Southwest Pasta with Beans & Corn

Original Recipe HERE

This is one of those throw-together recipes that surprised me.  I just needed to make something for dinner and grabbed random cans out of the pantry after being inspired by this.  Everyone thought it was great.  I wasn't as sold as the rest of them, but that could be because the evil olives were lurking throughout.

The seasonings are purely to-taste...any amounts or substitutions are possible.  Next time I'll probably go even easier and just do a few shakes of the McCormick Southwestern blend.

Ingredients

12 oz. pasta

1/2 cup mayonnaise [I used light]

1/8 teaspoon cumin

1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1 can (15 oz) red kidney beans, drained [I used pinto]

1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes, drained

1 can (4 oz) sliced black olives, drained & rinsed

2 cups frozen corn

grated parmesan [optional]

Directions

(1) Begin cooking pasta according to directions.

(2) In a large serving bowl, whisk together mayonnaise and spices.

(3) Add beans, tomatoes, and olives to bowl; mix well.

(4) With a few minutes left on pasta's cooking time, add corn to boiling water.

(5) Drain pasta and corn; mix with beans and tomatoes.

(6) Serve warm or refrigerate two hours.  Garnish with parmesan if desired.

Kid Participation: 

* Measure spices

* Whisk mayonnaise

* Stir all ingredients together

Spicy Pasta Salad

Original Recipe in Taste of Home's Contest Winning Annual Recipes 2004

 

This was more filling than the average pasta salad due to using filled pasta.  I used tortellini because I figured its nooks and crannies would hold the sauce better.

 

Despite using no spices, mild ingredients, and drained Rotel, *J* still found it too hot.  It did have a little bite to it, so I assume that canned petite diced tomatoes could be substituted for the Rotel.

 

While this was all we needed to eat for dinner, it could be made heartier with additional vegetables like chopped peppers and sliced olives.

 

Ingredients

2 packages (16 oz each) frozen cheese ravioli or tortellini

1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes & green chilis, undrained [I used mild Rotel]

2 cups corn

1 cup taco sauce [I used mild]

1 cucumber

1/2 red onion, sliced thin

1 garlic clove, pressed

salt & pepper to taste

1/4 teaspoon cumin [optional; I did not use]

shredded cheese [optional]

sour cream [optional]

 

Directions

(1) Cook pasta according to package directions.  Allow to cool to room temperature or refrigerate.

(2) Peel cucumber.  Cut into quarters, length-wise.  Slice into bite-size pieces (not too small; you want to keep some crunch).

(3) In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly combine all ingredients.  Cover and, ideally, refrigerate at least two hours (I served before that).

(4) Serve with any desired toppings.

 

Kid Participation: Stir everything together.

BBQ Pasta Salad

Original Recipe HERE

 

I love me some pasta salad.  And barbecue sauce.  And onion.  And cheese.  And garlic powder.  And honey.  And yogurt.  So...this recipe was clearly created with me in mind.

 

It was easy to prepare and assemble, and it held up well until the next day when I finished off the leftovers.  I liked that it was different from the traditional pasta salads accessorized with oil-and-vinegar or bottled salad dressing.  The fresh vegetables made it seem lighter than it probably was.  All in all, a solid pasta salad recipe that I hope comes to mind the next time I ask a host if I can contribute anything.  It can easily be adjusted based on what vegetables and cheeses and other add-ins you have available.  Update: I've subsequently made it using thawed frozen peas and mixed veggies, snow peas (not so good), caramelized red onions, steamed broccoli, etc.  Also, one time I had some homemade mustard sauce to use up...so I put in a splash of regular BBQ sauce and used my own stuff for the rest.  Turned out just as well.

 

I used cellentani pasta, which was a good choice because it held up well against the crunchy vegetables and didn't turn to mush upon lots of stirring.  However, it didn't trap the sauce very well, and along with all the above-listed things I love, I love when sauce (of whatever kind) is trapped in pockets of my pasta so I get a little bonus every few bites.

 

Ingredients

1 pound elbow macaroni or other pasta shape

1/2 cup diced onion

4 green onions, sliced thin

2 Tablespoons cider vinegar

1 teaspoon chili powder [or to taste]

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder [or to taste]

pinch cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons honey

1/2 to 1 cup of any combination of mayonnaise, sour cream, and Greek yogurt

2/3 cup barbecue sauce

2 cups corn [fresh, frozen, or canned]

1-1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese [not the finely shredded kind]

2 cups quartered grape tomatoes

 

Directions

(1) Cook pasta according to al dente directions, about 5 to 7 minutes.  Drain.  Rinse with cold water until cool; drain again.  Transfer to a large bowl.

(2) In a separate small bowl, whisk together vinegar, chili powder, garlic powder, cayenne, and honey.

(3) Add mayonnaise/sour cream/yogurt and barbecue sauce to spice mixture.

(4) Pour sauce over pasta; mix well.  Add in onions, corn, cheese, and tomatoes.  Season with salt and pepper as desired.

 

Kid Participation:

* Whisk together sauce ingredients

* Stir all ingredients

* Complain about having tomatoes in your dinner yet again

Balsamic Chicken Pasta Salad

Original Recipe HERE

Easy and somewhat nutritious. Reminded me that I need a more efficient chopping device than my knife / cutting board / two hands combo, though. It was good served warm and even better cold. This made enough to feed two adults and one child for dinner plus at least two lunches the next day. Since Husband brought leftovers to work to signal his approval, this is going in the "make again" file.

Ingredients

1 box rotini pasta
2 chicken breasts, cut into large bite-size pieces [shears are helpful for this]
1 cup balsamic vinaigrette dressing, divided [I used Newman's]
1 handful of baby carrots
1 green pepper, cored & seeds removed
1 zucchini, peeled
1/2 white onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic, or to taste
dried basil [didn't have fresh]
dried parsley [didn't have fresh]
salt & pepper
cheese [optional; I used it]

Directions
1) Cook pasta noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Add to serving bowl with 1/2 cup of dressing.
2) Put chicken in medium skillet with other 1/2 cup of dressing. Saute 5 minutes or until no longer pink in the middle.
3) Meanwhile, chop carrots, green pepper, onion, and zucchini into bite-size pieces.
4) Add veggies, basil, parsley, and minced garlic into the skillet with the chicken. Add 1/2 – 3/4 cups of water.
5) Cover and let steam for 4-5 minutes, or until zucchini becomes translucent [don't let veggies become too soft].
6) Toss chicken and veggies with pasta and dressing [I didn't know whether to include the liquid from the sauce pan, so I didn't, and it was fine]. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or refrigerate at least 2 hours.

7) Optional: serve with cheese.

Notes: I liked it with feta; *N* preferred grated parmesan.  It probably would be good with any cubed cheese - I love smoked gouda, so I may try that next time.  And I may use toasted pine nuts to add some crunch.

Kid Participation:

* Shake spices into skillet.

* Stir all ingredients together during final step.