Pasta Salad w/Chicken Sausage

12-16 oz GF Rotini Pasta
7 oz (4 links) Smoked Italian Chicken Sausage, cut in half and 1/4 inch slices
2 cups Grape Tomatoes cut in half
1 12 oz jar Roasted Red Peppers, sliced
8 oz fresh mozzarella pearls or 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, halved
1/2 Red Onion sliced thin
1/3 cup Pepperoncini slices

Dressing:
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
2 TBS chopped fresh Basil
1 TBS Red Wine Vinegar
1 tsp Kosher Salt
1/2-1 tsp fresh ground pepper

Cook Pasta according to package direction. Rinse in cold water and drain well. Use paper towels to dry thoroughly if desired. 

Heat 2 tsp oil over medium heat. Cook sausage until lightly browned. 

Mix Mayo, basil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Place chilled pasta in a large bowl. Add dressing, sausage, tomatoes, roasted red peppers, mozzarella, olives, onion and pepperoncini. Mix thoroughly and refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Pasta Salad

I made PW's Spicy Pasta salad w/smoked Gouda several times with great success. Recently, my pregnant daughter is very sensitive to spicy foods and last time she ate this salad declared it too spicy.  Since we had her and her hubby over for dinner tonight,  I attempted to make a similar salad that wasn't spicy.

12 oz. Gluten Free Pasta
1 cup Smoked Gouda Cheese, cubed
1 cup Grape Tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 cup black olives, cut in half
1/2 cup Basil Leaves, (approximately) sliced thinly
2 slices Turkey Pastrami, chopped (optional)

Dressing:
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup Wine Vinegar, garlic flavored
1 seeded and chopped Pepperocini
1/2 tsp. Salt
Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Rinse in cold water and drain well. Mix dressing ingredients. Place pasta in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and dressing. Mix gently. Add additional salt, pepper, or basil according to taste.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Sweet, Spicy Sausage Pasta w/Dates

1 Pkg. Johnsonville Hot Italian or Sweet Italian Sausage
4 Cups Baby Spinach, 0r thin sliced spinach
1 Onion, slivered
1 Cup Dates, quartered
1 Cup White Wine
1 Can Water Chestnuts
3-4 Cloves Garlic, minced
2 TBS Bertolli Olive Oil
1/2-1 Cup Kraft Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 lb. fettucini noodles (I used Gluten Free pasta in order to create a gluten free dish for my daughter who has Celiac Disease.)
Fresh Parsley for garnish

Cook Sausage in a skillet with a bit of water, allowing it to brown.  When done, remove and keep warm.  Pour off any remaining water, scraping bits of sausage and save.

While pasta is cooking,  heat 2 TBS olive oil over medium heat in the same skillet you cooked the sausage.  Add onions and cook, stirring, for a few minutes.  Add in garlic and continue stirring 1 minute.  Add the dates and cook another minute or two until onions begin to caramelize.  Toss in spinach and cook until slightly wilted.

Pour 1 cup of wine into the onion mix and the leftover juices from the sausage.  Simmer for 5 minutes until slightly reduced.  Add sausage back to pan with the water chestnuts.  Heat through, then add in pasta.   Mix and top with parmesan cheese and garnish with parsley.

(Johnsonville states that their sausage is made from gluten free ingredients.)

Gluten Free Meatballs

1 lb. ground beef
1egg
1/4 cup quinoa, cooked
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. parsley
1/2 tsp. basil
(Can use 1 /2 tsp. Italian seasoning instead of oregano, parsley, basil)
fresh ground pepper


Cook quinoa in 1/2 cup of water.  Mix beef, onion, egg, quinoa, and spices.  Shape into small balls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.  Brown in pan over medium high heat.  Add 1/4 cup water and cover.  Turn heat to low and simmer 15 minutes or until no longer pink inside.  Add additional water if necessary.  Can skip this step if simmered in sauce instead.


Use in your favorite sauce.  Can be flash frozen, then placed in a ziploc freezer bag. I made gluten free spaghetti & meatballs.

