BLT Pasta Salad

recipe adapted from this

INGREDIENTS: (this makes a LOT)

13 oz shell pasta

1 package bacon, cooked/chopped (or use 6-12oz real bacon bits)

1/2 bag frozen peas (like 2 cups)

2 tomatoes, chopped

salt and pepper

1/2 c milk

3 green onions, chopped

1.5 c shredded cheddar

fresh spinach, chopped (I used like 30 small leaves)

bacon ranch dressing to taste

mayo to taste

shredded chicken (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Cook pasta, bacon, and peas.

Drain pasta under cold water, mix with milk in a large bowl and put in fridge/freezer to cool off while you prepare the rest.

Warm the chopped tomatoes in the bacon grease, and add salt/pepper to taste.

Mix everything in with the pasta, and add bacon ranch dressing and mayo to taste (pasta absorbs the dressing, might need to add more later)

I made a "lite" version of this and no one could tell the difference ;) used turkey bacon and lowfat everything.

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Philly Cheesesteaks

recipe adapted from this

INGREDIENTS (makes enough for 3 loaded sandwiches)

steak (I used 1/2 lb sirloin tip)

Worcestershire sauce (1/3 c or more to taste)

2 small onions, chopped

carton of mushrooms

desired vegetable seasonings/garlic

2 T butter

2 T flour

1.5 c milk

1 bag (8oz) shredded pepperjack

rolls/french bread

additional slices of swiss cheese

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven broiler.

Cut steak into small strips, cook with Worcestershire sauce in a skillet.

In a second skillet sautee the onions and mushrooms with vegetable seasoning and garlic.

To make sauce:

     In a saucepan over medium heat melt the butter. Stir in flour and milk, and bring to a boil. Remove
     from heat and stir in the pepperjack.

Stir in some of the sauce in with the vegetables, reserving the rest.

Place bread on a baking sheet and pre-broil if necessary.

Top bread with steak, vegetables, sliced cheese, and additional sauce if desired.

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Feta Slaw

Found this recipe here

INGREDIENTS:

1 bag angel hair cole slaw (or finely chopped cabbage)

3 green onions, chopped

2/3 c olive oil

1/4 c wine vinegar

1/4 c water

1 t minced garlic

1.5 t salt

2 t pepper

oregano/basil/thyme to taste

4oz feta

DIRECTIONS

Toss cabbage and green onions in a bowl.

Mix together everything else except the feta and toss it with the cabbage, then add the feta.

Let it congeal in the fridge for a bit.

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Cajun Chicken Pasta

recipe adapted from this and this

INGREDIENTS

2 or 3 chicken breasts (1 lb)

1 can cream of chicken soup

2 T creole seasoning to taste, or this recipe for creole seasoning, to taste

linguine pasta

alfredo sauce for the linguine

2 bell peppers, chopped

mushrooms

3 green onions, chopped

salt/pepper/garlic powder to taste

sauce for the vegetables:

     1/3 of a thing of cream cheese (3oz)

     1/3 c heavy cream (or milk)

     1 T flour

DIRECTIONS

Cook pasta as directed. Drain, etc, mix with alfredo.

Heat up 2 big skillets over med-high heat.

Cut up the chicken, toss with Creole seasonings, and cook in one of the skillets. After awhile, add the cream of chicken soup to it, and continue simmering until chicken is fully cooked. Add additional creole seasoning if necessary.

In the second skillet sautee peppers, mushrooms, and green onions. Season with salt/pepper/garlic powder.

After vegetables have cooked for a bit add in the vegetable sauce mixture, and simmer until everything is cooked.

Combine everything together and serve.

When I originally made this I cooked an entire box of linguine, so I had a larger ratio of pasta to chicken/vegetables, and I had to make additional alfredo sauce.  This was a really flavorful pasta, I'm not sure why my photos make it look weird.

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Alfredo Sauce

INGREDIENTS
VERSION 1: (makes 2.5 c of sauce. maybe?)
1/2 c butter
2 oz cream cheese (or 4oz shredded provel) can use other shredded cheese.
2 c heavy cream (or half & half)
dash of garlic powder
big pinch of minced garlic (I use a lot of garlic)
salt/pepper to taste
dash of oregano
2/3 c parmesan

VERSION 2 (more traditional. made it recently was very good):
1 stick butter
2c heavy cream
8oz shredded parm or Italian blend cheese
Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic (to taste)

DIRECTIONS
VERSION 1:
In saucepan over med heat melt butter, add garlic.
Add in cream cheese, then the cream.  Add seasonings.
Bring to a boil, stirring often, then remove from heat. Sauce will thicken.

note: for 16oz of pasta I usually double this recipe. I eyeballed it last time, when I doubled it I used:
almost 2 full sticks butter, 8-12oz shredded provel, 2c creme, 1c half&half, 1c parmesan, bunch of garlic, oregano/salt/pepper.

VERSION 2:
Melt butter in saucepan.
Stir in the heavy cream and bring to a simmer; let it reduce a little.
Stir in the cheese and seasonings.

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Egg in Hole/Toad in Hole. Its Egg inside toast.

INGREDIENTS

1 slice of bread

1 egg

salt/pepper to taste

oil/butter/bacon grease for frying

DIRECTIONS

Heat skillet with butter/oil/grease over low-med heat.

Cut a hole out of the center of the bread, and fry both the bread and removed hole in skillet.

When one side of the bread is toasted, flip it over and crack egg into the hole. Season with salt/pepper.

Cook until egg is set to desired firmness.

Mexican Pizzas

recipe adapted from this

INGREDIENTS (makes 4 pizzas)

Epic slow cooker Mexican chicken (or cooked ground beef+taco seasoning)

1 onion, chopped

jalapenos, sliced

garlic/vegetable seasonings to taste

8 tortillas (or flatbread)

jar of salsa

refried beans

shredded Mexican cheese

2 roma tomatoes, chopped (or Rotel)

2 green onions, chopped

(optional) black olives, mushrooms, spinach

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350F.

Grease baking sheets/pie pans.

Lay out tortillas, spread refried beans on bottom tortilla. Spread chicken (or beef) on top of refried beans, and top with second tortilla.

Bake in oven for 10 minutes in oven.

Remove from oven, and top tortillas with remainder of ingredients.

Put back in the oven for 5-10 more minutes, until cheese is melted.

note: I made these with toppings layered on warmed up flatbread instead of tortillas and they were awesome! (and saved the trouble of making tortillas lol).

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