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.

Crab Rangoon

submitted by Nicole Anderson

Ingredients:

1 can crab

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese

green onion

won­ton wrappers

Mix together and place about a quarter size amount in center of won­ton wrapper. Fold using 

egg into a boat or hat. Fry in vegetable oil until brown. Serve while hot with sweet & sour sauce.

Strawberry Avocado Salsa

submitted by Molly Miner

2 cups strawberries, stemmed and diced
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tsp. lime zest
2-3 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tsp. jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 tsp. evaporated cane sugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Toss gently, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve.

Serves 4.

Orzo with Roasted Vegetables

submitted by Jessica Johns

 Adapted from an Ina Garten recipe

Ingredients

·         1 red bell pepper, 1-inch diced

·         1 yellow bell pepper, 1-inch diced

·         1 red onion, peeled and 1-inch diced

·         2 garlic cloves, minced

·         1/3 cup good olive oil

·         1 teaspoon kosher salt

·         1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

·         1/2 pound orzo or rice-shaped pasta

For the dressing:

·         1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (juice of 2 lemons)

·         1/3 cup good olive oil

·         1 teaspoon kosher salt

·         1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

To assemble:

·         4 scallions, minced (white and green parts)

·         fresh basil leaves, cut into julienne, to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Toss the bell peppers, onion, and garlic with the olive oil, salt, and pepper on a large sheet pan. Roast for 40 minutes, until browned, turning once with a spatula.

Meanwhile, cook the orzo in boiling salted water for 7 to 9 minutes, until tender. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the roasted vegetables to the pasta, scraping all the liquid and seasonings from the roasting pan into the pasta bowl.

Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper to prepare the dressing and pour it on the pasta and vegetables while they're still warm, tossing to combine. Let the pasta/veggies/dressing cool to room temperature.  Then add the scallions and basil. Serve at room temperature.

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.

Mango Salsa

Recipe from Annie McAferty

This recipe calls for jalapeno jelly. It’s usually found in grocery stores by the other jams and jellies. You can substitute pepper jelly for it, even if it’s red pepper jelly. Hyvee and the Countryside Market carry jalapeno jelly, but I don't remember WalMart having it.

½ cup jalapeno jelly

3 TBSP fresh lime juice

2 ½ cups mango, peeled, pitted, and chopped

1 ¼ cup red bell pepper, chopped

¾ cup red onion, chopped

⅓ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 jalapeno, diced

salt and pepper to taste

Whisk together the jelly and lime juice in a large bowl. Mix in remaining ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with fish tacos or just with tortilla chips. 

Blossom Bread

Recipe from Annie McAferty

This bread makes a great appetizer or side dish to basically anything.

1 round loaf bakery bread (not sliced)

1 lb monterey jack cheese, grated (I usually use a little less)

½ cup butter, melted

⅓ cup chopped green onions

2-3 tsp poppy seeds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the bread lengthwise an inch apart and crosswise an inch apart without cutting all the way through the bottom of the crust. Insert cheese and onions between cuts, drizzle with butter, then sprinkle on the poppy seeds. Wrap in foil and place on baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10 minutes longer, or until cheese is melted.

Texas Caviar

submitted by Cassy Elg

1 c black eyed peas
1 c pinto beans
1 small jar pimientos
1 small onion diced
1 c celery diced
1 c shoepeg corn
Minced pickled jalapenos (optional)
Dressing:
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1 T water
3/4 c cider vinegar
1/2 c oil
1 c sugar
Heat ingredients for the dressing in medium saucepan, bring to a boil, cool completely. Mix veggies and beans in a large bowl, pour cooled dressing over top and mix. Lid it up and let marinate in the refrigerator at least a couple hours, best if overnight. Stir before serving, serve as dip with Frito scoops.

Aunt Jenny’s Cornbread

 submitted by Sharee Liebing

(make this and a can of chili and call it good!)

Dry Ingredients:                          Wet Ingredients:
1 cup cornmeal                              4 eggs, beaten
3 cups flour                                    2/3 cup oil
1 1/3 cup sugar                              6 Tblsp. butter, melted
2 Tblsp. baking powder                 2 ½ cup milk
1 tsp. salt

Combine dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately before combining together. Pour into a 9x13 baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees until toothpick inserted comes out clean (about 35-45 minutes)

Roasted, Glazed Mushrooms from Cook’s Country

submitted by cooking club

2 lb white mushrooms, trimmed and halved

1 ½ tsp salt

1 ½ TBSP olive oil

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ tsp packed brown sugar

½ tsp black pepper

1 TBSP unsalted butter

1 tsp fresh thyme, minced (or ¼ tsp dried thyme)

Adjust oven rack to lowest position. Place rimmed baking sheet on rack in oven and heat oven to 500 degrees.

Combine mushrooms and salt in large, microwave safe bowl. Cover with a large plate and microwave until mushrooms release ¾ to 1 cup liquid, about 10 minutes, stirring halfway through microwaving. Strain mushrooms in colander and let sit for 5 minutes to drain completely. Return mushrooms to now-empty bowl, add oil and stir to coat.

Transfer mushrooms to preheated sheet and roast until browned and liquid has evaporated, 22 to 25 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking. Whisk vinegar, garlic, sugar, and pepper together in 2-cup liquid measuring cup. Remove mushrooms from oven, pour vinegar mixture over mushrooms, and stir to coat. Return mushrooms to oven and roast until vinegar is reduced to glaze, 9 to 12 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking. Place mushrooms in serving bowl and stir in butter and thyme. Serve.