Strawberry Spinach Salad

 

I made this salad for a neighborhood progressive dinner that we participated in.  It was super delicious and got rave reviews.  At first, I was going to take the dressing and let people add their own, but then I decided to just mix it all together, like the recipe stated, and I am glad that I did.  The dressing was extremely thick, which would have made it weird when people added it themselves, but when I stirred it all together, it wasn't an issue.

Strawberry Spinach Salad
adapted from: allrecipes.com

1 Tbsp sesame seeds
1 Tbsp poppy seeds (or chia seeds, which is what I used)
1/2 c. white sugar
1/2 c. oil
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. minced onion
10 oz. spinach
sliced strawberries
1/4 c. sliced almonds
Feta cheese

In a blender, blend together the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sugar, oil balsamic vinegar, paprika, Worcestershire and onions until smooth.  In a large bowl, combine the spinach, strawberries, almonds and feta cheese.  Gently stir it all together with the dressing.  Add the dressing in a little at a time, until you get as much as you want.  I had dressing leftover at the end.  Serve it immediately.

Penne pasta with chicken alfredo

Around here, home-spun dinner is always hit and miss, but tonight, we got surprisingly lucky.  I needed to use my leftover grilled chicken, which I had marinated in a recipe off of the Tyson website.  It was yummy the first time around and added great flavor to our pasta the second time.

Penne pasta with chicken alfredo

3/4 package Penne pasta

3 T butter
2 T flour + 2 T (ish) water
2 cups water
2 chicken bullion cubes
Dehydrated onion
Dehydrated garlic
Fresh spinach
1/2 c heavy cream
1/4 c shredded Mozzarella
Grilled chicken, cubed
1 Tomato, diced

Cook pasta per directions on bag.

While pasta cooks, melt butter in a pan.  Combine flour & 2T water, shake it up to avoid lumps & then add to butter.  Stir until it thickens, then slowly add 2 cups water, stirring constantly.  Add bullion, onion, and garlic and stir until smooth.  You may need to add more water if it starts to evaporate to keep sauce from being too thick.  Add fresh spinach (may substitute frozen) and cook it down.  Then add heavy cream and mozzarella.  Stir, then add grilled chicken.  Last, add cooked pasta and fresh, diced tomato.  Enjoy!

Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta

This dish could have had any number of titles because there are so many great flavors combined: pesto, sun dried tomatoes, spinach, pine nuts, lemon.  I kind of kept adding what sounded good to me, and it came out great.  The whipping cream is definitely optional.  I happened to have some I was trying to use up, but I've made it without and it is great, too.  Last time I made it I also added crushed bacon.  I didn't have any ready this time, so I left it out.  Just be aware that bacon is such a strong taste that if you add it, it will probably over power many of the other flavors.  


Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta


1 package noodles (I used penne)
1/2 c. basil pesto (I used Classico brand, found with the spaghetti sauce at the grocery store)
1/2 c. water (reserved from the noodles)
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 c. whipping cream
2 big handfuls of spinach
1/3 c. sun dried tomatoes
1/3 c. pine nuts
Parmesan
salt and pepper to taste
1 chicken breast, cut into chunks
lemon pepper seasoning


Cook your noodles according to the package directions.  While the noodles are cooking, cook your chicken chunks in a little oil in a frying pan, sprinkled with lemon pepper (I sprinkled generously).  When the noodles are cooked, drain them and reserve 1/2 c. of the water.  Put the noodles back in the pan and add the water, basil pesto, lemon juice, whipping cream and salt and pepper.  Stir gently until it is all combined.  Gently stir in the chicken, sun dried tomatoes, spinach and pine nuts.  Serve it with Parmesan cheese. 

Chicken Roll-Ups redone

I grew up eating Chicken Roll-Ups. They were quick, they were easy, and they were good. However, I found myself comparing the sauce (cream of chicken soup) to the memory of when I had cream of chicken soup minus the chicken at the hospital when I had my appendix out, and so I revamped it a little bit so as to give it a little better flavor. But I didn't stop there and just kept adding things until I got this. Beware that I usually just add in a bunch of seasonings and flavors until it tastes good, so these are rough estimates. Enjoy!

Chicken Roll-Ups redone:

1 1/2- 2 c. cooked chicken (I use less chicken if I add more spinach)

8 oz. cream cheese

frozen or fresh spinach (I used about as much spinach as chicken... 1 1/2 c. ish)

lemon juice (I either cook the chicken in lemon juice or add it in when I mix the ingredients, probably 2-4 tbsp.)

italian seasoning

oregano

3+ tbsp. melted butter

2 cans crescent rolls or biscuits

For sauce:

2 cans cream of chicken soup

sour cream (about 1/2 c. or a little more)

milk (1- 1 1/2 c., or until desired thinness)

italian seasoning

oregano

For topping: (I used the leftover topping I had from making this ziti and it was awesome. You can also use italian breadcrumbs)

1 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 c. Italian breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon romano cheese, grated
1 tablespoon parmesan cheese, grated
1 teaspoon fresh garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix topping ingredients and set aside. Soften cream cheese. Mix chicken, cream cheese, spinach, lemon juice, and seasonings (to taste) in a medium sized bowl. (I used frozen spinach and mixed it in without thawing it and it came out great.) Press crescent rolls flat and put even amounts of cream cheese filling onto rolls. Fold dough over and seal the edges to make mini looking calzones. Dip each roll into melted butter, then into ziti topping (or Italian breadcrumbs) and arrange side by side in 9X13 pan (I use round cake pans). Top with any remaining topping and bake uncovered for 20 min. or until dough has cooked through.

For sauce:

Mix cans of cream of chicken soup, sour cream, milk, and seasonings (to taste) over medium-high heat stirring occasionally.

Serve sauce over rolls and enjoy.

(The picture shown does not have ziti topping.)