Steph's Pasta Salad

Cook Time: 20-30 minutes
Prep Time: 10 - 15 Minutes

1 Box Garden Rotini Pasta
1/2 bag pepporoni's (sliced into quarters or half's)
Parmesan Cheese (the grated kind not the powder)
Sliced Olives
1 bottle Zesty Italian dressing.

Cook pasta until it is soft but not mussy. Next cover with about 3/4 bottle of Italian dressing. Add Pepporoni, Parmesan cheese, and Olives. Chill in fridge until you are ready to serve. About 10 -15 minutes before serving add the remaining amount of dressing, toss and serve.

Broccoli Salad

Prep Time: About 15-20 Minutes

1-2 Broccoli, Large Bunch
1 Red Onion, Small, Chopped
1 Cup Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
1/2 lb Bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 Cup Mayonaise
1/2 Cup Sugar
2 T Red Wine Vinegar

Cut up broccoli into bite size pieces
Mix broccoli, red onion, cheddar cheese, and bacon.
Combine Mayo, Sugar, and Vinegar in separate bowl. Stir well
toss with broccoli mixture 1 hour before serving. Serve Cold

Cabbage Salad (From Stacy)

Cook time: 15-30 (if you have to cook chicken) minutes Prep Time: 5 to 10 minutes

1-2 Whole Chicken breasts, Cooked and Cubed (I usually buy chicken strips from the deli)
1/2 head Cabbage, shredded
4 green onions, Chopped
1/2 cup Slivered almonds, toasted
1 pkg. Ramen noodles, broken up (do not cook)

Dressing:
2 T Sugar
1/3 c Oil
1 t Salt
3 T Vinegar
1/2 t Pepper
1 pkg Chicken Ramen flavor packet

Toss everything together
Add dressing about 15 minutes before serving.

Cheese Crusted Lasagna Soup

Soup
1 lb. Italian sausage
2 onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. oregano
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (you may omit these)
2 T tomato paste
1 can (28oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 medium bell pepper, diced
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1 C fresh spinach
6 C chicken broth
8 oz. whole wheat pasta shells

Cheese Base {per bowl}
1 T ricotta cheese
1 T Parmesan cheese, shredded
2 T Mozzarella cheese, shredded
salt and pepper, to taste


Brown sausage until cooked through. Drain excess grease.
In a large stockpot, add onion, garlic, oregano, mushrooms, bell pepper, and red pepper flakes and a bit of olive oil (if needed) and saute about 5 minutes. Then, add in sausage and tomato paste and saute until lightly browned.
Add in the tomatoes, broth and bay leaf.
Simmer the soup for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
Add in the pasta and spinach and cook until tender; about 7-9 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.
Add in basil and season with salt and pepper.Place ricotta cheese in the bottom of the soup bowl. op with Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, salt and pepper, as desired. Serve soup over the cheeses in the bowl. Makes about 13 C ups of soup.

Happy Eating!!!

Cheesy Potato Soup

This is one of my favorite Potato soup recipes. You can use beef bouillon instead of Chicken if you want. It will change the color a little but it tastes pretty much the same.

2 cups diced potatoes

¾ cups onion

1 cup carrots

1 cup celery

½ t pepper

1 t dry mustard

2 cups water

5 Chicken bouillon cubes

Add water and bouillon cubes, dry mustard and pepper. Add vegetables and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.

¼ cup butter

½ cup flour

Put in sauce pan turn into a ball. Add 2 cups milk. Stir constantly until thickens. Pour in soup add 2 cups grated cheese.

Going French??

Lately I am totally in love with French's French Fried Onions. Here are two of my favorite things to make with them. Can you believe the other day I opened a can of cream of mushroom when I should have been opening cream of chicken and of course I was forced to make this next recipe.

French's Green Bean Casserole:
What you'll need:
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of Mushroom Soup
3/4 Cup Milk
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1 1/3 cups French's french fried onions
2 cans green beans drained

Mix soup and milk, then add pepper, beans and 2/3 cup onions in 1 1/2qt casserole. Bake at 350* for 30 min. or until hot. Stir. Top with remaining onions. bake 5 min.


French's crunchy onion chicken:
2 Cups French's French fried onions
2 tbsp. flour
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 egg beaten

Crush french fried onions with flour in plastic bag.
Dip chicken in egg. Coat in onion crumbs. Press firmly to adhere.
Bake at 400* for 20 min. until no longer pink in the center.

These are both quick and easy. I found both of them on the can of French's french fried onion. Got to love when you try a new recipe and totally fall in love with it.