Greek Pasta Salad

So I was helping out at Todd's Thanksgiving feast this week, and found this amazing pasta salad recipe! It is so yummy and is on my list for dinner this week!

Bowtie Noodles, cooked and drained
feta cheese
Newman's Italian Dressing, Other Italian Dressing make it taste different and not as good.
olives
tomatoes, optional
spinach

Mix ingredients. Chill until serving.

Easy Pasta Salad

I learned this recipe from my AWESOME and WONDERFUL roommates... and I can't really recall who, but if you are looking for something easy, give this recipe a try!


Italian dressing
8 ounces colored spiral pasta
3 tablespoons ham
1/4 cup cheese

Cook pasta according to directions on package. Drain water. Immediately add cheese and ham. Pour according to your taste, the amount of dressing you desire.....this can be a little or a lot! Mix together!

Four Cheese Chicken Fettuccine

This is the best homemade alfredo sauce I have found yet! It has been an instant hit whenever I made it!

Taken by Taste of Home.

16 ounces fettucine, uncooked
10 3/4 ounces cream of chicken soup, condensed
8 ounces light cream cheese, cubed
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup light butter
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup part skim milk mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, cubed

TOPPING
1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 tablespoons light butter, melted
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Cook fettuccine according to package directions. Combine soup, cream cheese, cream, butter and garlic pwoder. Stir in cheeses; cook and stir until melted. Add chicken; heat through. Drain fettucine; add to sauce. Transfer to baking dish. Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle over chicken mixture. Cover and bake at 3509 for 25 minutes. Uncover; bake 5 to 10 minutes longer until golden brown.

Taken from (including picture) Best Ever Chicken Cookbook 2010, Taste of Home, p 72.

Tomato Caesar Chicken Skillet

If you are a fan of Chicken Scallipini, this is the closet I have been able to find a decent recipe! I think the key is to find a good Caesar dressing.

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon oil
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup Caesar salad dressing, classic
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
4 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons bacon bits

Cook chicken in hot oil in skillet on medium-high, 5 minutes each, until browned. Stir in dressing, broth and seasoning until blended. Bring to simmer; cook additional 3 minutes. Add vegetables and add-ins; stir to combine. Cook 2 to 4 minutes until tender.


Taken from "Saucy Solutions," Food and Family, Winter 2005, p 55.

Easy Hamburger Soup

Make your own variation with vegetables... corn, peas, etc!

64 ounces tomato juice
1 pound lean ground beef
16 ounces medium pasta shells

Cook lean ground beef; drain juices. Boil shells according to package directions; drain water. Combine all ingredients; heat through.

Four Cheese Macaroni

This is a recipe that my husband (a blue box man) and my kids (blue box boys) will eat and eat.  They even eat it as leftovers unlike every other thing I make!!


Ingredients:
28 oz of elbow macaroni (I just guess)
8 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup shredded Muenster cheese
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded Sharp Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup shredded Extra Sharp Cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups half and half
8 oz cubed processed cheese food
2 eggs, beaten
salt and pepper as wanted

Directions:
1) Bring to boil a large pot of water, with a pinch of salt.  Add pasta and cook 8-10 minutes or until al dente. Drain well and return to cooking pot.
2) In a small saucepan over medium heat melt butter, stir into macaroni.
3) In large bowl, combine shredded cheeses and mix well.
4) Preheat oven to 350.
5) Add half and half, shredded cheese mixture, cubed cheese food, and eggs to macaroni, mix together and season with salt and pepper.  Transfer to lightly grease deep 2 1/2 quarts casserole.
6) Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes or until hot and bubbling at edges.

Delicious Easy Alfredo Sauce

Shirley J is a product sold through Allison's Pantry. It's also a good idea to add grilled chicken, seasoned with Alison's Pantry Mediterranean Spice and Broccoli! Fabulous!!!

1 cup Shirley J Universal Sauce

3 cups water

1 T Shirley J Chicken Bouillon

1/4 t black pepper

1/4 t cayenne pepper

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I like to use "fresh" grated, not the crumbles from Kraft)

Boil water; whisk in Shirley J Universal Sauce. Boil for about one minute. Add 3 remaining ingredients, continue whisking for about 3 more minutes. Remove from heat and add Parmesan cheese. Pour over one box of cooked linguine noodles.

Helpful Hint: Start cooking your noodles before the sauce... the sauce cooks up really fast and easy!

Submitted by Nikki Martin. 

Nikki is a direct dealer of Allison's Pantry and friend. She uses a lot of Allison's Pantry products throughout her cooking. 

Pizza Shells

This recipe is my all time backup! I never remember to plan dinner before 5 minutes till crisis. I have been known to cook this recipe and have a few batched frozen so I always have them ready. I also take this to church potlucks as it is a kid pleaser and crowd pleaser. I created this recipe because my hubby does not like the traditional stuffing and I wanted stuffed shells so I changed it up!! You can add whatever toppings you would like but this is what we do!!

Ingredients:
Jumbo Pasta Shells

Pizza Sauce or Spaghetti Sauce

Shredded Mexican or Fiesta Cheese

Pepperoni

Parmesan Cheese

Helpful Hints:

7 Shells will fit nicely and melt evenly in a round cake pan.

1 package of Pepperoni will easily complete 28 shells

1 can of spaghetti sauce will fill two cake pans

Instructions:

1. Boil water for shells.
2. Pre Heat oven to 350
3. Place shells in water for 10 minutes or until tender. DO NOT RINSE SHELLS
4. Let Shells cool 5 minutes
5. While the above steps are happening cut pepperoni into quarters(or chop finely depending on taste) and Mix with ½ of cheese.
6. Spray bottom of round pans or desired used pan
7. Place Pizza Sauce on bottom of pan until completely covered
8. Sprinkle Parmesan Cheese on sauce.
9. Stuff cheese and pepperoni mixture into shells. DO NOT STUFF UNEVENLY.
10. Place shells in sauce
11. Cook in oven till the cheese in shells is melted.
12. Sprinkle leftover cheese over shells and finish heating until cheese is melted.
13. ENJOY

Easy Tomato Mac and Cheese

So growing up, my mom made this whenever dad was gone or we needed an easy meal! Add a salad or some green beans... and you have a meal.

8 ounces macaroni noodles
1 cup cheese, divided
1 can condensed tomato soup
6 slices of bacon or 6 sausage links

Prepare noodles according to directions on package;drain water when complete. Meanwhile, cook bacon. Tear bacon into pieces. Combine macaroni, bacon, soup and 1/2 the cheese in a bowl. Transfer to a baking dish; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cook at 400 for 20 minutes or until heated through.