Tag: Pasta Salads

Daily Thoughts · Salads · Starches · Uncategorized

Pasta Salad

Chocolate Castles2 Comments

Today I was going to post the Spanish Rice I made for dinner night before last, but first I wanted to post this really easy and yummy pasta salad. Isn’t it hard to think of new lunch items to make after 4 months of trying to stay home and thus, the 21 meals a week are getting a little more creative of, “what foods left over in the fridge can we put together that will keep us from having to go out into the virus laden world?” Well, ladies and gentlemen, is a really good lunch treat that took me all of 10 minutes to put together (why am I in a hurry when I have no where to go right now) and tastes so good.

Because I didn’t have any cutesy shaped pasta right now, I just remembered eating a spaghetti salad at a steak house in West Texas one year so I used the spaghetti in the pantry. Because back in March when we were hoarding any pasta, toilet paper and canned anything we could get our hands on, I have boxes of pasta just sitting here waiting to be used.

Well, here are the simple instructions:

Boil as much spaghetti as you like. I used enough to make about 4 cups of pasta salad. (now you can go figure out how much raw pasta that is because I forget to measure it)
I add some chicken bouillon to the water when boiling pasta because it gives it a little more flavor so I don’t have to add as much oil or butter.
When pasta is done, drain and allow to cool for about 15 minutes. Place drained pasta in large mixing bowl and add enough Italian Salad Dressing as you like. I was so excited because I had splurged one day at the store and bought Olive Garden Salad Dressing so I used what I had left of that. Sprinkle in some Parmesan cheese (but be sure pasta is cooled enough so the cheese doesn’t melt on the pasta.
Next cut up the proscuito/cheese roll that you buy in the refrigerated deli department. I used 4 rolls of them. Open a jar of chopped green olives and spoon about 2 tables into the pasta. Next cut up about 6-7 marinated artichoke hearts into the pasta. I also added about 1 tables of the marinade from the artichokes. If you like more cheese add about 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese to the pasta before serving!
Cut up green onions or 1/4 cup purple onion and add to the mix. Sprinkle Italian Seasoning, garlic powder and pepper to the pasta and mix well.

Place covered bowl of pasta in the fridge and let chill for about 2 hours before serving. This will be our lunch today along with Peanut M&M’s for dessert. I wasn’t kidding when I said I need to go to the store.

Daily Thoughts · Salads · Starches · Uncategorized

Zipppity Do Da Pasta Salad

Chocolate Castles2 Comments

Since I am in a most supercalifragilistic kind of mood today, I have that old song, “Zippity Do Da” going over and over in my mind today. Just coming home from Phoenix where I went to visit our daughter and family for a few days. Then last night returning home to Randy taking me out for Mexican food, how can I not be in a great mood?

This morning, I was to meet a new friend for coffee at 9. Because it was my first morning back in town, I began to think, “why did I accept this invite, when I wish I had made it for another day and could just stay home and bake.” But after meeting with her, well, all I can say is that I met a kindred spirit and it just made my day. Felt like I could have sat and talked to her for hours. Isn’t it always like that? When we least expect it, God puts someone in our lives that seems like such a gift. Was so thankful I kept the appointment. We began to share some of the things in our lives that have led up this point and it was apparent that we have so much in common. AND…….we both love white bakery cake!

But back to the pasta salad. As I sat there and began to tell her about the blog, I remembered that I had never posted the pasta salad that many have requested the recipe. So here it is….trust me on this one. It is just so simple, yet it is so so different from most pasta salads and everyone who tried it loved it. So get those salad forks ready and get ready to put this recipe on your “favorite recipe lists for bridal luncheons, Mother’s Day luncheons, and any Spring or Summer day you want something wonderful to eat besides chicken salad.”

Ingredients

1 bag or box of bow tie pasta

1/2 purple onion finely diced

one small jar of chopped pimentos, drained

1 cup finely grated parmesan or mozzarella cheese, (or a combo of both which is what I did)

1 8 or 12 oz jar of olive tapenade. (One jar I bought was 8 oz and another was 12 oz, but because I was making salad for 25, I used 3 jars and 3 boxes of pasta)

1 bottle of Kraft Roasted Red Pepper dressing

*opt if you want to add some cut up pepperoni or dry salami, it goes well with this recipe also, just add the amount you desire to the pasta once you have added rest of ingredients.

Directions

Cook pasta according to directions on box. Drain and cool.

Add all ingredients except the dressing and stir. Add salt and pepper to your liking.

Depending on what brand of olive tapenade you use, will depend on how much of the dressing you will need. If the brand you use has quite a bit of the olive oil in it, you might want to drain some of the olive oil off so that you would need more of the roasted bell pepper dressing.

After you have added the ingredients you want in the pasta, add enough of the dressing to make it moist.  Keep covered in fridge. Right before serving, you might want to add a little more dressing if it has soaked in too much into the pasta. Sprinkle some extra grated cheese on top and serve.

Salads

Pimiento Arugula Pasta Salad

Chocolate Castles1 Comment

Notice that I am posting salads. I’m thinking that the lighter the meal, the more we can splurge on desserts..almost like drinking diet cola alongside that piece of chocolate cake. Save calories when you can, allowing us to end our evening on a much loved dessert. Am I the only one that thinks like that?

This salad looks amazing.

1 (16 oz) package penne pasta

1/3 cup oiive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 large shallot, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

2 teas honey

2 (4 oz) jars Dromedary pimientos, drained

1/2 cup kalamata olives, chopped

4 oz feta cheese, crumbled

1/3 cup sliced fresh basil

1/2 (4 oz) package arugula

Prepare pasta according to package directions. Rinse with cold water. Drain and set aside.

Whisk together olive oil and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Add pasta, pimientos and next 3 ingredients into oil mixture.

Cover and chill until ready to serve. Stir in arugula just before serving.

Serves: 6-8 2015-04-13 18.05.33

Holiday Fare · Salads

Whole Wheat Orzo Salad

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Taken from Taste of Home, this is such a pretty & colorful salad, full of flavor and perfect for these spring dinner luncheons or dinners. My sister-in-law just finished making it to take to a party and let me have a spoonful. Trust me on this one…it is a keeper!

2 1/2 cups uncooked whole wheat orzo pasty (about 1 lb)

1 can (15 oz) white kidney or cannellini beans, rinsed and draned

3 medium tomatoes, finely chopped

1 English cucumber, finely chopped

2 cups feta cheese (crumbled)

1/2 medium green bell pepper, finely chopped

1/2 medium red bell pepper, finely chopped

1 medium sweet yellow bell pepper, finely chopped

1 1/4 cups pitted Greek olives (about 6 oz) chopped

1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped

Dressing:

14 cup lemon juice

2 Tables olive ol

1 tables grated lemon peel

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teas pepper

Cook orzo according to package directions. Drain orzo; rinse with cold water.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients (except dressing). Stir in orzo.

Combine dressing ingredients and toss into the salad. Refrigerate until serving.