Friday, March 30, 2012

Three Pepper Pasta Salad

Ohmygoodness, ohmygoodness, ohmygoodness!  It's that time of year again!  The grass is growing, the birds are singing, flowers are blooming and dining al fresco mandates pasta salad.  Period.

I {heart} pasta salad.  You can find me standing at any bridal shower, baby shower, potluck, picnic or whatever gazing fondly at whatever pasta salad someone can come up with.  (If you see me with a glazed look in my eyes, just walk past and pretend you don't know me.  That's what every one else does.)

Yes, I'm a carb fiend.

But my absolute, positive, all-time favorite pasta salad is from a recipe I found pretty early on in our marriage.

Ready?  TA-DA! 


Oh, my mouth is watering!


Ingredients:

  • 12 oz. package tri-color rotini
  • 2/3 cup olive oil
  • 3 T. red wine vinegar
  • 1 T. dried basil
  • 2 T. grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 1/4 t. salt
  • 1/4 t. pepper
  • 1 small red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 small green bell pepper, diced
  • 1 small orange or yellow bell pepper, diced
  • 2 1/4 oz. can sliced black olives
  • 2 T. green onions, sliced
  • 8 oz. mozzarella cheese, cubed
Directions:


  •   Cook pasta according to package directions.  You'll want to cook it the shortest amount of time recommended (al dente) to prevent the pasta getting soggy from the dressing.  Drain and rinse in cold water.
  • In a blender (or mini-food processor like I use), process oil, vinegar, basil, parmesan, salt and pepper until smooth.
  • In a large serving bowl, combine pasta with peppers, olives, green onions and dressing.  Toss to coat.  Mix in mozzarella.
  • Best consumed eating outside with children running about and a baby staring at passing jets, helicopters, birds or swaying tree branches.



Golly, it really is a wonderful life!

Linking up to Tuesday's Tasty Tidbits at Permanent Posies.

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Saturday, March 17, 2012

Minty Irish Chocolate Cream Pie

Top o' the evenin' to you!

Yes, it's still St. Patrick's Day for a few more hours (so technically it's St. Patrick's Night) so I thought I'd hop over here and share what we feasted on for dessert tonight.

May I present Minty Irish Chocolate Cream Pie?!

Oh my delicious goodness gracious.  This is chocolately, it's minty, it's so decadent!  In other words, it's scrumdidlyumptious.
 

(Ok, I really need a light box, right?  Honey...)

Ready to give 'er a whirl?

Ingredients:
  • 1 graham cracker crust
  • 1 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup cocoa
  • 1/3 cup cornstarch
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 3/4 cup milk
  • 3 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 1/2 cup Cool Whip
  • 18 peppermint patties
  • green food coloring 

Directions:

  •  Combine sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt in a medium sauce pan; gradually stir in milk.
  • Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until at a full rolling boil.  (This took a while on my stove.) Boil and stir 1 minute.  Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla.
  • Pour into crust; carefully press plastic wrap directly onto pie filling.  Cool; refrigerate 6 hours.  (Oh, yeah.  Six hours, baby.)
  • Shortly before serving, remove wrappers from patties (duh, right?).  Remove plastic wrap from pie (yup, duh again.).
  • Cut 9 patties in half; place cut side down at outer edge of pie filling forming a scalloped edge.
  • Finely chop remaining patties, fold into Cool Whip with green fool coloring. 
  • Spread on top of pie and serve immediately.
  • Refrigerate leftovers.
  •  
This is so good, but so rich, so be careful!  I am a pie lover and I can handle onle the smallest sliver of this one.  But oh, good golly is it ever worth it!

Friday, March 16, 2012

Mamacita's Macaroni and Cheese

When Paco and I first got married, I barely knew how to cook.  True Story.  But once I sampled my mother-in-love's mac and cheese, I was determined that I, too, could learn how to make this simple masterpiece!

I have made it over and over thoughout the years and I always get compliments.  I made it for a homeless shelter dinner one time and the lovely people who were there just kept coming back for more and more because it's comfort food for all of us, homeless or not.  Now I'm not saying this to toot my own horn here and I'm always careful to tell everyone who raves about it where the recipe came from.  I'm only the cook here, not the creative food artist that she is.

Are you ready?


Ingredients:

  • 1 stick butter
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 3 1/2 - 3 3/4 cup milk
  • 4 cups shredded cheese (I use Cheddar and Monty Jack)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 12 oz. cooked macaroni
  • Italian bread crumbs to sprinkle on top (optional)

Directions:

  • In saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.  Add flour, whisk until not clumpy. (Make sure you have the milk ready to go or the flour will burn.  Don't ask how I know.)
  • Whisk in 2 cups of milk until smooth.  Let warm.  Add remainder of the milk and let it warm again.  (Yup, twice.)
  • Take mixture off of the heat and whisk in the cheese.  Add salt and pepper. (Oh, it's looking good, my friends.  Won't be long now...)
  • In a baking dish, mix macaroni and cheese mixture.  If desired, spinkle top with Italian bread crumbs.
  • Bake at 300 degees for 30 minutes - 1 hour.  Sit back and just wait for your family to fall in love with you again, because it will happen.  Oh, yes.  It will happen.
*We've added chopped cooked ham to this before to make it a main dish and it. was. ah-some!  Let me know if you try any variations.

In the meantime,

Smooches from the Kitchen!

Monday, March 5, 2012

Chocolate-Peanut Butter-Graham Cracker Sandwiches

We have five children.  Yes, five.  That means we are always in need of quick treats made from the items we have in our pantry.  This treat is fantastic, especially in the summer when you don't want to heat up the house.

I found this recipe a long time ago at Faith's Firm Foundations, a blog by Wendy.  She's super sweet with a real passion for helping women fulfill their God-given roles.  It's been so long since I found this recipe that I couldn't even find it on her blog.  I'll keep trying, though, and if I do, I'll share the link here.

Anyhoo, until then, here's how it goes:


Ingredients:

15 graham crackers, split in half
creamy peanut butter
1 bag chocolate chips
2 T. shortening

*The good thing about this recipe is that their really is no exact measurements.  It's all "about", which drives Type-A personalities (like Jamie) stark raving mad.

Directions:

1) Make peanut butter sandwiches with the split graham crackers.  I try to make sure the peanut butter is not oozing out too much because a) it drives me batty, b) it makes the peanut butter not mix with the chocolate when coating and c) it turns out smoother and prettier in the end.  But of course, that's Type-A Jamie.  If you want bumpy edges, hey,  that's completely up to you.  {shudder}



2)  Melt the chocolate chips and shortening in a microwave-safe bowl, stirring at 30 second intervals.  It really doesn't take long.  Beware!  This is when your mouth will start watering, so be sure to have papertowels or a hankie ready.


3)  Drop a sandwich into your chocolate and completely coat.


4)  Place on wax-paper-covered cookie sheet.  Slap those grabby hands away because they need to set, darlin'! 


5) Freeze for about 2 hours or until youjustcan'tstanditanymore!

Wait!  How did this lone treat miss the scavengers?!


Oh, no!  What should a mama do?


Problem solved.

*These are a great, kid-friendly treat for any holiday.  I like to put sprinkles on them (y'know like hearts or red, white and blue sprinkles) just to keep it fun.



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