Creamy Pea and Artichoke Pesto Pasta Salad

Pasta salads are salads formed with a base of pasta and pretty much anything that you can think of can be added after that. Pasta salads are normally served chilled and often have a mayo based dressing. This pasta salad has mayo in the dressing but the dressing is primarily based on freshly made basil pesto. I really liked the sound of combining the creamy and tangy mayo and with the fresh pesto and I just had to try it. Not only did the dressing for this pasta salad sound good but it also contains two other great ingredients, artichoke hearts and peas. Luckily I was still able to find some fresh peas at the farmers market but frozen would also work well. This pasta salad came together easily with the hardest part being the waiting for it to chill in the fridge. The creamy pea and artichoke pesto pasta salad turned out great! It really was nice and creamy and the pesto and mayo dressing was nice and tangy and fresh and really tasty. As I found out just recently, peas go really well with mayo and they added a nice hit of sweetness to this pasta salad. The salad tasted great after chilling for just a half an hour but it tasted even better the day after when the flavours had had a chance to mingle a bit.

Yield:

makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1. 1/2 pound penne
2. 1 cup pesto
3. 1/3 cup mayonnaise
4. 1 cup peas
5. 1 cup artichoke hearts, quartered
6. parmigiano reggiano to taste, grated

Directions

1. Cook the pasta as directed on the package.
2. Mix the pesto and the mayonnaise in a bowl.
3. Toss the pasta in the pesto mixture along with the peas.
4. Gently fold in the artichoke hearts.
5. Let chill in the fridge for 20 minutes or more.
6. Serve garnished with the grated parmigiano reggiano.

Chiles Rellenos

I have been making Chiles Rellenos for about 30 years. I have never had an actual recipe. I just watch someone I knew (from Texas) make them and have been making this way ever since.

Yield:

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

1. Chile Rellenos
2. ===============
3. 1 or 2 cans whole chili peppers (usually 3 or 4 in a can)(or roast fresh poblano peppers)
4. Monterey jack cheese
5. 2 or 3 eggs separated
6. 1 tablespoon flour
7. salt and pepper
8. oil for frying
9. .
10. Tomato Chile Sauce:
11. ==============
12. 1 1/2 pounds of tomatoes roasted or one 28 ounce can of quality tomatoes
13. 2 to 3 hot jalapeno peppers
14. 1/2 small onion
15. 1 large clove of garlic
16. 1 tablespoon lard or olive oil
17. salt
18. 1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Directions

1. Cut cheese into finger size pieces.
2. Carefully shove the cheese stick into a pepper being careful not to split it.
3. Heat about 1 inch of oil in frying pan.
4. Beat the egg whites until medium stiff peaks form. do not overbeat.
5. Beat egg yolks with salt, pepper and the tablespoon on flour.
6. Gently fold the whites into the yolk mixture.
7. Dip the pepper stuffed with cheese into flour and then into the egg mixture. Carefully add to the oil. If needed, spoon a bit of the egg mixture on top of the pepper while in the pan. (these fry quickly), flip over and fry other side. Remove and drain on paper towels. Continue cooking until all of the peppers are cooked.
8. To make the sauce, place the tomatoes, peppers, onion and garlic in blender and pulse. Puree leaving a little texture.
9. Heat oil in sauce pan. Add tomato chili mixture and simmer until the sauce thickens. About 5 minutes. Remove from heat and seaon with salt and add the cilantro.
10. Serve Chili Relleno with sauce on the side OR Place the fried chile rellenos in a casserole dish and pour the sauce over them. Bake in a 350 oven for 20 to 30 minutes.

Chiles Rellenos

I have been making Chiles Rellenos for about 30 years. I have never had an actual recipe. I just watch someone I knew (from Texas) make them and have been making this way ever since.

Yield:

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

1. Chile Rellenos
2. ===============
3. 1 or 2 cans whole chili peppers (usually 3 or 4 in a can)(or roast fresh poblano peppers)
4. Monterey jack cheese
5. 2 or 3 eggs separated
6. 1 tablespoon flour
7. salt and pepper
8. oil for frying
9. .
10. Tomato Chile Sauce:
11. ==============
12. 1 1/2 pounds of tomatoes roasted or one 28 ounce can of quality tomatoes
13. 2 to 3 hot jalapeno peppers
14. 1/2 small onion
15. 1 large clove of garlic
16. 1 tablespoon lard or olive oil
17. salt
18. 1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Directions

1. Cut cheese into finger size pieces.
2. Carefully shove the cheese stick into a pepper being careful not to split it.
3. Heat about 1 inch of oil in frying pan.
4. Beat the egg whites until medium stiff peaks form. do not overbeat.
5. Beat egg yolks with salt, pepper and the tablespoon on flour.
6. Gently fold the whites into the yolk mixture.
7. Dip the pepper stuffed with cheese into flour and then into the egg mixture. Carefully add to the oil. If needed, spoon a bit of the egg mixture on top of the pepper while in the pan. (these fry quickly), flip over and fry other side. Remove and drain on paper towels. Continue cooking until all of the peppers are cooked.
8. To make the sauce, place the tomatoes, peppers, onion and garlic in blender and pulse. Puree leaving a little texture.
9. Heat oil in sauce pan. Add tomato chili mixture and simmer until the sauce thickens. About 5 minutes. Remove from heat and seaon with salt and add the cilantro.
10. Serve Chili Relleno with sauce on the side OR Place the fried chile rellenos in a casserole dish and pour the sauce over them. Bake in a 350 oven for 20 to 30 minutes.

Macaroni Salad

Pasta salads always look so good right out of the gate, but as time goes by they tend to be dry - the pasta soaking up all the goodies and leaving less than gorgeousness behind.One thing that seems to help a bit is to cook the pasta a day ahead. Let it cool and then I spray it with olive oil cooking spray fairly liberally and then cover and chill overnight. Just an fyi, if you're interested in trying it.All of these measurements are to taste, basically. Add, subtract, stand on your head - whatever you like.... Sometimes I add frozen peas - just throw them into the hot pot of pasta right before you drain it - that's good, too.

Yield:

 

Ingredients

1. 6 cups cooked macaroni
2. 1 1/2 cups small cubes of cheddar cheese
3. 1 cup mayonnaise
4. 1/3 cup whipping cream or half & half
5. 2 tablespoons dill pickle juice (out of the jar)
6. 3 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
7. 3 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
8. 1/2 tablespoon dried dill weed
9. Salt & freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a large bowl combine the macaroni and cheese. Add the mayonnaise, cream, pickle juice, mustard, pickle relish, and dill; mix well.
2. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add more mayo or cream as needed for creaminess. Chill for at least an hour. (May seem too wet at first, but it will soak up some of that...)