Spicy Kielbasa Pasta Salad

I wanted a nice chilled pasta salad for a warm evening meal. I had some Kielbasa to use so I looked
around and found an awesome recipe from Sweet Baby Ray's website. I did not have all the ingredients but I was able to come up with a great sauce of my own!










16 oz salad macaroni, drained and rinsed in cold water to cool

16 oz kielbasa, diced

1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
4 ribs celery, diced
1 small bunch green onions, chopped (greens and whites)

Sauce:
1/3 cup mayo
1/3 cup non-fat greek yogurt
1/3 cup yellow mustard
1/3 cup Louisiana hot sauce
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup flat beer
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
3 TB brown sugar
1 TB molasses
1 TB white vinegar
2 tsp liquid smoke
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp worcestshire sauce

salt , pepper and extra cayenne pepper to taste


Combine all sauce ingredients and allow to mingle for 15 minutes.

In a pan over medium heat brown the kielbasa, drain if you like but you can keep some of the drippings if you like

In a very large bowl combine the cooked pasta, kielbasa and veggies.

Gently pour over the sauce and toss to combine (you don't have to use the entire thing, add as much as you like to your preference)

Chill for at least 1 hour and serve cold.

Creamy Tilapia and Veggie Pasta Salad

I was going to make My "Not Your Typical Tuna Casserole" for dinner tonight and sub flaked tilapia
for the tuna but the weather has been unseasonably warm here (Western WA, pushing 80 in early June, or as we usually call it June-uary??!!) so I decided a cold pasta salad was in order. I had already made my tilapia up so I had to use that. I started putting some ingredients together and a recipe formed.





10 oz pasta, cooked, drained and rinsed to cool (whatever shape you prefer, I wanted to do homemade macaroni noodles but I just didn't get to it, so I used the only shape I had on hand, penne)

12 oz tilapia, cooked and flaked*

2 eggs, hard boiled, cooled and diced

6 oz plain greek yogurt
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 TB sour cream
1 TB dijon mustard
1 TB parsley
1 tsp dill weed
1 tsp lemon juice
1 clove garlic
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
salt and black pepper to taste

3 green onions, whites and greens, sliced
2 large stalks celery, diced
2 large carrots, diced
1 small red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup green peas, (defrosted if using frozen)
1/4 medium sweet onion, diced

* For my tilapia I seasoned lightly with garlic powder and black pepper then steamed it. You could prepare it any way you like of course......
Alternatively you could use canned tuna fish  (2-6 oz cans, drained well) or I  was even toying with the idea of using the salmon I smoked yesterday. (scrapped that because I had already made the tilapia)






In a bowl combine the yogurt, mayo, sour cream, and seasonings, mix well.












In a large bowl(quite large so you can toss everything without a mess!) combine the vegetables, sauce, tilapia, pasta and eggs.

Toss together gently and pour into a serving bowl.







Cover and chill thoroughly.

Ranch BLT Pasta

This dish is great served hot or can be served cold for a great potluck dish!
I did it hot tonight, but included a small portion for the cold instructions...









16 oz pasta , cooked
1/2 to 1 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled (amount is up to your bacon-y preference)
2 cups grape tomatoes, sliced into halves or quarters
1 1/2-2 cups shredded cheese(flavor of your choice, I used pepper jack)
Romaine or Green Leaf Lettuce, Chopped(or other greens of your choice)

Dressing:
12 oz plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup sour cream
1 TB parsley
1 TB buttermilk powder(optional)
1 tsp sea salt(or to taste)
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp dill
1/2 tsp onion powder
black pepper to taste

Mix all dressing ingredients, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour to allow flavors to mingle.

Cook pasta and bacon, drain both. Crumble the bacon.
Preheat oven to 350
Mix pasta with bacon and sliced tomatoes. Add dressing to taste preference and toss to coat well.
Pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan. Top with shredded cheese.
Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes, remove foil and bake 15 minutes more until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Serve on a bed of fresh romaine(or other greens)












If you want to serve it cold:
Rinse the pasta in cold water until the pasta is very cool, drain well.
Mix pasta and bacon with sliced tomatoes, cheese and chopped lettuce in a large bowl
Toss with prepared ranch to your taste preference. Chill well.

Watermelon Pico De Gallo Chicken Pasta Salad

I saw this wonderful looking recipe on the Pioneer Woman website and I knew it would make a fantastic cold pasta salad!











16 oz pasta

Chicken:
(really any leftover chicken would be fine, but I made it recipe specific)
2 medium chicken breasts
1/4 cup lime juice
to taste:
garlic powder
salt
pepper
I also added some Mojito Lime seasoning I had on hand you can add seasonings as you see fit

Watermelon Pico:
4 cups diced watermelon
1/3 cup red onion, minced
1/2 cup EACH red, yellow and green bell pepper, diced
1/2 - 1 whole jalapeno(seeds removed if you like), minced
3/4-1 cup cilantro, chopped
2 TB lime juice
salt to taste
I added 2 sliced green onions to the original lineup

Dressing :
(this can be adjusted to taste, apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar would be suitable too, just start with a smaller amt)
3 TB olive oil
2 TB raspberry blush vinegar

Cook pasta as directed on packaging, drain and rinse in cold water, set aside










Preheat oven to 350
In a baking dish pour the lime juice over breasts and season as you like. Bake for 25-35 minutes until cooked through to a min temp of 165.

Cool Completely

In a large bowl combine all the pico ingredients, toss well and allow to mingle for 20 minutes.








Combine Dressing ingredients and whisk well


Shred the cooled chicken.











Add chicken and the pico to the pasta and toss well to combine, drizzle the dressing and toss 1 more time.









Chill for at least an hour and serve cold. (Stir well before serving)

Loaded Roasted Turnip Salad

My mom asked me to bring a Potato Salad to a little party at her house. My husband and boys don't care for potatoes too much so I decided to make a Turnip Salad in addition to the Potato so they had a choice in the matter.






4-6 medium turnips, peeled and diced*
small amount of olive oil
salt and pepper


1/3 cup sweet onion, minced
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup greek yogurt
1/4 cup mayo
1/2 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
6 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
2-3 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup shredded cheese(flavor up to you, I used colby jack)
1-2 TB chopped fresh chives

*You can sub potatoes for the turnips for an excellent Loaded Baked Potato Salad
Preheat oven to 400

Lightly oil a shallow pan and place on the diced turnips, salt and pepper to taste then toss them gently so the get a little oiled as well.










Bake 20 minutes until just barely fork tender.

*If you are subbing potatoes, prick them well with a fork, then bake them in skins until fork tender but still somewhat firm, then cool completely, peel and dice.

Chill thoroughly.



Mix sweet onion with sour cream, yogurt and mayo. Add garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste.

Reserve a few TB bacon, cheese and green onions, set aside.






In a large bowl toss with chilled turnips and the larger portions of crumbled bacon, green onions and cheese.









Sprinkle with reserved portions and the fresh chives


Allow to chill for at least 1 hour before serving.








This is with potatoes:

Creamy Greek Pasta Salad

I needed to use up some Feta so I decided to go with something with a Greek flair. This worked out very
well!

No process pictures as I lost my camera battery charger and I am waiting on a new one!

I wanted to add diced red bell peppers too but mine was icky... Next time!
Olives would be a nice addition too, but I had none on hand.




1 lb pasta (shape of your choice) cooked al dente

1/2 lb chicken breast, cooked and shredded
10-15 slices pepperoni, sliced into strips

3/4 cup pickled banana peppers
1 medium zucchini, diced
2 cups baby spinach leaves
3/4-1 cup crumbled feta cheese

1 cup Non Fat plain Greek Yogurt
3/4 cup sun dried tomatoes(oil packed, drained slightly but you want a little oil)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 TB dried oregano
1 TB dried parsley
2 tsp dried basil
salt and pepper to taste



In a large mixing bowl place cooked pasta, chicken breast and pepperoni, add peppers, zucchini, spinach and feta.


In a smaller bowl mix yogurt, tomatoes, vinegar and seasonings. Blend well.

Pour dressing over the pasta mixture and toss gently until everything is evenly covered.

Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Strawberry Lavender Chicken Pasta Salad

I made this recipe for Chicken Salad for a baby shower recently. It was a HUGE hit. Since Lavender season is upon us here in the Lavender Capital I decided to make it into a pasta salad recipe! It was perfect because my kids were in a production of Alice in Wonderland and I needed a good make ahead dish that would be ready to eat as soon as we got home. I LOVE pasta salads for this reason. It would be awesome for a Summer Potluck as well.

It would be fantastic with sliced almonds sprinkled on top too, but I was out...





2-3 chicken breasts, cooked as desired and shredded
1 lb pasta, cooked
1 TB lavender buds(fresh or dried , just make sure they are culinary grade or home grown!)
2 cups Fresh Strawberries , sliced
4 green onions, sliced
2 cups fresh spinach, torn into bite sized pieces


Dressing:
10 large fresh strawberries, hulled
1 TB Sugar
1/2 cup Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 cup light olive oil
1/3 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste



In a bowl place chicken ,pasta, lavender, sliced strawberries, onions and spinach. Set Aside

Dressing:
In a blender pulse the 10 strawberries with the sugar until coarse.....add the vinegar.

Turn the blender on to a medium-low speed and in a steady stream pour the olive oil. Allow it to fully blend, then do the same with the cream, blend on a higher speed for 15-20 seconds or so until slightly thickened.....add salt and pepper to taste.





Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture and toss gently.



Sprinkle with a few more fresh lavender buds if desired.



Refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours before serving.

Cran-Peary Quinoa Salad

I was looking for a nice side dish to some pork but couldn't really find that perfect recipe, and that is where the creative mind kicks in LOL.






1 cup quinoa
1 cup water
1 cup pear juice(apple juice is fine if you don't have pear)


1 medium pear, chopped and tossed with lemon water(1 tsp lemon juice to 1/2 cup water)
1 rib celery, chopped
1/3-1/2 cup dried cranberries(more or less to your tastes)
1/4 cup Litehouse Pear Gorgonzola dressing*
sprinkle of Gorgonzola cheese(optional)



Rinse and drain your quinoa well, then in a pot with a tight fitting lid bring  the quinoa, water and pear/apple juice to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer, covered, until the quinoa is tender(translucent and the germ is visible) about 15 minutes or so. Remove from heat.







In a colander(with very fine holes!)Rinse in cold water and drain well.










When the quinoa is chilled, add the pear, celery and cranberries, then gently toss in the dressing(more or less to your preference, (you don't want it dripping in dressing!)

Sprinkle with Gorgonzola cheese as desired! Serve well chilled.





*if you cant find the Pear Gorgonzola,  Poppy Seed dressing is just as tasty(with a sprinkling of feta in place of the Gorgonzola, yum!)
here is a good homemade one or you can do store bought(litehouse is delicious!)
Poppy Seed Dressing:
1/4 c cider vinegar
1/2 c non fat Greek yogurt
2 TB canola oil
1/2 c sugar
1 TB minced onion
1 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1 TB lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
1 TB poppy seeds

Combine all and mix well, allow to mingle at least an hour.

Slow Cooker Asian Chicken and Rice Pasta

My husband had suggested something with chicken and pasta. I was on the phone with my mom and she was looking up Asian Pork recipes....she found something and sent it to me and I decided to combine some ideas!  I used rice pasta, but I am sure a wheat pasta would be tasty as well!
Edit- This is also fantastic cold!  I am listing it as a potluck dish too.








3 large chicken breasts
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, seeded and chopped

Sauce:
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup soy sauce(bragg's amino if you are GF)
3 TB apple cider vinegar
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp ground ginger
salt and red pepper flakes to taste


12-16 oz pasta, cooked according to manufactures directions(I used Tinkyada brown rice pasta)

1/4 cup water
2 TB cornstarch

On the bottom of the slow cooker place chopped onions and peppers, then add chicken.

Mix remaining sauce ingredients and pour over the top. Cover and cook on low 6 hours until chicken is cooked through.






Start your pasta cooking.(you can actually have this done ahead of time if you need a time saver near dinner time, just cook it , drain, rinse , drain again then place it in a covered container in the fridge)





Remove chicken from slow cooker allow it to cool until you can handle it and shred it .






Add cornstarch to water, mix well
Add the water mixture to the sauce in the slow cooker and stir well, add the shredded chicken back to the pot. Leave the lid off and turn to high, stirring often to thicken the sauce.










When the sauce is thickened add drained pasta and mix well.(If you pre-made your pasta, make sure it is heated through before serving.)

Top with toasted sesame seeds and chopped green onions.

Lavender Lemonade Vodka Shooters

So the Orange Creamsicle shooters were a huge hit. I decided to celebrate Lavender Festival with Lavender Lemonade Shooters in Lemon Peels! Make them kid friendly by using all Lavender Lemonade.








8-10  lemons
1 1/2 Cups Lavender Lemonade(see* for recipe)
1 1/2 Cups vodka, chilled very well
3 packets gelatin

 You can adjust your vodka/lemonade ratio as you like as long as there is 3 cups total liquid...

Slice lemons in half and carefully scoop out the flesh leaving the peels in tact.

Sprinkle gelatin into chilled vodka and allow to sit for 2 minutes

Bring lemonade to a boil, remove from heat 

Pour cold vodka into hot lemonade and stir until all the gelatin is fully dissolved(5 minutes or so) you can add some more fresh lavender buds for a pretty flair if you like.

Pour the liquid into the waiting peels.












Place in the fridge and chill until fully solidified, about 2 hours (faster in the freezer if you have room!)







Slice each half in half and enjoy the wedges!














*Lavender Lemonade

Juice from the 8-10 lemons(about 2 cups)

1/4 cup fresh lavender buds( you can go plus or minus on these, 1/4 cup is a good ratio IMO)
3 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar

Cold water to taste 4-6 cups
more sugar to taste

In a sauce pan bring lavender, 3 cups water and sugar to a boil.











Boil until it is reduced to 2 1/4 cups liquid. Add sugar , reduce heat and boil gently until the sugar is dissolved and has reduced down close to 2 cups.












Strain out lavender and allow to cool.













Combine syrup with lemon juice and add water and more sugar or lemon juice as you see fit.