Shan’s Chicken/ Artichoke Salad

Shan’s Chicken/ Artichoke Salad

1 box Rice A Roni, chicken flavored

1 ½ c. cooked, chopped chicken or turkey

1 jar marinated artichoke hearts

½ jar marinated artichoke hearts

½ small green pepper chopped

½ c. sliced drained black olives

1 c. celery chopped (I don’t like celery so I use water chestnuts)

¼ c. chopped onion

½ c. mayo

1/8 t. curry powder

I sprinkle pine nuts on the top.

Drain artichokes, saving marinade. Cook rice using only 2 C. of water. Cool. Toss in cut up artichoke hearts, olives, green pepper, celery, onions, and chicken. Mix saved marinade with mayo and curry powder, toss together. Refrigerate. Serves 4-5.

BLACK EYED PEA COUSCOUS SALAD

Couscous/ Black Eyed Pea Salad

1 can drained corn

1 can drained/rinsed black eyed peas

1 med zucchini chopped

1 green pepper chopped

Bunch of cilantro chopped

1 tomato chopped

1 bunch green onions chopped

Cooked couscous (1/3 box)

Shredded romaine

Juice from ½ lime

Good Seasons Italian Dressing

Top with Feta or Gorgonzola cheese

Mix all together. Add Italian Dressing to taste.

CALABACITAS

A quick introduction from my mother-in-law, Pam. (This is her recipe.*)

"When the roadside food stands start selling corn...Neil's first comment is always..."Yeah, Calabacita time." Here is the world famous recipe. The story behind Calabacitas is really a Mari story. While I was pregnant with Mari, living in Minnesota, we had friends from Mexico named Marisela and Rauel Stahl. Marisela was the daughter of the Mayor of Mexico who was seeking a safe spot for his daughter to live due to political unrest in Mexico. They moved to Minneapolis and we became friends. Marisela's maid/cook taught me how to make calabicitas and it has become a family fave. We named our Mari after her. "

CALABACITAS
6 ears of corn (cut kernels off cob)
1 med. onion (chopped)
3 zucchini (chopped)
2 med. tomatoes (chopped)
Sour Cream
Mozzarella cheese
Fry onion until light in small amount of oil. Add chopped tomatoes, about 1/2 t. of garlic salt, 1/2 t. of pepper and 1/2 t. of salt. Cook for a few minutes over medium heat. Then add chopped zucchini and fresh corn. Add more seasonings to taste and simmer until tender for about 15/20 minutes. Put sour cream over top and add shredded mozzarella cheese. Put in oven long enough to melt cheese.

*Or rather, this is the recipe of the "'Mayor of Mexico's' defected daughter's Minneapolis maid."

ROAST POTATOES

1 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. melted butter
freshly ground pepper
salt
1 ½ lbs. small new red potatoes, scrubbed and quartered
1 Tbs. fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 425. Mix first four ingredients in small bowl. Place potatoes in baking dish. Drizzle with oil mixture and turn potatoes to coat. Bake until tender and browned 30 to 35 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley.

INSTANT WHIPPED CHEESE POTATOES

1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup
1 can chicken broth
1 soup can milk
1 soup can water
4 T. butter or margarine
1/4 c. parmesan cheese, grated
4 c. mashed potato flakes

In a large saucepan, add broth to cheese soup. Stir in remaining ingredients, except potatoes. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in potatoes and whip with fork until light and fluffy. Serve immediately!!

GARLICKY GREEN BEANS

1 pound fresh green beans, rinsed and snapped
1 T. extra-virgin olive oil
1 T. butter
2 cloves fresh garlic, peeled and minced
¼ cup water
2 t. chicken bouillon crystals
Black pepper to taste

Heat the oil and butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beans and stir to coat with the butter mixture.

Add the garlic. Lower the heat to medium and cook until the beans turn bright green throughout, 5-7 minutes, stirring often.

Add the water and bouillon crystals, raise the heat to high, bring the liquid to a sizzle. Lower the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently until the beans are crisp-tender, about 5- 7 minutes; or cook longer, to desired doneness. Season the beans with pepper and serve at once.

ZESTY PASTA SALAD

16 oz. Spaghetti noodles
1/2 bottle Salad Supreme (it's in the spice section)
1 8 oz. Kraft Zesty Italian dressing
1 red onion, chopped
1 hothouse cucumber peeled and chopped
1 basket cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small can sliced olives.

Marinate Salad Supreme and Italian dressing together overnight. Cook and drain Spaghetti noodles. Toss noodles, dressing and vegetables together. Keep refrigerated.

