Mexican Pasta Salad

We are going to be tailgating tomorrow for my hubby's favorite time of year....the Monster Jam. I wanted to make a pasta salad that would keep without refrigeration. I started dreaming up different concotions and came up with this. I found a dressing recipe here, but I tweaked it a bit.

Mexican Pasta Salad

1 pound pasta, cooked and cooled
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 bag frozen corn, cooked and cooled
1/2 small red onion diced
2 tomatoes diced
(I was going to use a roasted red pepper, but I didn't get to use it this time)

Dressing
Juice of 2 limes
1 clove of garlic minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp honey

1. In a large bowl, combine pasta, black beans, corn, onion, and tomatoes.
2. In food processor (I used a mini one that came with my stick blender), combine garlic, lime juice, olive oil, cumin, salt, pepper, cilantro, and honey. Blend until combined and cilantro is well chopped.
3. Pour dressing over salad and mix well.

Homemade Oyster Crackers

I decided to make skyline chili again, and usually it is served with a bowl of oyster crackers. I don't have any in the house, because either I will gobble them down (not great for my waistline) or they will go to waste. I decided to try my hand at making them. They are pretty delicious, however, they lack that air bubble in the middle that makes them so endearing. They have a yummy flavor and go great with the Skyline Chili knockoff recipe.

Oyster crackers

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp milk

1. In the bowl of a food processor combine flour, baking powder, salt. Add butter and pulse mealy (mine didn't really get too mealy, so if yours doesn't, don't worry too much about it). Add the milk pulse. Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead until dough comes together. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator about 10 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 375 F

3. On a floured surface, roll the dough out until desired thickness. Cut the crackers into desired shapes and place on baking sheet (don't need to spray the pan).

4. Bake at 375 F for approx 7 minutes or until lightly browned. Enjoy with chili or soup!

Garlic Cheddar Biscuits

I used to work at Red Lobster and have made loads of their biscuits. I have also eaten more than my fair share. I decided to make them for a party at work. I have tried making them at home before and they were never quite right. I came across this recipe on Chickens In the Road and decided to give it a try. These were better than the original! They got rave reviews at work.

2 1/2 cups Bisquick (I used Heart Smart)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/4 cups milk

Garlic Butter Topping
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon parsley
dash of salt

1. Preheat oven to 450. Preapare baking sheet with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine Bisquick and garlic powder. Stir to combine.
2. Cut butter into small cubes and add to bowl with Bisquick and garlic. Using a fork, smoosh the butter into the flour making a crumbly appearance.
3. Stir cheese, sour cream, and milk into Bisquick and butter mixture until well combined.
4. Drop dough by spoonfuls onto prepared baking sheet.
5. In a small bowl, mix melted butter, garlic powder, parsley and salt until well combined. Spoon half of butter mixture over unbaked biscuits.
6. Bake biscuits at 450F approx 8-10 minutes or until golden at edges. Remove from oven and spoon remaining topping over biscuits. Allow to cool slightly.

These are best served hot and are addicting!

Basic Risotto

I got a recipe for risotto from Weight Watchers. I have been wanting to try risotto for so long. I am always seeing it made on cooking shows, but have never gotten around to trying it. Tonight, I was trying to put a few meals for the week together (otherwise I keep snacking while I cook and I am putting the pounds back on...urg) and decided to make the risotto. The original recipe calls for yummy asparagus, but I didn't have any, so I made a basic recipe to which you could probably add just about anything. I have seen risotto made with butternut squash, mushrooms, pancetta, etc. So consider this your base that you can add to as you like.

Basic risotto

Cooking spray
1 Tbsp butter or margarine
1/2 sweet onion or 3 small shallots, minced
1 cup uncooked arborio rice
4 cups chicken broth
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

1. Bring broth to simmer and keep warm.
2. Coat a medium pot with cooking spray and set over medium heat. Melt butter or margarine, add onion or shallots and cook until soft and translucent. Add in rice and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add 1/2 cup hot broth to the pot at a time. Stir after each addition and allow to completely absorb before adding more broth. Continue to add broth 1/2 cup at a time until all broth has been used. Will take about 20 minutes. When rice is creamy and done (slightly chewy and not mushy) remove pot from heat and add in chese. Stir well. Season with salt and pepper.

This is so creamy and comforting, but yet does not have a lot of fat to make it that way. YUM!

Yummy Easy Side Dish

This recipe is so easy and quick and so delicious! It seems like such a fancy dish, but it literally took me less than 2 minutes to put together. I used canned veggies, but you could use fresh.

Green Beans with Sundried Tomatoes and Garlic
Makes 1 serving of sundried tomato topping (because the hubby won't even try it)

1 can of green beans (I used the sodium free canned green beans)
2 sundried tomatoes
1 small garlic clove
1 tsp water (or oil)

1. In a food processor or blender (I used a small one), blend water, garlic clove and sundried tomatoes. I like mine a little chunky, but you can make it any consistency you like.
2. Heat (or cook) green beans.
3. Spoon sundried tomato topping over green beans and ENJOY!

This would be a great low fat, low salt, low carb, quick and easy side dish!

