Week of Aug 21, 2016

2 bean salad with bacon

Sun - Penne with Meat Sauce
Mon - Chicken and Dumplings
Tue - Tamales
Wed - Sesame-Ginger Noodles
Thur - Pasta Salad with Italian Sausage
Fri - 2 Bean Salad with Bacon

Pasta and Meat Sauce

1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, pressed

1/4 chopped onion
1/2 cup loosely packed, fresh basil

1 tsp Italian Seasoning
1 lb Italian Sausage or Ground Beef
1 lb spaghetti pasta
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

Brown meat in large skillet. Remove when done. add olive if needed for total of 2 tbsp fat in pan. saute onions in pan until translucent. Add garlic,cook until fragrant. Add in crushed tomatoes - juice and all into pan. Stir in seasoning and basil. Return meat and mix in. Allow to simmer for at least 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Cook pasta according to package. 

Mix suace with pasta. Sprinkle with shredded cheese enjoy.

Baked Chicken and Dumplings

chicken and veggies

1 lb cooked, diced chicken or turkey

1 can cream of celery or chicken soup

2 stalks of celery, diced

2 cloves of garlic, pressed

1/2 medium onion, diced

1 small bag of frozen mixed veggies

1 1/2 can of water

salt and pepper

Sauté the onion, celery and garlic until onion is translucent. Meanwhile, mix soup, water, salt and pepper in a 9x13 baking pan. Add all other ingredients, and mix together.

 dumplings - drop biscuits

2  cups flour

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

4 tbsp soft butter

4 tbsp shortening

3/4 cup butter milk (to make butter milk - add 1 tsp of white vinegar to 3/4 cup milk, let sit 2 minutes)

 Mix dry ingredients, butter and shortening in a large mixing bowl with a fork or pastry bender. Until it resembles peas. Add butter milk mix until it forms a dough. Scoop small dumplings out of the mix and drop into the pan on top of the chicken/veg mix.

Bake at 375 uncovered until the dumplings are golden brown and done all the way through. About 30-40 minutes.

Pasta Salad

1 lb fusilli (spirals) pasta (multi-colored looks nice, can also use any small pasta -even tortellini)

1/2 to 1 cup Italian Dressing

1 cup diced sun dried tomatoes in olive oil

1/2 cup fresh sliced mushrooms (any variety)

2/3 cup pitted kalamata olives

1/2 diced green bell pepper

1 cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Salt and Pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions. allow to cool. In a large salad bowl mix ingredients together. Start with 1/2 cup dressing to start, taste if add more if needed. Add salt and pepper last, to taste. It may not need salt at all depending on the dressing. Serve cool or slightly warm.

Green Bean Salad with bacon
Ingredients
3 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 tsp lemon juice
1 (15 oz) can white beans, drained and rinsed
1 pound green and/or wax beans, trimmed and halved
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
1 lb bacon, diced
Directions
1. Dressing: Whisk the juice, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl, then whisk in the olive oil. 
2. Brown bacon in a large non-stick skillet. Drain, leaving about 1-2 tbsp of drippings in skillet.
3. Cook grean/wax beans in skillet until tender, about 5 minutes. Stirring often. Add in white beans. Stir together. Empty into salad bowl with dressing. Serve warm or cold. 

4. Before serving, stir the parsley and chives into the salad and season with salt and pepper.