch-meal-prep-recipe/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=pinterest&utm_campaign=tailwind_tribes&utm_content=tribes&utm_term=368242976_11860772_81863

Dorito Meatloaf

We were at Papa Murphy’s waiting on our pizza order when my son struck up a conversation with another man. The other man noticed my son wasn’t in Troop 376 (BSA) attire. He said when he was my son’s age he created this recipe. So, we are trying it. It smells really good...

Doritos Meatloaf
CindyJ (mommy_of_love1)

2 lbs. ground beef
1 egg
2 Tbsp. onion, chopped
1 1/2 C Nacho Cheese Doritos, crushed
1 C ketchup (enough to moisten mixture)
2 Tbs soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 C barbeque sauce


With clean hands, mix all ingredients together, except barbeque sauce, in a large bowl. Transfer mixture to a 5x9 loaf pan, or free form on a rimmed cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until done. After about 35 minutes of baking, top loaf with barbeque sauce and return to oven to finish baking.

*recipe was found on-line. It sounds like what the man at Papa Murphy’s was telling my son.

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Adapted from Cooking Light
October 2017

This is a great recipe to adapt with leftovers.

5 bacon slices, chopped
onion, chopped
carrot, chopped
celery, chopped
1 T. thyme
1 package pre-sliced cremini mushrooms
4 garlic cloves, minced
5 cups chicken stock
4 cups greens- curly kale and/or spinach
1 t. salt
black pepper
1 cup shredded rotisserie chicken
1 cup pre-cooked wild rice
1 cup half and half or whipping cream or whole milk
1/3 cup flour to thicken (if necessary depending on amount of veggies and rice)

1. Heat Dutch oven.  Cook bacon in pan; 4 minutes or until crisp.  Remove bacon from pan and use drippings to saute onion, carrot, and celery for 3 minutes.  Add thyme, mushrooms, and garlic; saute 5 minutes.  Add chicken stock; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Add kale, salt, and pepper; cook 3 minutes. Stir in chicken, rice, and spinach. 
2. Combine half and half and flour in bowl, stirring with a whisk.  Stir into souop; cook 2 minutes or until thickened. Top with bacon. 

This recipe is forgiving and wonderful in the wintertime for a quick meal.

Thai Beef Curry

Adapted from Cooking Light
October 2017

canola oil
2lbs. beef stew meat
1/2 c. beef stock
1/4 c. Thai red curry paste
2 T. fish sauce
1 T. brown sugar
yellow onion, sliced
1 can well-shaken canned full-fat coconut milk
12 oz frozen French green beans (fresh also works)
1/2 c. loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves (optional)
9oz. fresh spinach (9 cups)
3 T. fresh lime juice
brown rice or rice noodles prepared

1. In a large skilled heat oil then cook meat about 6 minutes, turning occasionally. Put meat in slow cooker. Add beef stock to skillet, stir to scrap to loosen browned bits from the skillet. Put mixture into slow cooker.  Add curry paste, fish sauce, sugar, and onion.  Cover, and cook on low until beef is very tender, about 8 hours.
2.  Before serving prepare rice or noodles. 15 minutes before serving add coconut milk and put slow cooker back to high setting. 
If using fresh green beans, put in slow cooker for approx. 12 minutes.
I use frozen green beans and cook them in the microwave then use them as a side for the kids to eat if they don't want the meat and sauce on them.
Turn the heat on the slow.
Add spinach and lime juice (and optional cilantro).  Stir gently and let spinach wilt. Serve over rice or noodles.  I liked it over the rice noodles the best. 

*Good flavor and reheats well
*Easy to double the recipe
* I want to try with some other vegetables added in at the end: broccoli, bamboo shoots, bell peppers, bean sprouts, and cabbage.  (Also, trying adding carrots in with the meat to slow cook.)