MAKE AHEAD MASHED POTATOES

Save yourself some stress this Thanksgiving.

2 ½ lb. bag of frozen mashed potatoes

8 oz. pkg. cream cheese

1 cup sour cream

2 tsp. garlic salt

2 T. butter

Warm potatoes until able to mash. Mix in remaining ingredients. Spoon into a lightly sprayed casserole dish. Cover and refrigerate until ready. Cook at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

MEL’S MINESTRONE

3 Tbs. Olive Oil
2 cups onion, chopped finely
5 cloves garlic, pressed
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 stalk celery, diced
1 carrot, chopped
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. oregano
1 medium zucchini squash and/or yellow squash, chopped
1/2 small head of cabbage, shredded
16 oz. tomato sauce
6 cups water
1 can garbanzo beans
3/4 cup dry pasta, such as small shells
1 diced fresh tomato

Heat olive oil in dutch oven and saute salt, onions and garlic for 3-4 minutes. Add celery, carrots and spices and cook for another 4-5 minutes on low/medium heat. Add zucchini, cabbage, tomato sauce and water and bring to boil over high heat. Boil 7-10 minutes. Add beans and pasta and cook until pasta is tender. Add tomato and serve.

BEST-EVER BAKED ASPARAGUS

Simple and yet perfect.

1 pound fresh asparagus
2 T. butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 450°. Rinse and drain the asparagus, then snap off the tough ends where they break naturally. Arrange the spears in a 9x13 inch baking dish in one or two layers. Place the butter in a 1-cup glass measure and microwave, uncovered on high, until melted, about 30 seconds. Drizzle over the asparagus and season with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Cover the dish snugly with aluminum foil. Bake 15 minutes until crisp-tender, or longer to desired doneness. Serve at once.

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

This is must for Thanksgiving. Even if you swear that you hate sweet potatoes, you will love this casserole. Of course, anything would taste good with this much sugar and butter, even your socks.*

3 cups heaping, mashed sweet potatoes, boiled or baked
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 t. vanilla
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 eggs

Topping:

1/3 cup flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1/3 cup butter

Mix well with mixer and pour into a greased casserole dish. Mix topping in bowl. Crumble on top. Bake @ 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

*Cooking your socks is not recommended.

ASPARAGUS PUFF RING

Puff ring-
¾ c. water
6 T. butter
¾ c. flour
½ t. salt
3 eggs
½ c. Parmesan cheese (divided)
In a saucepan over medium heat, bring water and butter to a boil. Add flour and salt all at once; stir until a smooth ball forms. Let stand for 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each.
Add ¼ c. cheese and beat until smooth. Using ¼ cupfuls of dough, form a ring around the sides of a greased 10 inch pie plate (scoops should touch). Sprinkle ¼ cup of cheese around edges. Bake at 400 degrees for 25- 30 minutes.

Filling:
1 lb. fresh asparagus, cut into pieces
2 T. butter
2 T. flour
½ t. salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1-1/2 c. milk (I like whole)
½ c. Mozzarella cheese
2 c. diced cooked ham

Cook asparagus 3-4 minutes. Drain.
In a large saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Gradually add milk and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat. Stir in cheese until melted. Stir in ham and asparagus. Spoon into center of cooked puff ring. (I like to use a separate bowl in middle of ring…looks a little fancier.) Serves approx. 6.

VEGETABLE SALAD

1 can of yellow or white corn
1 can of French style green beans
1 cup of frozen peas, uncooked
1 cup red onion, chopped
1 cup green pepper, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped

Dressing:

1 T. water
1 cup sugar
¾ cup vinegar
½ cup oil
1 t. salt and pepper

Boil the dressing, then cool and pour over all the vegetables. Refrigerate before serving.

SPINACH ARTICHOKE DIP

This is another artichoke dip, similar to Pam's, but with spinach in it, which you don't even need to defrost. I also really like the flavor the Beau Monde Seasoning adds. Yum.


1 cup frozen, chopped spinach
1 large can artichoke hearts
1 cup mayonnaise
1 6oz package of grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbs. Beau Monde Seasoning

Chop artichoke hearts. Combine remaining ingredients in a shallow casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees, stirring often, until heated through and cheese is melted, for about twenty minutes. Serve on sourdough bread.

PAM'S ARTICHOKE DIP

1 can (14 oz.) artichoke hearts
1 cup mayonnaise
¾ cup grated Parmesan

2 T. butter, softened
1 cup shredded mozzarella

Drain and chop artichokes. Mix all ingredients together. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.