Olive Chicken & Pepperoncini

4-6 Boneless Chicken Breasts and/or Chicken Thighs
1 14 oz. Can Crushed Tomatoes
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced or quartered
1/2 of a 16 oz. jar of pepperoncini peppers or pepper rings
2-3 garlic cloves
1 TBS olive oil
1/4-1/2 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Pepper
1/2 tsp. Paprika
Feta Cheese (optional)
4 TBS wine
2 TBS lemon juice

This recipe can be cooked in the crockpot or in a skillet, whichever works best for you.
If chicken pieces are large or very thick, slice lenthwise or into 3 smaller pieces.  Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper, & paprika. 

For pan cooking: Brown chicken in skillet with oil and garlic.  Pour crushed tomatoes over chicken.  Add in wine, lemon juice, and a half cup of water or chicken broth.  Top with pepperoncini's and olives.  Simmer covered 30-45 minutes.  Check occassionally and add a bit of water if sauce becomes too thick.  Serve over rice.


For crockpot:  Place chicken in bottom of pot.  Pour tomatoes, wine, and lemon juice over the chicken.  Top with pepperoncini rings & olives.  Bake on low 6 hours.  Serve over rice. Can also be mixed or served over pasta instead of rice.

Fettuccini Carbonara-Gluten Free

1 lb. bacon, sliced
1 boneless chicken breast, thin sliced
1 onion, slivered
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup sour cream
4 oz. cream cheese
1 12-16 oz. pkg gluten free pasta, cooked
salt & pepper
fresh chopped parsley
parmesan cheese

Heat oil in skillet over medium high heat. Add bacon, onion, and garlic, cooking until bacon is evenly browned. Remove to paper towels and drain all but 1-2 TBS bacon grease from pan.

Add chicken to pan. Cook over medium high heat until lightly browned. Add mushrooms to pan. Stir-fry until a minute or two, until tender. Remove from pan or push to one side.

Turn heat to low, add cream cheese & sour cream. When mixed thoroughly and creamy, add bacon, chicken/mushrooms, & cooked pasta. Serve topped with parmesan cheese & parsley.

Spaghetti Squash w/Roasted Red Pepper

1 1/2 lbs. Boneless Chicken
1 Jar Roasted Red Peppers (or you can roast your own)
1 Medium Spaghetti Squash
8 oz. Cream Cheese
1-2 Garlic Clove, minced
4-6 Green Onions, sliced
1 Chicken Bouillon Cube
1 TBS Fresh Parsley, chopped (for garnish)
1 TBS Oil, for cooking
Fresh Ground Pepper
Salt to taste
Shaved or grated Parmesan Cheese
Crumbled Bacon (optional)

Pierce skin of squash several times. Place in microwave and cook on high about 5 minutes. Skin should be much easier to pierce. Let it rest until cool enough to handle.

Slice chicken into thin, bite-size pieces. Heat oil in pan. Stir-fry garlic and chicken. Throw in most of the green onion, reserving some for garnish. Drain liquid from peppers and add peppers to pan. Stir to heat all, adding salt and pepper. Push to side of pan.

Add cream cheese, bouillon, on empty side of pan over low heat until creamy and bouillon is incorporated. Can thin with milk, sour cream, etc. if desired. Mix into chicken.

Slice squash in half length-wise. Using a spoon, scoop out seeds and slimy strands. Then take a fork and scrape squash strands into chicken. Top with parsley, chives, parmesan, and bacon. (I had planned to use bacon for mine, but forgot. Good either way.)

I hope I remembered everything in this recipe. I made it 2 days ago and my mind went blank when trying to recall what was in this. I'll let you know if something comes to me.

Chicken over Maifun Noodles & Peanut Sauce

4-6 Boneless Chicken Breasts
1 Pkg. Maifun Noodles (rice noodles 8 oz.)
2 TBS GF Tamari Sauce
2 TBS Oil
1 TBS Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
1/3 cup Peanuts, chopped

Spicy Relish:
2 Small Cucumbers, or 1 English Cucumber, seeded & diced
4-6 Green Onions, chopped
1/2 Red Bell Pepper, chopped
1 Jalapeno Pepper, finely diced (optional)
3 TBS Seasoned Rice Vinegar
1 TBS Sugar
1 1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper, (more or less,according to how hot you want it)

Peanut Sauce:
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/2-3/4 cup Chicken Broth
Juice from 1 lime, about 2 TBS
1 Garlic Clove, minced
1-2 inch piece Fresh Ginger, peeled & grated
1/4 cup Fresh Parsley or Cilantro, chopped
2 TBS Brown Sugar
2 TBS Seasoned Rice Vinegar
1 TBS Chili Garlic Sauce (GF)
1 TBS GF Tamari Sauce

1.  Mix Tamari, brown sugar, salt & oil together and add chicken to marinate.  (Refrigerate if not cooking right away.)

2.  Place Maifun or rice noodles in pan of hot water, for at least 10 minutes until ready to use.  Don't worry if they soak longer.

