Pasta Tuna Salad

My mother used to make this pasta salad for me when I was a kid and I still love it. The funny thing is she doesn't really remember it at all. My kids don't like it but me and my husband can't get enough it of it. I usually only make it during the summer and it seems to be a big hit at our picnic's up at the great hill. It is a great salad to bring to a party because it goes well with just about anything. Try it and let me know what you think.

Ingredients
1 pound fusili pasta
1 can of tuna drained
1 8 ounce can of sliced black olives
1 red bell pepper diced
2 stalks celery diced
4 scallions sliced thinly
2 pickles cut up and diced

Dressing

1 1/2 cups of mayo
2 tablespoons pickle juice
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
salt and pepper
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

Directions

In a large pot boil water and cook pasta according to instructions. Drain pasta and rinse with cold water. Drain well and mix in all the other ingredients. Whisk together mayo, mustard, pickle juice, salt and pepper and Italian seasoning, until combined well. Add dressing to the pasta mixture. Cover and sit in refrigerator until ready to serve. I usually make mine early in the day so all the flavors blend together.

Mexican Stuffed Shells

I made this for my mother, aunt, and family over the summer vacation. I found it on pinterest and immediately pinned it because of the mouth watering photo. I pin with my eyes first and then if I can't stop thinking about it I will go back click on the blog and read the directions.  If it seems easy and delish I will give it a try. If it is fantastic I then share it on my blog. I was a bit worried with this one because to me pasta and Mexican food do not sound appetizing. However every time I looked at the photo my mouth watered and I just had to give it a try. My mom is not easiest person to please so I was really worried that I would sit down look at her face and she would say nothing and politely push it around while taking small bites. However, she, my aunt and my husband loved it. They said it tasted like tamales. We each had two helpings and I will definitely make this one again.

This is a great dish to serve for guests with some Spanish rice and salad. It calls for monterey jack cheese. I didn't have any on hand so I left it out. Next time I will for sure buy some and add it because I think it would add another nice kick to it.  Try this and let me know what you think.


Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1 package low-sodium taco seasoning or any taco seasoning you prefer
4 oz. cream cheese
14-16 jumbo pasta shells
1 1/2 cup salsa
1 cup taco sauce (This is a smooth, tomato based sauce found in the Mexican section)
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 cup monterey jack cheese
3 green onions
Sour cream (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°

Cook the pasta shells according to directions; don't over cook and drain. Rinse with cold water so they don't stick together.

In a frying pan cook ground beef; add taco seasoning and prepare according to package directions.  Add cream cheese, cover and simmer until cheese is melted. Blend well. Set aside and cool. 

Pour salsa on bottom of 9×13 baking dish.  Stuff each shell with the meat mixture. Place shells in 9×13 pan open side up. Cover shells with taco sauce.  Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, add shredded cheese and bake for 10-15 more minutes, with the foil removed.  Top with any condiments you’d like (green onions, black olives, etc.) Serve with sour cream and/or more salsa.

This fabulous recipe came from the blog, This way to his Heart.

Sub Sandwich a.k.a The Big Sandwich

Football season has started and this sandwich is perfect for game day. This sub happens to be my favorite. I have been making it for quite a few years now because I find it very difficult to find it to be fresh good quality meat, cheese and bread. Every year my family asks me to make this and it is probably the only sandwich that can sit over night in the fridge and still taste fantastic the next day for lunch. I have changed the meat and cheese many different ways but I have to say this combo is always the best. My sister calls it the big sandwich because I usually use a big, fat, crusty on the outside soft in the side French loaf.

Ingredients

Large french loaf
1/4 lb thinly sliced honey turkey
1/4 lb thinly sliced honey ham
6 slices of salami

6 slices of provolone
2 cups shredded Romain lettuce
6-7 slices of tomato
6 thinly sliced sweet onion
1 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons mayo
3 tablespoons mustard
1 tablespoons red wine vinegar
salt and pepper


Directions

Slice bread in half and remove a bit of the inside on each side. This allows room for all the meat, cheese and veggies. Add mayo to each side of the bread and then mustard on the top. Layer with ham, turkey, salami, and cheese. Then add lettuce, tomato, onion, salt and pepper and vinegar and oil. Top with the other half of the loaf and cut into 5 to six slices. 

I first gut out of the a bit of the bread so the filling sinks into it and doesn't get pushed out when biting into it.

1st layer ham

2nd layer turkey

3rd layer salami

4th layer provolone cheese

5th layer is lettuce tomato, onion salt and pepper mayo and mustard on both sides of the bread. 

Blackberry Crisp with Creeping Raspberries

I absolutely love August because of the blackberries that grow wild outside of my mom's house. I went crazy this year and tried a few recipes with them. This was the first and I added a different berry that is also growing wild outside near the blackberries. These we discovered last year and luckily they start growing in late June so we got to enjoy them all of July. They are called Creeping Raspberries and from what I noticed are great ground cover, grow very easily and are quite delicious. I would say they taste like a cross between a raspberry and tangerine. Me and my kids could not get enough of them. Because the blackberries were still not quite plentiful in early August. I added some of them to my crisp and oh boy was I very happy with the result.