Root Beer Baked Beans

This weekend, Sams club was giving out free cookbook for giving them your email address. So many good recipes in this cookbook and this was one! We decided to make a pulled pork for dinner, so my mom wanted to try the Root Beer Baked Beans to go along with it. We plan on saving some for Easter too (we will have to make Easter easy this year, because the hubby and I are moving Easter weekend!!). These are so tasty! My recipe is slightly different from the cookbook, so I will post what I made. Root Beer Baked Beans 1 medium onion diced 5 strips of bacon diced (I used cooked peppered bacon pieces- I think Hormel is the brand) 2 cans baked beans (28 oz each)- I used Bush's Honey baked beans and Maple Cured Bacon baked beans 3/4 cup root beer 1/3 cup barbeque sauce 1/2 tsp mustard powder 1. In large deep skillet, saute onion (if using raw bacon cook with onion until bacon is crisp). If using cooked bacon pieces, add after onion has softened and cook until bacon is fragrant and heated through. 2. Add cans of baked beans, root beer, barbeque sauce and mustard powder. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 10-15 minutes or until slightly thicekend. You can serve at this point or put in an oven proof dish and continue heating in the oven. I served after heating on the stove.

Au Gratin Potatoes

Mom made us a DELICIOUS ham for dinner and I was trying to think of something to go along with it. We had half of a bag (1.5 pounds) red skinned potatoes left from a dinner last week, so I decided to use them up. I didn't want to make mashed potatoes and risk us being tired of them by Thanksgiving. I decided to go with an au gratin potato dish. It was a hit!
Now my review, it called for a whole onion. While it was very tasty, I would prefer less onion, and I think it would be fine with even no onion. Just something you may want to keep in mind.

Au Gratin Potatoes

1.5 pounds potatoes (I used baby red potatoes and I left the skin on)- sliced to 1/4 inch thick slices
1 sweet onion (optional, or use less) diced
2 garlic cloves minced
3 Tbsp butter (I used Smart Taste margarine)
3 Tbsp flour
1/2- 1 tsp salt
2 cups milk
1.5 cups cheese (I used a mixture of colby-jack, american, and italian cheese)

1. Preheat the oven to 375F
2. Arrange half of the potatoes in a greased 1 quart casserole dish. Cover with onions and garlic. Cover with the rest of the potatoes.
3. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add flour and whisk to combine. Cooke for 1 minute. Add milk and whisk until thickened (almost boiling- I usually have to turn my heat up, but if you do, make sure to whisk continuously). When thickened, add cheese and whisk until combined.
4. Pour cheese mixture over potatoes. Cover with foil and cook at 375F for 1 hour (or until potatoes are cooked through)

Breaded Cauliflower

I just had this craving for cauliflower. When my hubs and I used to live in our own home, I would eat LOTS of veggies (I never had to share with hubby, because he doesn't like them), but now I have to share with the other people in the house who also love their veggies. So, needless to say, I am having less vegetables than I am used to- hence the craving. I have a vague memory of some cauliflower that my Grandma Betty once made that had some bread crumbs on it. I remember it was so yummy, so I decided to try it out. It came out so tasty...I will definitley make it again.

Breaded Cauliflower

1 head of cauliflower
3 Tbsp butter or margarine (I used Smart Taste butter substitute)- you probably could use olive oil and you may need more of the butter or olive oil depending on the size of the head of cauliflower you use (you basically want it to be coated so the breadcrumbs will stick)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt (or more to taste)
1/4 cup breadcrumbs (or more depending on size of cauliflower)

1. Preheat oven to 400 F
2. In medium-large pot, bring water to boil. Add cauliflower to boiling water and cook until desired tenderness. Drain cauliflower.
3. In a large bowl, melt butter (or just add olive oil). Add salt and garlic powder and stir to combine. Add cauliflower to butter mixture and toss to coat.
4. Pour breadcrumbs (I used italian seasoned) over coated cauliflower and stir to coat.
5. Arrange breaded cauliflower onto baking sheet. Bake at 400F until bread crumbs are lightly browned.

Stuffed Zucchini Boats

So last night I wanted to make a homemade gyro. I needed some type of side dish recipe to go along with it. I knew I wanted to use up some rice I have and I also had 2 zucchinis that needed to be used up. Then I remembered watching 10 Dollar Dinners on the Food Network where she made stuffed veggies (peppers, zucchini and tomatoes). They were super easy and so good!

Stuffed Zucchini Boats

3/4 cup cooked rice (use whatever kind you like)
1 large zucchini cut in half lengthwise
1/2 cup baby portabello mushrooms
2 small garlic cloves
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 400F
2. Scoop the seeds out of the zucchini using a spoon. Make a boat in the center of the zucchini to fit the filling. Place the meat and seeds into a food processor. Place the zucchini on baking pan.
3. Put mushrooms, garlic, salt and pepper into food processor. Pulse until finely chopped.
4. Mix rice and chopped veggies in a bowl until well combined.
5. Fill zucchini boats with filling. Bake at 400F until filling is heated through and zucchini is at desired texture.