3. Chop Relish ingredients, and mix in bowl with seasonings.  Refrigerate or set aside until ready to serve.

4. Place Peanut Sauce ingredients, except parsley, into a pot. Heat over medium until all ingredients are blended well.  Simmer for another 1-2 minutes.  (I usually don't heat sauce until after I've cooked the chicken.)

 5.  Grill Chicken over medium high heat 3-4 minutes a side until done.  Let set 5 minutes before slicing.

6.  Drain noodles.  I like to place them on a large cutting board and cut across about every 2 inches so noodles are in manageable pieces.  Mix with peanut sauce and add in parsley/cilantro.

7.  On individual plates, place one thin-sliced breast chicken over noodles.  Top with cucumber relish, garnish with chopped peanuts.

Spring Ham Casserole-Updated

Wanting to use up the leftover Easter ham? This is an easy dish my family enjoys. It varies each time I make it, but here is the basic recipe:

As usually happens, my menu plan this week was altered. I haven't cooked this since going gluten free. But this most certainly is now. Unfortunately as I finished up I realized I did not have any Parmesan cheese. C'est la vie.

2 TBS butter
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced onion
1/4 cup chopped red pepper
1 cup light cream
3/4 cup sour cream
2 tsp. gf chicken boullion
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
2 cups diced ham
1 8 oz pkg. gluten free pasta-I used Ancient Harvest Quinoa Pasta
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
Salt & Pepper to taste
1-2 TBS fresh chopped Parsley to garnish

Saute onion, celery, mushrooms, & red pepper in butter until tender. Add in sour cream and light cream or milk stirring until smooth and warmed. Do not let boil. Toss with ham, pasta, salt, pepper and parsley. Top with parmesan cheese and serve.

(Original Recipe)
2 TBS butter
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced onion
1/4 cup chopped green or red pepper
1 cup light cream (or sour cream)
1 TBS flour
2 tsp. instant chicken boullion
8 oz. sliced mushrooms (optional)
2 cups diced ham
1 8 oz pkg. spaghetti, cooked
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
Salt & Pepper to taste
1-2 TBS fresh chopped Parsley to garnish

Melt butter on high in microwave. Add diced celery, onion, mushrooms and green pepper. Cook 2 minutes, or until onion is transparent. .Add cream, bouillion, flour. Then gradually add 1 cup water. Mix, then cook on high 12-14 minutes, or until thick, stirring twice during cooking. Toss in ham, spaghetti and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and garnish with parsley.

This can be cooked in a pot on the stove instead of microwaved.

Leftover Turkey Casserole

Leftover turkey, woohoo! We eat a ton of turkey sandwiches. Sometimes we are lucky enough to have more than what we could possibly eat in sandwiches. This time, since it wasn't even Thanksgiving, I not only froze one whole breast for sandwiches later, but I had plenty to giveaway, have sandwiches, and prepare 2 meals. Yes, I did. Unfortunately, one of those days fell on a snow day. I wanted to make turkey enchiladas, but didn't have corn tortillas. So this is what I did instead. The next day, I mixed up turkey tacos to satisfy the Mexican food craving.

2 cups of leftover turkey, chopped

1 can cream soup

1/2 cup sour cream (or milk)

1 cup salsa or 1 can tomatoes w/green chilies

1/2 cup chopped onion

1-2 cups shredded cheese

1 12 oz. bag of pasta, kluski are my favorite

1 TBS fresh cilantro or parsley

Mix cream soup, sour cream, & salsa together. Add onion and turkey. Cook pasta. Spray a 9x13 inch pan with non-stick spray. Add pasta and sauce, mixing gently. Top with cheese and cilantro. Bake 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Baked Ziti

1 16 ounce box of ziti, mostaccioli noodles, or penne pasta
3-4 cups of grated parmesan cheese
2 packages of sliced provolone cheese or 18 slices from the deli
3 to 4 cups of grated mozzarella cheese
1 lb. sausage or ground beef (optional)

