Rotini with Lime Vinaigrette

Craving those southwest flavors... here is the cure...

• 1 box tri-color rotini
• 1 small fine diced onion
• 2 Roma tomatoes chopped and seeded
• 1 can of black bean, drained and rinsed
• 1 can of white hominy, drained and rinsed
• 2 cloves of garlic minced
• 2 chipotles in adobe finely diced
• 2 avocados chopped
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
• 1/2 olive oil
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 cup packed cilantro
• salt and pepper

Cook pasta aldente, drain and cool.  Combine pasta, onion, tomato, beans, hominy, garlic, chipotles and avocado and toss.

Lime vinaigrette:
 
In food processor or blender, puree lime juice, orange juice, olive oil, honey, cilantro and salt and pepper to taste.

Toss pasta mixture with vinaigrette and chill for at least 1 hour.

Italian Pasta Salad

So with the Forth of July upon us, I am again busy making salads for our big party down by the river.  I thought I would share this one with you...

• 1 box of penne pasta
• 3 Roma tomatoes seeded and chopped
• 1 cup chopped English cucumbers
• 1 small sweet or red onion diced fine
• 1clove garlic mince
• 1/2 cup chopped black olives
• 1/2 cup fresh mozzarella diced
• 2 Tbs fresh chopped flat leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped basil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 cup Italian dressing

Cook pasta aldente in salted water.  Combine all ingredients together and toss. Chill for at least one hour or overnight.  The longer this pasta sits the more the better it taste!

Cheesy Barbecue Meatballs

So I was bored last night and wanted a meatballs for some reason.  Well here is the result of my boredom...

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/2 medium sweet onion 
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 tsp Grill Mates steak seasoning
• 2 tsp Grill Mates barbecue seasoning
• 1 egg and 1 egg white
• 1/2 plain bread crumbs
• 1Tbs mayo
• 1 cup shredded white cheddar
• 1 bottle barbecue sauce of choice ( I used Budweiser honey barbecue)
• 3/4 cup beef stock

Place ground beef in a mixing bowl and grate the onion and the garlic in the meat. I prefer to grate the garlic and the onion because it incorporates the flavor in the mixture without biting into the meatball and getting nothing but a big onion.

Then add the seasonings, egg, bread crumbs mayo and cheese.

Mix all together, but carefully, too much mixing makes tough meatballs. Round meat mixture into 1 inch balls or whatever size you prefer, the bigger they are the less your get and vice versa.

Panfry meatballs on med high heat just until they brown, then lower the heat to med low and finishing cooking for about 7 minutes or until cooked through.  Add your bottled barbecue and the beef stock, stir to combine and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes on med low.

Place meatballs in a sub, or on top of  Sour Cream and Chive Mashers

Sour Cream and Chive Mashers

•  2 to 3 lbs baby red potatoes 
• 1 Tbs chopped fresh chives
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 light cream
• 2 Tbs butter
• salt and pepper to taste

Rinse and slice in half the potatoes, leaving the skins on.  Boil in salted water till fork tender.  Drain and place potatoes back in hot pot to for 1 to 2 minutes so they dry off a bit.

Then add chives, sour cream, cream, butter and salt and pepper.  Hand mash until all ingredients are combined and potatoes are still a little chunky. No mixers please we don't want whipped potatoes here

Sprinkle with shredded cheese if desired.


These go great under Cheesy Barbecue Meatballs!

Baby reds work best for mashing, plus the skins are very soft.  But you can use any potatoes of your liking.

Cream of Potato Soup

• 7 or 8 large russet potatoes ( dice all but 2)
• 7 or 8 slices of bacon diced
• 1 Tbs olive oil 
• 2 celery stalks diced fine
• 1 large sweet onion diced fine
• 2 to 3 tsp fresh thyme
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 Tbs flour 
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup light cream
• 1 12-14 oz can of evaporated milk 
• green onions, cheese and sour cream for topping

Place the 2 reserved whole potatoes in the microwave and cook for 6 minutes.  Set aside to cool.  Fry diced bacon in a dutch oven or stock pot until crispy.  Remove and set aside.  Reserve 2 Tbs of bacon fat in the pot.  Add the oil, onions and celery then cook on med heat till soft.  Add diced potatoes, salt, pepper and thyme.  Continue cooking for 5 to 7 minutes.    Meanwhile skin and mash the 2 potatoes from earlier and set aside.  Add flour to vegetables in the pot and cook on medium for a minute or so.  Slowly add the chicken stock to the pot, turn the heat to high and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Let simmer on low for 20 to 30 minute until potatoes are fork tender.  Add the cream and the milk and cook for another 5 minutes.  Top with the reserved bacon and any other topping you may like.

Finally

If I had a penny for every time someone said to me "You should have a recipe book or something" I would be rich! 

Well here it is Sister and others who may be interested as well... a place for all my recipes. You can search and find what ever your tummy desires. 

Please leave comments to let me know how it turned out or any enhancements you have done to "make it your own"