Pasta Salad- Mix and Match!

This is a great article I found in the last issue of Food Networks Magazine. I had been looking for a GOOD pasta salad and this was a great answer. It gives you lots of options to change it up, and to pick according to your tastes. First I will post the article with all the options, and then I will tell you what I picked to put together at the end. Here is a link to the article online as well. 

Mix and Match Pasta Salad

Food Network Magazine

1. Choose a Pasta

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook 1/2 pound of any of these pastas as the label directs; drain and rinse under cold water. Transfer to a large bowl.

2. Pick a Protein (Optional)

Add 1 cup of any of these ingredients, if desired.

Chicken, cooked and chopped

Steak, cooked and chopped

Ham or salami, cubed

Roast beef, chopped

Canned tuna, drained and flaked

Lump crabmeat, picked over

Shrimp, cooked and chopped

Eggs, hard-boiled and chopped

Baked tofu, chopped

3. Pick Your Vegetables
Add 2 of these vegetables or beans, 1 cup each. (To blanch vegetables, boil until crisp-tender, then drain and cool in ice water.)

Broccoli florets, blanched

Corn kernels, blanched

Carrots, shredded

Cherry tomatoes, halved

Green beans, blanched and chopped

Frozen peas or snap peas, blanched

Celery, sliced

Cucumber, diced

Red onion, diced

Bell pepper, diced

Asparagus, blanched and chopped

Canned chickpeas or white beans, drained and rinsed

4. Pick a Mix-In
Add 1/3 cup of any of these ingredients.

Sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

Roasted red peppers, chopped

Olives, pitted and chopped

Any cheese, shredded or crumbled

Any nut, toasted and chopped

Bacon, cooked and crumbled

5. Dress the Salad
Make one of these dressings, then pour over the pasta salad and toss. Season with salt and pepper. Chill for up to 3 hours.

Vinaigrette

Whisk 1/3 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar, 1 minced shallot, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste.

Creamy Herb

Whisk 1/3 cup mayonnaise, 3 tablespoons sour cream, 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1/2 cup chopped mixed herbs, and salt and pepper to taste.

Garlic Oil

Cook 3 thinly sliced garlic cloves and a pinch of red pepper flakes in 1/3 cup olive oil over medium heat, stirring, 3 minutes; let cool. Season with salt and pepper.

Creamy Parmesan

Mix 1/4 cup each mayonnaise and sour cream, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon finely grated garlic, 3/4 cup grated parmesan, and salt and pepper to taste.

What I picked: I chose a regular rotini pasta, boiled 3 chicken breast and cut them into chunks, diced celery, diced green bell pepper, shredded mozzarella, and sliced greek olives. The dressing I chose was the creamy herb and it was delicious! For the mixed herbs I bought a tube of herbs in oil from the produce section of cilantro and basil and used about a tablespoon of each one instead of chopping them fresh. It worked out perfectly. I wasn't totally in love with the olives with this mixture, would be better in one of the vinaigrette dressings I think, but mom loved them. Next time I make this with the creamy herb dressing I think I will do boiled eggs instead of the olives, and I think tomatoes would have been perfect in this as well. I can't wait to try the other 3 dressings and different ingredients to find the right mixture for the right dressing. It was fun! :-) Pasta salad doesn't have to be boring and tasteless- this was delicious and I will make it again!!

Tip: Another reason I like this dish is it is a good way to use what you have in your pantry already. The chicken I used was leftover from homemade pizza I made. I boiled the whole package and only used 1 chicken breast so I had it in the fridge ready to go for this one. Most of the vegetables I used I had cut fresh in my fridge for snacks and I just diced them into smaller pieces. So this is a good way to use leftovers up or use up any fresh produce you may have before it goes bad. It seems I always have a tupperware container of something in my fridge that I end up having to throw out because I bought more than we needed. This way I didn't have to do that this week! Yay!  

Pulled Pork Stuffed Jalapenos

Ok I haven't tried this recipe yet, but it looks really good. It was the "name this recipe" in the last issue of Food Network Magazine, which, by the way, if you like cooking- I highly recommend subscribing to. Jeff got me a subscription as one of my Christmas gifts this year and I LOVE it. Anyway- this looks too good to not share. If you try it please let me know! 

Pulled Pork Stuffed Jalapenos 

From Food Network Magazine

12 jalapeno peppers
2 cups milk
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
2 T cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup prepared pulled pork
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
Kosher salt
2 cups breadcrumbs
Vegetable oil, for frying
BBQ sauce, for dipping

1. Slice each jalapeno open lengthwise, then make a small cut crosswise at the stem end to form a T. Gently open the jalapenos and scrape out the seeds and membranes with a knife. Put the jalapenos, milk, and 2 cups water in a large bowl and soak for 15 minutes, stirring once or twice. 
2. Meanwhile, mix cheddar, cream cheese, pulled pork, and chili powder in a bowl with your hands until combined. Drain the jalapenos and pat them dry. Stuff 1 to 2 tablespoons cheese filling into each pepper. 
3. Put the flour in a shallow dish. Whisk the eggs and 1/2 tsp salt in another dish. One at a time hold the peppers by the stems and dredge in flour, then dip in beaten eggs, letting the excess drip off, and roll in breadcrumbs; dip in eggs again and reroll in breadcrumbs. Transfer to a plate and refrigerate until the coating sets, about 20 minutes. 
4. Heat about 1 inch of vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 300 degrees. Fry the jalapenos in batches, turning, until golden brown; 4 to 5 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and serve with BBQ sauce.

Leftover Chicken Salad Sandwich

Here is what I made for lunch today. I had several chicken breast that I had marinated and baked for dinner leftover. So today I chunked the chicken up, cold, mixed it in a bowl with a little mayo, and chopped up some bell pepper that I had in the fridge. Made a great sandwich with a slice of tomato.  If I had planned ahead a little better I would have gotten some more veggies to toss in and would have gotten fat free Mayo and some thicker type of wheat bread instead of using white bread slices. It was a little soggie. Haha. I like to post these little ideas for lunch and ways to use leftovers (wish I had more on here!) because lunch always seems to be a pain to figure out for me. And I get tired of the "same old same old". Anyway. It was REALLY good. (I had marinated the chicken in Lawry's Sun Dried Tomato Marinade. SO GOOD)

Total Thanksgiving Sandwich

I laughed when Jeff gave me this "recipe" but then Jeff was the one laughing when a few weeks later 3 different chefs on Food Network made versions of the same sandwich. Hahaha. This is so good the day after Thanksgiving. 

Total Thanksgiving Sandwich

From: Jeff

2 pieces white bread

2 pieces leftover turkey

1 ½ slices cranberry sauce from a can

Mayo

Spread Mayo on both slices of bread. Layer Cranberry sauce first, then turkey, assemble and enjoy. Your eyes will roll back in your head. Promise. (Jeff's words.. )