Italian Sauce:
1 – 6 ounce can of tomato paste
3-15 oz cans of tomato sauce
1/2 cup dry red wine
2 cloves minced garlic
1 TBS fresh chopped parsley
1 TBS oregano
1 TBS basil (if using fresh, increase to 3 TBS each)
1-2 tsp. crushed fennel seeds

Brown sausage in a medium saucepan. Drain any oil. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 1-2 hours. For dishes like baked ziti, simmering isn't necessary and can be assembled right away. If sauce becomes to thick, thin with additional wine.

Spoon a layer of sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Add a layer of noodles, enough so you can’t see the bottom of the pan. Layer each of the following:

1 cup of shredded mozzarella
1 cup of grated parmesan
6 slices of provolone

Add another layer of sauce and repeat layers.T op with a little sauce and shredded cheese. Bake 30-45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Italian Sauce

This can be used for Baked Ziti, Spaghetti, or other Italian dishes.

Sauce:
1 lb of ground Turkey Italian sausage, ground turkey or beef can be used(optional)
3 15 oz. cans of tomato sauce (I like Contadina)
1 6 ounce can tomato paste
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
2 cloves minced garlic
1 TBS oregano
1 TBS basil (1/4 cup if using fresh chopped)
1 TBS fresh chopped parsley
1 tsp. fennel seed, ground or chopped fine
1/2 cup dry red wine (optional)

Brown meat in a medium saucepan. Drain any oil. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook on low for as long as you like. I simmer for a couple of hours, but you can use it right away if desired.

Chicken in Red Wine Sauce

4-6 Chicken Breasts

8 oz. Crimini Mushrooms (white mushrooms will do)

2-3 minced garlic cloves

1/2 cup slivered onion

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup chicken broth (gluten-free)

3/4 cup red wine

1 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp. salt

Fresh Ground Pepper

2 TBS olive oil

Heat oil in large pan. I used an electric skillet at 350 degrees. Stir-fry garlic and onion until onion gets a bit soft. Add chicken. Sprinkle paprika, salt, & pepper on each piece and lightly brown on both sides. (5-10 minutes a side.) Add mushrooms to pan, stirring them around in the pan juices for a couple of minutes. Add brown sugar, wine, & chicken broth. Cover and simmer an additional 15-20 minutes, making sure chicken is fully cooked. To thicken slightly, remove lid for 5 minutes before serving. Because of the red wine, the chicken will be a dark color. Serve over rice or or buttered pasta.

This is easily gluten free if served over rice.

Saucy Chicken & Noodles

4 boneless chicken breasts,
8 oz. baby portobello mushrooms, or any kind sliced
4 sliced green onions
2 TBS butter or olive oil
1 8 oz pkg. cream cheese
garlic salt
fresh ground black pepper
2 TBS sherry or red wine
1/2 cup chicken broth or water
1 TBS fresh parsley
1 pkg. kluski noodles (any kind will work, but these are the best)

Cook noodles while preparing the rest of the dish. In large pan, brown chicken in a bit of olive oil with garlic salt and pepper. Remove from pan. Add butter and saute mushrooms and green onions until tender.
Remove and set aside with chicken. Add cream cheese to pan over medium-low heat until melted.

Add sherry or wine and broth or 1/2 cup water mixed with pan juices from chicken.

Add chicken back to pan & cooked pasta.

Top with fresh parsley. Serve with toasted bagel slices & a fresh salad.

Chicken Pasta w/Olives & Sundried Tomatoes

Did I mention I have a new camera? Apparently I haven't figured out how to focus properly.

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts,cut into bite size pieces
4 green onions, chopped
1-2 TBS fresh chopped basil
1-2 TBS fresh chopped parsley
1/2 cup kalamata olives (sliced or whole pitted) or you can use black olives
3 TBS olive oil
1-2 minced garlic cloves
1/3 cup sliced sun-dried tomatoes
8 oz. pasta noodles, fettucini, angel hair (we like kluski noodles best)
Shaved Parmesan or feta cheese

While pasta is cooking, saute chicken in olive oil & garlic until lightly browned. Add remaining ingredients and heat through. Serve over cooked pasta, topped with parmesan cheese.