These were growing down the hill and hanging over the rock wall

Ingredients

For the berry mixture
4-5 cups blackberries and creeping raspberries
3/4 cup of sugar
2 tablespoons flour

For the topping
1 3/4 cup of oats
1 cup of flour
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1/2 cup cold butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Directions
Pre heat oven to 350 degrees

Wash berries gently and dry on a backing sheet lined with a paper towel. Add those berries gently to a bowl and toss them with sugar and flour. Try not to mix to much so the berries keep their shape.

Add these berries to a baking dish a little larger than 9x9 if possible if not 9x9 will do.

In another bowl add oats, flour, sugar, cinnamon and cold butter cut into small squares. With a pastry cutter or your fingers mix all of it together until it creates large peas size lumps. Cover the berries and bake 25 to 35 minutes or until golden and bubbling.

Trust me you wont have any leftovers. If you don't have creeping raspberries you could make this same recipe with all blackberries. Try it and let me know what you think.

Mexican Chicken Chili Casserole

My mother makes this dish for me and guests at least once a year. It is super delish and leftovers are even better. I guarantee you will like it also and it is very easy to make. Give it a try and let me know what you think. 

1st layer of tortillas

Then add 1/2 chicken soup mixture

Then add 1/2 the cheese before you start the next layer

Ingredients

4 Chicken Breasts with bone

2 cups water

1 cup chicken broth 

4 oz diced green chilies

1 pound cheddar cheese

1 cup milk

1 can cream of mushroom soup

2 tablespoons grated onion

1 package corn tortillas cut into 4 triangles

Directions

Place chicken in skillet with 2 cups of water or enough that it just covers chicken and simmer for about 25 minutes depending on the size of the chicken breasts. Once it has cooled Shred the chicken 

My mother reserves the broth and adds 2 chicken bouillon cubes. From that she uses one cup of it for the chicken, cheese and soup mixture. You can use 1 cup of chicken broth also.

In a medium bowl combine 1 cup chicken broth, milk, soup, onion, chilies, mix together well. Then add shredded chicken. You can use this mixture now or let sit in the fridge for a few hours ahead of time.

Butter a 9x13 pan and then lay down 6 tortilla pieces that have been cut into triangles. Then layer half the the chicken mixture. On top of that layer half the shredded cheese. Then add another layer of 6 tortillas, then chicken mixture and top with the remainder of cheese.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. let sit for at least 5 to 10 minutes before serving. 

Pub Mustard

Many many years ago I worked at the Nordstrom Cafe. No matter how many years ago it was I could never forget their club sandwich with pub mustard. I tried to find it at every store I've ever been to and then decided to see if I could make it. I found a recipe on line after googling it and was so excited to try it. I hated the idea that every recipe I found called for 2 cups of dry mustard because it is so expensive. I found a large bottle at a discount grocery store and it turned out horrible. I guess you get what you pay for. Well I went out and bought Colemans and decided to cut the recipe down so I could make a little and if I hated it well then it didn't cost too much.

This time it turned out amazing and we had club sandwiches several times after just so we could eat this mustard. If you never had pub mustard it is a sweet spicy thick mustard that gives your sandwich that extra kick. That is why when I worked at the Nordstrom cafe they only gave you a tiny little cup on the side. I am so happy that I no longer need to search for this mustard and can make it when ever I want it. Try it and let me know what you think.

Recipe for Pub Mustard

1/2 Cup dry mustard

1/4 cup brown sugar (you can add more if you like it sweeter)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon turmeric

4 ounces of strong British ale flat

I just added all ingredients and whisked with until fully incorporated. It says to do it in a blender but I didn't feel it was necessary the second time I made it. I also added the beer slowly until you get the right consistency that you like. It thickens as it sits and taste better after sitting for a day. 

Recipe for the sandwich

1/4 pound of thinly sliced honey ham
1/4 pound thinly sliced honey turkey
2 slices of sharp cheddar cheese
3 tablespoon mayo
2 slices of tomato
1 slice of roman lettuce
3 slice of french bread lightly toasted

Directions

1st layer is mayo, ham and lettuce. Then the 2nd layer is mayo, turkey, tomato, and cheddar. Then top sandwich with another slice of bread with mayo. Cut in 4 triangles and put toothpick in through each piece to hold it together. Add pub mustard on each bite just a little and then add more if you enjoy that extra spice. 

1st layer mayo, ham and lettuce

2nd layer mayo, turkey, tomato, cheddar

Try it and let me know what you think.

Hippie Juice

I found this on pinterest and just had to try it with my family at our annual trip to Sun lakes. It was a huge hit so I needed to share it with all of you. I found this recipe on a great blog called Peace Love and Guacamole I changed the ingredients slightly for my own taste. I personally love Simply Raspberry Lemonade so I added it instead of country time. I also added more alcohol because we didn't feel it was strong enough the first time around. Try it and let me know if you think. 

Ingredients

Simply Raspberry Lemonade

5 fresh strawberries sliced

Smirnoff Watermelon Vodka

Triple sec

Malibu Coconut Rum

Directions

Clean an empty container of Simply Lemonade. Using a funnel add 1 1/2 Cups of Watermelon Vodka, 1/3 cup triple sec, and 1/2 cup Coconut rum. 

Add sliced strawberries. Then fill the rest with Simple Raspberry Lemonade. Refrigerate and when ready to serve over ice.