Cheesy Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

We had some friends over last night for an impromptu barbecue. I think pasta salad is a cook-out staple and I'm usually the one who brings it to our family's summer festivities. Unfortunately, due to lack of time and preparation - I didn't have the "usual" pasta salad ingredients that I use for my recipe so I got creative. :) This warm pasta salad was well-received and I'll probably be making it again.


Ingredients:

-1/2 box Rotini pasta
-1/2 cup of ranch dressing
-1/4 cup of bacon bits (fresh, cooked bacon bits would be best if you have time!)
-1 cup of shredded cheddar
-A handful of chopped chives (or green onions). I used freeze-dried chives because that's what I had.
-A generous sprinkle of Parmesan

Directions:

-Boil the Rotini according to package directions.
-Once drained, add the ranch dressing and stir
-Add the bacon bits, cheddar, and chives - stir
-Top with Parmesan and enjoy!!

Baked Spaghetti

Here's another pasta dish that I've gotten a few recipe requests for. The basis for this recipe was passed to me from family members - thank you :). I didn't get exact measurements for this one so started this dish the old fashioned way - throw things in until it tastes, smells, and looks right. It comes out well and is usually a crowd pleaser. This dish has the same "yum effect" as lasagna, but goes together with quite a few less steps.

I know making your own spaghetti sauce isn't always practical when you are trying to fix a quick dinner. I've included jarred sauce in this recipe (sorry Pops and Grandma!). I will also include the sauce recipe below for those of you that wish to make it from scratch for this dish.


Ingredients:

• 1 - 16oz Box of Pasta (I suggest Rigatoni, Penne, or Angel Hair)
• 1 - Jar Barilla Spaghetti Sauce (I buy the garlic and mushroom kind - it's always a crowd pleaser).
• 1 - Small Container of Ricotta (Use reduced fat if you so desire - I'm guessing no one will notice).
  
• 8oz - Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
• A handful of Parmesan (or Romano is better if you have it!)
• A few pinches of dried basil (sprinkle it throughout the ricotta)
• 1 Egg or 3T of Mayonnaise (***see explanation below)
  

Directions:

• Boil water and cook pasta according to package directions
• In a mixing bowl, combine the cheeses (ricotta, Parm/Romano, and mozzarella).
• Add, to the cheese mixture, your basil and egg or mayo
  
• Layer your ingredients like a lasagna. I just poured sauce in the the dish to cover the bottom. I didn't make a lake out of it, but just a decent amount. Sauce first, then pasta, cheese - repeat to top. I only had room to go sauce, pasta, cheese, sauce. Then I think I sprinkled some Parmesan cheese on top of the sauce.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes, covered and then another 5 minutes uncovered.

Sauce:

Ingredients

• 2 - 15oz Cans of Tomato Sauce
• 1 - 6 or 8oz Can of Tomato Paste
• 2 - Paste Cans of Water
• Minced Garlic (About 1 Tablespoon or 2 Cloves)
• A few sprinkles of dried basil (just enough so that you can smell it in the sauce).
  
• Salt, Pepper and Basil to Taste
• Romano or Parmesan Cheese (about a handful)
  
• Fresh Mushrooms [[optional]]
  
• Onions (Slivered) [[optional]]
• 1/4 Cup - White Sugar
• 1-2lbs - Ground Beef/Chuck
  

Directions:

• Brown Ground Beef/Chuck
• While Beef/Chuck is browning, slice the onion (I slice it in really thin slices straight down (so you have a circle of onion after you've sliced it...then slice the circles in half so your slices look like C's). When the beef/chuck is brown or almost brown, throw in the mushrooms and onions. Continue browning the meat until the onions are see-through.
• Drain and rinse all then return to pan
• Add sauce, paste and water - stir
• Add all salt, pepper, garlic, basil, sugar - stir
• Cook on high until sauce mixture boils
• Once boiling, turn sauce down to simmer (or low) and let cook about half an hour.

*** About the Mayonnaise...I know you guys are wondering (or gagging...). Once upon a time I was making lasagna and found myself out of eggs after I'd already started making the recipe. I looked everywhere to find suitable substitues for eggs. I found one source saying that I could sub 3T of Mayonnaise for each egg needed in the recipe. That's all I needed, just one person who claimed that it would work. I did it, and no one noticed. In fact, on this occassion, my husband continuously told me how much he loved the lasagna. I also sent some home with one of our friends and he awarded it it, "best lasagna ever". I've been using Mayonnaise in my lasagna ever since. If you can't get past the idea - just use an egg. No big deal. :)

This recipe goes really well with a toasty, buttery loaf of garlic bread and (make your own garlic butter with: softened butter, garlic, Romano/Parm, dried parsley, and basil). :)

Skyline Casserole

If you like Skyline Chili - try this recipe! I created this a few months back on a whim and ended up feeding it to unexpected dinner guests that night. Everyone enjoyed it and my husband requested that I make it again...and often!

