PESTO & SUN-DRIED TOMATO TURKEY PASTA SALAD

~ Bethany Weathersby

pasta
sun-dried tomato seasoned turkey, chopped
chopped tomatoes
chopped olives
parmesan cheese
pesto

Cook pasta to desired doneness; drain. Mix cooked pasta with remaining ingredients and chill until serving.

TOMATO PASTA

~ Bethany Weathersby

6 c. uncooked, shaped pasta
7 c. chopped tomatoes
2 c. frozen peas, thawed
1/2 c. grated parmesan
2 T. fresh basil, torn
1/2 t. pepper

Boil noodles until they reach the desired tenderness; drain.  Combine noodles with other ingredients and stir to combine.  Makes about 14 cups.

COLD SESAME NOODLES

~ All You - 6/18/10

1 lb. whole-wheat linguine or spaghetti
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 T. chopped fresh ginger
1/2 c. soy sauce
3 T. rice vinegar
2 T. sesame oil
6 T. smooth peanut butter
1 t. sugar
2 c. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooked and shredded
2 1/2 c. frozen broccoli florets, thawed
2 carrots, shredded
1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
6 green onions, chopped

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add pasta and cook until just tender, about 10 minutes.

In a blender, combine garlic, ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, peanut butter and sugar; blend until smooth.

Drain pasta, rinse under cold running water and drain again. Toss with sauce in a large bowl, adding more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, as necessary to moisten. Add chicken, broccoli, carrots and bell pepper and toss again. Sprinkle with scallions and serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.

Notes: A pound of pasta is a lot, so keep that in mind before you get started and cut the recipe if you need to. I use raw broccoli, adding it to the boiling noodles for the last couple minutes to soften it slightly, and shaped pasta, such as bowties. I also mix all ingredients together at once, rather than mixing the sauce & noodles first.

ASIAN ORZO CHICKEN SALAD

~ Laura Bodine / Culinary Cravings

 9 oz. package frozen sugar snap peas
16 oz. orzo, cooked and drained
1 c. water chestnuts, drained and chopped
3 c. diced, cooked chicken
3 green onions, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
1/2 c. vegetable oil
3 T. rice wine vinegar
2 T. soy sauce
2 t. hoisin sauce
1/2 c. slivered almonds, toasted

Cook sugar snap peas according to package directions; drain well. In a large bowl, combine sugar snap peas, orzo, water chestnuts, chicken, green onion, and red bell pepper. In a small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, soy sauce, and hoisin sauce. Pour over orzo mixture, tossing gently to coat. Stir in toasted almonds. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Notes: We always have regular, frozen peas in our freezer, so I use them instead of sugar snap peas. I just let them thaw before adding them. The flavor is really mild in this salad, so we often leave the hoisin jar on the table so people can add more to their portion.

SUMMERTIME ORZO & CHICKEN

~ Taste of Home magazine - August/September 2010

3/4 c. uncooked orzo
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium cucumber, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
1/4 c. minced fresh parsley
2 T. lemon juice
1 T. olive oil
1 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1/4 c. crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet coated with cooking spray, cook chicken over medium heat for 6-8 minutes or until no longer pink.

In a large bowl, combine the cucumber, onion, parsley and chicken. Drain pasta; stir into chicken mixture. In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper. Pour over chicken mixture; toss to coat. Serve warm or cold. Just before serving, sprinkle with cheese.

Makes about 5 cups.

Notes: I cook my chicken in 1-2 T. of olive oil, rather than using cooking spray, which keeps it moist.

TORTELLINI PESTO SALAD

~ allrecipes

9 oz. pkg. cheese tortellini
1 small red bell pepper, julienned
3/4 c. fresh broccoli florets
1/3 c. shredded carrots
1/3 c. pitted green olives
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1/4 c. pesto, store-bought or homemade
1/4 c. milk
2 T. grated parmesan cheese
1 T. olive oil
1 T. distilled white vinegar
1 bunch fresh spinach leaves

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Place tortellini in the pot and cook for 7-8 minutes, until al dente. Drain and cool.

In a large bowl, mix the cooked tortellini, red bell pepper broccoli, carrots, olives, and garlic. In a separate bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, pesto, milk, parmesan cheese, olive oil, and vinegar. Pour over tortellini and vegetables and gently toss to coat. 

Cover and place in refrigerator for one hour or until chilled. Serve over spinach leaves.