Beef & Peppers

2 lbs beef chuck steak or roast, cut into 1/4 inch strips
2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
1 large onion, cut into wedge slices
1 yellow or orange pepper, julienned
1 red pepper, julienned
1 green bell pepper, julienned
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 inch piece of ginger, grated
1-2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup soy sauce

Brown meat with garlic salt & pepper. When it begins to brown, add onions and garlic. Place in crockpot with remaining ingredients (except peppers.) Cook on low several hours. Add peppers about an hour before serving. Serve over cooked rice or noodles.

Olive Chicken

My kitchen is completely undergoing a transformation. This week I am cooking downstairs, out of boxes. Thankfully, I do have a small, second, working kitchen. My goal is crockpot type meals or outside grill meals. Monday was a big pot of Green Chili. Tuesday I threw this together.

4 Boneless Chicken Breasts
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 small container pitted kalamata olives
1/2 of a 16 oz. jar of pepperocini peppers or pepper rings
2-3 garlic cloves
1 TBS olive oil
Salt
Pepper
1 lb. thin spaghetti
Feta Cheese (optional)

Slice chicken into strips. Brown in olive oil with garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add everything together into crockpot with chicken. Cook on low for 6 hours. Serve over cooked spaghetti. Top with feta or goat cheese if desired.

Meatball Soup

I tried this recipe from Tammy's site. It was good. Tammy must cook like I do. I noticed her photo of Italian Meatball Soup has tiny peas in it. But no where in the recipe are peas listed. Tammy has a great recipe site. Here is the recipe with the changes I made:


1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 cup chopped carrots
3/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
3/4 cup cut green beans
2 cloves garlic
2 TBS granulated beef bouillon
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. basil (I would have used 1 TBS fresh, but I was out.)
1 TBS fresh parsley
1/8 tsp. sugar
salt & pepper to taste
25 small cooked meatballs (I buy the frozen italian ones)
1/2 cup sliced chicken sausage cooked (optional)
1 1/4 cups dry pasta
8-10 cups water


In crockpot add all ingredients but meat and pasta. Cook several hours. Add meatballs and sausage if desired. About 20 minutes before serving. Toss in pasta. Add additional water if necessary, as pasta will soak up some of the liquid. Can also be cooked on the stove in a large pot. To cook on stove, bring first ingredients to boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered, about 40 minutes. Add meat and continue cooking 20 minutes. Add pasta and cook to desired doneness, according to pasta package.

Frankfurter Goulash

1 bag Kluski Noodles
1 can Contadina pizza sauce
2 TBS butter
6-8 oz. Monterrey Jack Cheese cut into cubes
1 pkg. Oscar Meyer Beef Hot Dogs, sliced into circles
1/2-3/4 tsp. Salt
Shredded cheddar cheese

(I've tried using other noodles, sauce or hotdogs and we didn't like it as well. But the noodles are the most important part not to substitute.)

Cook noodles, drain. Use some of the butter to grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Add hot noodles and mix with remaining butter to coat. Sprinkle with a little salt. Add pizza sauce, cubed cheese, and hot dogs. Top with some shredded cheddar cheese. Bake 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees.

I used to take this to potluck dinners when my children were little. It was an empty dish at the end of the evening and I always had requests for the recipe.

(I forgot to get a pic of this one baked.)

Meat & Tomato Bolognese Pasta

2 pounds ground turkey or beef
1 15 oz can petite diced tomatoes
1 cup fresh chopped tomatoes (2 cans tomatoes can be used or 2-3 cups fresh. I only had one can, but thought it needed more tomatoes, so chopped up fresh.)
1-2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup grated carrots
1 cup chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried
1 small can diced hot green chilies or 2 tablespoons minced jalapeno peppers
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cups white wine (I use white zinfandel or white merlot)
1 lb thin spaghetti or angel hair pasta
Parmesan cheese, feta, or other grated cheese if desired.
Salt to taste

Brown ground meat. Drain off any fat. Add onion, garlic, carrots, basil and peppers and stir-fry until onion is soft. Pour in milk and mix. Most should be absorbed by meat. Add wine and simmer 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and tomato paste and simmer on low heat for a couple of hours, or throw it all in the crockpot until ready to eat.

Serve over cooked pasta and top with cheese.