Ingredients:

-1 box of Angel Hair Pasta
-2 cans of Skyline Chili
-4 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
-4 to 5 hot dogs (uncooked and sliced)
-1-2 cups of oyster crackers (crunched up into smaller pieces, but not ground up)


Directions:

-Boil pasta according to package directions
-Transfer pasta into a 2qt baking dish
-Pour the chili onto pasta and gently until noodles are coated
-Cover casserole with two cups of cheese and sliced hot dogs. Gently stir until cheese and hot dogs are spread throughout.
-Cover the top of the casserole with the crunched up crackers. Use enough to cover the whole casserole.
-Cover the top of the casserole with the remaining cheese.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until cheese is melted on top (not brown) and enjoy!

Mama's Meatloaf

Here's a quick and super easy meatloaf recipe that my mom shared with me shortly after I got married. You can lighten this recipe up by using ground turkey. It turns out the same and is just as delicious.

Ingredients:

Meatloaf -

• 1 Egg
• 1 envelope Lipton Onion Soup Mix (with Mushrooms)
• 1 can (8oz) Tomato Sauce
• 1 cup Oatmeal (original quick cooking oats)
• 1-1 ½ pounds Ground Beef

Topping -

• 1/3 cup of ketchup
• 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon of dry mustard
  

Directions:

Meatloaf -

• Mix egg, ketchup, soup and oatmeal then add the beef. You can mix it up in a stand mixer, with a large spoon and a lot of mixing or by hand. If you do it by hand be sure to wash your hands afterward. Food poisoning is never fun.
  
• Place mixture in loaf pan and pat into shape.*You can also make this is a 1 1/2 - 2 qt baking dish as well.
  
• The meatloaf will look brown and will pull away from the sides of the pan when done.

Topping -

• Mix all ingredients together and spoon onto uncooked meatloaf. Spread with a knife to cover the entire meatloaf.

Bake for 1hr and 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Check the inside of the meatloaf to ensure meat is fully cooked before serving.

Summer Salad

For much of my life, I shuddered at the thought of eating a salad. I never realized that a bowl of salad contained so many wonderful possibilities until a few years ago. In the past, when I thought of salad the following image came to mind - a big bowl of cold, tasteless lettuce, covered in tomato slices (not my favorite) and ranch dressing. Blegh!

Recently, I've been doing some experimenting in the salad department. I want to share a refreshing summer salad recipe that I think you'll really enjoy; even if you're a non salad eater, you might be surprised. :) (The following recipe is for a single serving of salad - 1 bowl). You can modify it accordingly.

Ingredients:

-Spring mix lettuce
-1oz of crumbled Feta cheese
-1 peeled and sliced mini cucumber (or a few slices of a large one - English cucumbers are great!)
-1 slice of honey ham lunchmeat (or two slices if the slices are thin)
-2 medium sliced strawberries or one extra large strawberry
-2 tablespoons of a fruit salad dressing (e.g., cranberry, raspberry walnut, etc).

Directions:

-Add the lettuce, cheese, cucumber, and strawberries in your salad bowl.
-Roll the ham into a tight roll and slice into pieces.
-Add salad dressing
-Toss all to your liking and enjoy!!

This salad is like salad, lunch, and dessert all in one bowl of healthy deliciousness!

Pay Attention - Eat Your Veggies!

I am a chronic dieter, it's no secret around here. Recently, I felt myself slipping away from this perpetual diet I've been on so I forced myself to re-evaluate things. I didn't think I was eating *too* bad, but my weight loss had stalled and I knew I needed to do something. I've started counting calories; much to my surprise, I can only have 1098 calories a day to lose 2lbs a week - my goal. 1,089 calories doesn't get you too much these days. The first few days after cutting back, I was surprised to see what I could live on and not "starve." I cut the amount of yogurt I use in my smoothie by half (that eliminates 55 or so calories). I also went from eating a bowl of soup and crackers (chased by a chocolate cookie) to just a cup of soup - no crackers, no cookie. I replaced my cookie with a 50 calorie piece of candy instead; it gives me the same mental satisfaction and nothing to feel guilty about. If you want to see how what you're eating stacks up, I highly recommend it. Try a free online calorie counting tool to find out how many calories you should be eating to either lose or maintain your weight. After you have your target amount of calories, start recording everything you eat. EVERYTHING - even that broken cookie hanging out in the bottom of the cookie jar or left over food off your kids' plates. It all adds up.

Also, in an effort to stabilize my blood sugar throughout the day and continue the path to weight loss, I've been trying to eat natural, unprocessed foods, and those low in sugar. I have also been trying to eat small meals about six times a day instead of three large meals - starving myself to the point of disillusion in between each.

Here's one recipe that is surprisingly satisfying and tastes like summer to me. Even the kids like it. :-)

Ingredients:

-2 cups frozen green beans
-1-2 cups of fresh, sliced, cleaned, mushrooms
-1T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
-Coarsely ground lemon pepper
-Coarsely ground sea salt

Directions: ((simple!!))

-Using a medium to large saute pan add the beans, mushrooms and top with the olive oil.
-Stir to coat add lemon pepper and sea salt to taste.
-Cover and cook over medium-high heat until veggies are tender.

Serve and enjoy!!! You won't believe the delicious flavor in this dish. If you choose to, add some grated Romano or Parmesan for a delicious kick.