Italian Pasta Salad

I love summertime because it's an excuse to eat pasta salad, after pasta salad, after pasta salad.  So fun, tasty and colorful.  It is the perfect side dish, and can be also be the perfect main course with the right ingredients.  We are going to a birthday party and a bbq tonight and are in charge of bringing a side.  I jumped at the chance to use up some of the leftover ingredients from the 12 layer dip I made a few days ago.    This is what was created:

Italian Pasta Salad
Serves 8


Ingredients:
1 box 12oz Tri Color Rotini Pasta
1/2 cup Fat Free Italian Dressing
1/2 cup Fresh Garlic Caesar Dressing
1 package 12oz Flavorino Tomatos, sliced (or grape tomatoes)
1 Green Bell Pepper, chopped
1 Shallot, finely diced
1/4 cup sliced olives
7 oz Turkey Polka Kielbasa, cut into slivers
Freshly Crushed Black Pepper
Freshly Grated Parmesan 


Cook the rotini pasta to al dente.  While the pasta is boiling, slice the tomatoes,  chop the entire bell pepper, finely dice the shallot, slice the olives, and cut up the kielbasa.  Put all ingredients aside in a medium sized bowl.  When the pasta is done, rinse in cold water and transfer to a large bowl.  Add all the chopped ingredients along with the two salad dressings and mix well.  Refrigerate for at least an hour and serve cold.  Grate some fresh parmesan cheese and crushed black pepper on top right before serving.

I adapted this recipe from the Italian Pasta Salad I at Allrecipes.com.

I changed and added a few more ingredients and also cut down the dressing amounts.  I think it's absolutely delicious this way and you could even change the meat to chicken if you like.  It would be great with some chopped hard boiled eggs even too.

Pulled Pork Enchiladas

I love mexican food!  It might be my favorite genre of food.  Although, I have lots of favorites when it comes to food.....so that would be a really hard call to make.  I do love enchiladas though.  And I think they're even better homemade.

As a child I was pretty much allergic to everything under the sun.  I was lucky that I wasn't allergic to the sun.  One of the things I haven't quite outgrown is corn.  So, I have to substitute some ingredients every once in a while when I can.  In this recipe, for instance, I use whole wheat tortillas instead of traditional corn tortillas.  They give off a great flavor and crisp up on the ends just like the corn ones do.  Fantastic.

Pulled Pork Enchiladas
Serves 4


Ingredients:
2 8oz cans tomato sauce
1 6oz can tomato paste
2 Tbsp minced onions
1 1/2 Tbsp chili powder
2 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp sea salt
4 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup water
2 cups shredded cheese (I used Monterey Jack and cheddar)
1 lb pulled pork, cooked
8 10" whole wheat tortillas


In a medium saucepan combine the tomato sauce, paste, onions, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt, olive oil and water.  Stir and let simmer for about 15-20 minutes.


Reserve 1/2 cup of your sauce for topping the enchiladas with.  Add the cooked pulled pork to the rest of sauce and let simmer about 5 more minutes.  


Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  


Prep a 9x13" glass dish with a spritz of olive oil on the bottom.  This will help to crisp up the wheat tortillas a bit.  Take one of your tortillas and fill the middle with 1/8 of the meat and approx. 3 tbsp cheese sprinkled onto the meat.   Roll up the tortilla and place in the glass pan seam side down against one end of the pan.  Repeat with the rest of the tortillas, setting each right next to the last.  All 8 tortillas should fit snuggly into the dish.  Top the entire dish with the 1/2 cup of sauce that was set aside.  Top with the rest of the shredded cheese and bake for 25 minutes.

Depending on your tomato sauce and how thick it is straight out of the can, you add less water or more water to your enchilada sauce until you acquire the thickness you desire.  Not too thick, not too thin.  Juuuuuust right.

These were delicious and fresh.  I served them with some refried beans topped with a tiny splash of shredded cheese.  I love the flavor of the homemade sauce.  The stuff from a can just never appeals to me.  It doesn't taste like enchilada sauce-maybe because growing up my dad always made his own.  This is so quick and easy, there is no excuse to use the pre-made stuff.

12 Layer Dip

This is my spin on the famous 7 Layer Dip.  I like more layers of flavors, so I put them in my dip.  Don't be shy-add whatever deliciousness you want on your dip.  Get crazy.  Do an avocado layer, put some fresh peppers in there, jalapenos, habaneros, chiles in adobo, whatever tickles your fancy.   This is my go-to recipe:

12 Layer Dip
Serves 6


1 16oz can refried beans
1 packet taco seasoning (or your own blend )
1/2 lb ground meat (beef, turkey, chicken), cooked and drained of all grease
Your favorite hot sauce, in dashes, about 2 tsp
1 cup of salsa
1/2 cup sour cream
1 4oz can diced green chiles
2 cups shredded cheese (I like the mexican style preshredded)
3 Tbsp sliced green onions, diced
1/2 cup lettuce, finely shredded
1/4 cup sliced olives
1 roma tomato, diced (or you could grab a can of Rotel and drain some of those tomatoes)


Mix your refried beans and taco seasoning together until well blended.  Take a glass pie plate and layer the ingredients in the order listed.  I like to put a little cheese in between the lettuce and olive layer for color.  

You can see the lovely layers: