Chicken Pasta Salad (great summer recipe)

2 cups (500 mL) raw rotini or other medium pasta shape (or 3 cups/750 mL cooked)
2 cups (750 mL) cooked chicken (leftover grilled, roast or rotisserie is fine), cut into 1/2-inch (0.5-cm) cubes
1/2 cup (125 mL) cheddar, Swiss or Monterey Jack cheese, cut into cubes
2 green onions, chopped
1 small green or red pepper, chopped
1/4 cup (50 mL) finely chopped parsley
1/4 cup (50 mL) mayonnaise
1/4 cup (50 mL) plain yogurt
2 tsp. (10 mL) cider vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. (2 mL) salt
1/4 tsp. (1 mL) black pepper
Also add any cooked vegetables you want. I added peas and broccoli (it was delicious)!

Cooking Instructions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but not mushy. Drain, then rinse well under cold running water and drain again very thoroughly. Transfer to a large bowl.
2. To the pasta, add the chicken, cheese, green onions, green or red pepper and chopped parsley. Toss to mix.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, yogurt, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper. Pour over the salad and toss well to coat everything with dressing. If you're making this salad to serve later, add the dressing at the last possible moment before serving. (Pasta has a tendency to absorb dressing as it sits.) Leftovers can be revived with a bit of additional dressing at serving time.

Just a note: It's better if it is served cold! Combine everything, except dressing, and place in the fridge 1/2 hr. before serving. Pour dressing right before serving.

Brownie Sheet Cake or Texas Sheet Cake (since we're in Texas)

Here's the recipe for that sheet cake I made for the BBQ. I hope you all enjoy!

1/2 c margarine
1/2 c milk
1 c water
1/2 c oil
1/4 c cocoa
2 c flour
2 c sugar
1 t soda, 1/4 t salt
2 eggs
1 t vanilla

Combine margarine, milk, water, oil and cocoa and bring barely to a boil. Remove from heat. Combine dry ingredients, add liquids, eggs and vanilla. Grease a large cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 20 min. Let cake cool!
FROSTING: 1/2 c margarine, 1/2 c milk, 4 T cocoa, 4 c powdered sugar, and 1 t vanilla. Combine the butter, milk, and cocoa then bring to a small boil. Add sugar and vanilla. Pour onto cake while hot.

Peanut Butter Bars

1/2 cup melted butter
2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs (4 whole sticks or 16-1/4)
1 cup peanut butter
2 cups powdered sugar

Mix all ingredients and spread in 8x8 pan and frost with melted chocolate chips or melted vanilla or chocolate bark.

Note: I put the 4 whole sticks in a ziploc bag and use a rolling pin to make them into tiny crumbs.

Cornbread

Mix together:
1 c melted butter
1 1/3 C sugar
2 C water with 1 tbsp vinegar
4 eggs
1 tsp salt

Add to mixture & stir: 1 ¼ cup cornmeal

Mix together & add to above:
2 ¾ C flour
1 ½ tsp b. powder
½ tsp b. soda

Bake 375 for 30 min (9x13 pan)

Big Batch Vegetable Soup

This is a yummy soup recipe that I found online.

2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
2 tsp Italian seasoning
Salt and ground pepper, to taste
3 (14.5 oz) cans reduced-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes, with juice
1 tbsp tomato paste
8 cups mixed fresh or frozen vegetables, such as: carrots, corn, green beans, lima beans, peas, potatoes, and zucchini (cut larger vegetables into smaller pieces)

Heat oil in large stockpot over medium heat. Add onions, celery and Italian seasoning; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until oneions are translucent, 5-8 minutes.

Add broth, tomatoes, tomato paste, and 3 cups water to pot; bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook, uncovered, 20 minutes.

Add vegetables to pot, and return to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, until vegetables are tender, 20-25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, as desired.

Cottage Cheese Salad

I don't normally buy cottage cheese since none of my family is a huge fan of it. I can eat it plain but I don't think it is the best. However, if there is a sale at H.E.B. like buy sour cream get a free cottage cheese I get it or vice versa if I need sour cream. Anyways, I really like this salad and it uses up the cottage cheese that I get. Enjoy!

Cottage Cheese Salad
(It may sound gross but I really like it and I am not a huge fan of plain cottage cheese.)

1 (3 oz.) pkg. lime jello
1 (3 oz.) pkg. lemon jello
1/2 c. sugar
1 big can crushed pineapple
1 pint very hot water (2 cups)
1/2 pint whipping cream (small)
1 carton cottage cheese (2 cups or 1 pint)

Dissolve jello and sugar in hot water. Put in a 9x13 pan, and add pineapple to jello. Put in refrigerator until it starts to thicken (barely set). Whip whipping cream until it becomes thick (cool whip like). Then stir (fold) in cottage cheese and whipped whipping cream and put in refrigerator.

Note: Whipping the whipping cream works best with cold bowl and beaters. I usually put them in the freezer for a little while before I use them to whip the whipping cream.

Pie Crust

When Jami gave me the Chicken Pot Pie recipe that she posted I didn't have a recipe for pie crusts. Since you all are better cooks then I, you probably don't need this but I thought I would post it anyways. This is the recipe Jami gave me and I use for the pie crust when I make the previously posted Chicken Pot Pie. Since I made Chicken Pot Pie tonight I thought I would post this.

Chicken Pot Pie Crust
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 cup shortening
6-7 Tbls. ice water

Cut shortening into flour and salt until it looks like corn meal. Add all the water and mix until moist. Divide into 2 balls then roll out.

Note: Jami told me that if you put the ball of dough in the fridge for a little while before actually rolling it out it works better.