Spinach Artichoke Pasta Salad

submitted by Anna Kaminski

~ Rachel Ray recipe - this is a fresh, delicious dish to bring to a spring/summer BBQ!

 Servings: 6-8

Ingredients

• Coarse salt and fresh pepper to taste

• 1 lb. penne or other short pasta

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 3 T red wine vinegar

• Juice of 1 small lemon

• 6 oz. baby spinach, chopped

• 1 can artichoke hearts in water, drained & coarsely chopped

• 1 container of feta cheese, or freshly chopped mozzarella

• ½ cup pitted Kalamata olives, coarsely chopped

• ½ medium red onion, chopped

• ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped

Cook pasta according to package directions and drain, and give time to cool. Combine olive oil, vinegar, and lemon juice in the bottom of a large serving bowl. Add the remaining ingredients plus the pasta to the bowl and toss until well combined. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Chicken tortellini salad

submitted by Shelley Lange
 from The Family Flavor

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and ground pepper for seasoning
1-9oz package fresh cheese tortellini (I use frozen)
1-10oz carton cherry tomatoes
2c baby spinach
1/4 c red onion - thinly sliced
1/2c prepared pesto
2tsp red wine vinegar (I use more -to taste)
1/3c extra virgin olive oil (I use less)

Preheat oven to 400. Set chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Rub a small amount of olive oil onto each one and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 25-30 minutes or until an inserted thermometer reaches 165. Allow to cool. Shred into bite size pieces and set aside.
In  a large pot of boiling salted water cook tortellini according to package directions. Drain and set aside to cool. In a small bowl combine pesto and red wine vinegar. While whisking slowly drizzle in olive oil.
In a large bowl combine chicken, tortellini, tomatoes, spinach, and red onion. Drizzle pesto vinaigrette over the top and toss well. Serve immediately or refrigerate and serve chilled.

EASY Café Rio Pork and House Dressing

submitted by Tricia Keeler

*just play with the ingredients in this recipe, I don’t have precise measurements*

Sweet Pork:

• Pork roast

• Brown sugar (about half the bag, I know it seems like a lot, but it’s delicious)

• “Herdez” Salsa Verde (about ¾ the can)

• Water (a cupish)

• Salt and pepper

Rub the pork roast in salt and pepper and place in a crockpot with the water. Cook low 6-7 hours. Shred the pork, add brown sugar and salsa. Play around with the ingredients until you get the flavor you like, you might need to buy an extra can of salsa depending on the size of your roast.

Dressing:

• 1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch powder

• 1 cup mayo

• ½ cup milk

• 1 lime juice

• 2 garlic cloves

• ½ cup roughly chopped cilantro (fresh)

• ¼ can “Herdez” Salsa Verde

In a blender combine ranch powder, milk, and mayo and blend. Then add everything else and blend.  Again, just play with it until you get the flavor you like. We usually eat this in salad form with a tortilla, beans, and rice. You can even find the crispy tortilla chips that Café Rio has and put them on top. It also makes a yummy burrito and the leftovers are fantastic!

Wingers Sticky Sauce (copycat recipe)

submitted by Allie McGrew

3 Tbsp. Franks Hot Sauce (It has to be Franks Hot Sauce… no other sauce will taste as good)
3/4 c. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. water
Heat up hot sauce, brown sugar and water in a sauce pot until all the sugar dissolves ( I brought it to a boil and let it boil for a minute or two). That’s it.
You can use it to coat wings, popcorn chicken, etc. Once you chicken is cooked pour sauce over or put chicken in a container with a lid, pour sauce over the chicken, cover with the lid and shake to coat chicken in the sauce.
I always use this sauce over chicken and then put the chicken in a salad!