C :: Week 11 :: Bacon Tomato Pasta Salad

Okay.  So this was a really good recipe!  I'll keep making over & over again.  Seriously amazing.

Bacon Tomato Pasta Salad (adapted from recipegirl.com)



Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
1/3 cup diced celery
1/4 cup minced red onion, soaked in cold water for 5 minutes- then drained
1/2 cup diced vine-ripened tomatoes
1/3 cup mayonnaise
3 Tablespoons sour cream
1 Tablespoon cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon granulated white sugar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
Directions:

Prep Time: 15 min

Bacon and tomato take plain old macaroni salad to a whole new level...

1 cup dry elbow macaroni, cooked, rinsed and drained

1. In a large bowl, combine macaroni, celery, onion, and tomato.

2. In a small bowl, prepare the dressing. Mix mayo, mustard, sugar, vinegar, sour cream and salt.

3. Add dressing to the pasta mixture and stir to combine. Season with freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Sprinkle crumbled bacon on top.

Review:  I am going to keep making this salad!  So easy & super yummy!

C :: Week 12 :: Mole Chilaquiles

So this week I tried something new.  Kind of.  I knew how to make pollo en mole (chicken in mole sauce), and chilaquiles (super common mexican tortilla dish), but this time I mixed the two together and came out with this!

It's a pound of shredded chicken.  Cook it up however you want.

Mole sauce - one jar of the Dona Ana's mole sauce, with 4 jars of hot water.  Boil it.  Add an Abuelita's chocolate circle thing.

Slice up some tortillas.  But FYI - that was way too many.  I would probably just use like 10 corn tortillas next time.

Add the tortillas to the mole sauce.

Slice up an onion to sauté.

Then pour chicken, tortillas, and mole into a cast iron skillet.

Add a cup of grated cheese.

Finish sautéing the onions.

Add to the top of the dish.

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes @ 350*.

And serve.

Review:  Okay, so my review of the meal.  It was okay.  Really dry.  Could use less chicken, and less tortillas or more sauce.  

D ~ Week 22 ~ Sweet Tea Popsicles

Whoops! Life has been a bit crazy the last few weeks... my parent's beloved dog, and my puppy's mom, was diagnosed with a fast acting cancer and within a few weeks we were forced to put her down. Then I went to Canada, on a youth mission trip.... anyway several things have gotten my attention & not the blog. But I'm hoping to remedy that in the next few weeks.


So... it being brutally hot (sssh! C no comments. I know Mexico is much warmer, but my blood is still thick!) and Popsicle molds being on sale at Bi-Mart... well you can just guess.


Ingredients:
Tea Bags
Container for hot water
Water
Sugar


Popsicle molds


First, boil water. then put in desired amount of sugar and your tea bags... let steep for 5 minutes or until desired darkness and sugar is dissolved


Then, pour desired amount of sweet tea into molds, make sure you keep some out to enjoy while the pops are freezing.


Freeze full molds.




Once frozen... ENJOY!!!

D ~ Week 21 ~ Mac & Cheese - Payday style

There's nothing quite so wonderful as payday mac & cheese! My friend Andrea made some amazing mac & cheese a few weeks back and I decided I would too when I got home.


Bag of noodles (shells are great)
1 can of cheese soup from concentrate
1 8oz pkg sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 c to 1/2 c milk
1/4 butter (optional)
garlic
onion powder
pepper (lemon pepper gives it a special zing)


Preheat oven to 325. Boil water and cook noodles. Then melt in the cheese soup, cheddar cheese and milk. I didn't use butter the last time I made it since the cheese has enough oils. Season with garlic powder and onion powder.


Dump the mac & cheese into a 13x9 baking pan/dish and spread evenly. Sprinkle with pepper. Then place in oven for about 20 minutes or so. This just helps everything bond better & set the flavor. 


Take out and enjoy! :) (Pictures to come later)