Notes: We double this recipe using a 20 oz. (or whatever size is close to that) package of tortellini. I sometimes use four cubes of frozen pesto and always quarter the green olives.

SPAGHETTI SALAD

~ allrecipes

1 lb. spaghetti
1 T. parmesan cheese
1 T. sesame seeds
1 t. poppy seeds
2 t. seasoned salt
1 t. paprika
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. ground black pepper
1/2 t. cayenne
1 cucumber, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 orange bell pepper, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 head broccoli, chopped
16 oz. bottle Italian dressing

Cook noodles in boiling water, then rinse in cold water and drain. While the noodles are cooking, place remaining ingredients, except Italian dressing, in a large bowl. Add cooled noodles to vegetable mixture. Pour salad dressing over noodles and mix well. Chill at least two hours before serving.

Notes: I think spaghetti is an inconvenient noodle for pasta salads, so I’d suggest breaking the noodles into smaller pieces as you drop it into the boiling water or using a bite-sized noodle, such as rotini or fusilli, instead. I use homemade Italian dressing when I make this.

TUNA COUSCOUS SALAD

~ Betty Crocker Bravo Pasta #79

1 c. uncooked couscous
1/4 c. sliced green onions
2 6 1/8 oz. cans solid white tuna in water, drained
1 9 oz. package frozen cut green beans, thawed and drained
1 8 oz. can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1/2 c. plain yogurt
2 T. chopped fresh basil or 2 t. dried basil
2 T. cider vinegar
1/4 t. salt
3 c. bite sized greens
1 large tomato, cut into 12 wedges

Cook couscous as directed on package. Mix couscous, onions, tuna, beans, and water chestnuts in medium bowl. Mix mayonnaise, yogurt, basil, vinegar and salt; stir into couscous mixture. Cover and refrigerate about 3 hours or until chilled. Serve on greens and garnish with tomatoes.

Notes: Sometimes I serve this a little differently. First, I dice my water chestnuts and use fresh, cooked green beans. Then I leave out the lettuce and tomato and serve it as a sandwich filling in pita bread. I've also made it with quinoa instead of couscous and with cashew cream instead of yogurt. It’s good no matter how you serve it, as directed or changed up.

SALMON SHELL SALAD

~ Marie McDermott
1 pkg. small shell noodles, cooked and drained
1 small can salmon
1 c. mayonnaise
2 c. frozen peas (don’t cook or defrost)

Mix all ingredients, along with your favorite spices. Set in refrigerator to cool before serving.

Notes: Possible seasonings include seasoned salt, pepper, garlic powder, dill and lemon juice.

BLACK BEAN & COUSCOUS SALAD

~ allrecipes

1 c. uncooked couscous
1 1/4 c. chicken broth
3 T. olive oil
2 T. fresh lime juice
1 t. red wine vinegar
1/2 t. ground cumin
8 green onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
1 c. frozen corn kernels, thawed
2 15-oz. cans black beans, drained
salt and pepper to taste

Bring chicken broth to a boil in a 2-quart or larger saucepan and stir in couscous. Cover the pot and remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, vinegar and cumin. Add green onions, red pepper, cilantro, corn and beans. Toss to coat. Fluff the couscous well, breaking up any chunks. Add to the bowl with the vegetables and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve at once, or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Makes about nine cups.

Notes: I use crockpot beans that I've previously cooked and frozen, sometimes use water in place of broth, and throw in some extra cilantro, lime and cumin. I've made it with quinoa in place of the couscous, which I actually like better. It's also good with a dollop of avocado dressing on it. 

Linked up at: Eat at Home Ingredient Spotlight - beans

Photo notes: The salad pictured used yellow bell peppers instead of red because we already had some on hand. Not as colorful, but just as tasty.

GARDEN ITALIAN SALAD

~ The Pillsbury Cookbook

1 c. orzo
1 c. thinly sliced zucchini
1/2 c. shredded carrot
1/2 c. sliced olives
1/4 c. sliced green onions
2 oz. jar chopped pimientos, drained
1/2 c. Italian salad dressing
4 oz. mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Cook orzo to desired doneness as directed on package; drain. Rinse with cold water.

In large bowl, combine orzo, zucchini, carrot, olives, onions and pimiento. Pour dressing over salad; toss well. Refrigerate at least 2 hours to blend flavors. Add mozzarella cheese just before serving.

Notes: Slice the zucchini very thinly! This makes it okay for veggie-haters. Good to make before bed and then eat for lunch the next day.

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