Wedding Pasta Salads

When my Husband and I got married my parents did the catering, these were the salads that we used.  At least the sauce for the curry salad.  Now they are catering a friends daughters wedding and I thought I'd post these while I was thinking of them.  I absolutely love these salads during the summer!

Chicken Pasta Salad

1 lb rotini, cooked

2 cups cooked chicken or turkey

2 large cans chunky pineapple

2 cups celery

3/4 cup chopped green onions

2 cups seedless grapes

slivered almonds, green pepper and salt & pepper to taste

Dressing:

1 cup mayonnaise (I only use Miracle Whip)

3 Tbs lime juice

1/2 tsp curry

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.  Stir in dressing.  Chill 3-4 hours.  Add nuts just before serving.

*optional dressing :  lemon juice and mayonnaise

Mostaccioli Salad

1 lb bag mostaccioli noodles  (cooked and drained)

Add to noodles:

2 med. Sliced cucumbers

1 med. Sliced onion

Dressing:

1 ½ C oil

1 ½ C sugar

1 ½ C vinegar

1 T onion flakes

2 tsp prepared mustard

1 tsp salt

1 ½ tsp pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

1 T parsley

Mix dressing and pour over noodles, onion and cucumbers. Let chill overnight and stir often. Takes on more flavor as it sets. It is still good after 2 to 3 days. Makes a lot!

Raspberry Cake

1 package white cake mix
1 (3 oz) package raspberry gelatin
1 (10 oz) package frozen raspberries, thawed
4 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup hot water

Frosting:

1 (12 oz) container whipped topping, thawed
1 (10 oz) package frozen raspberries, thawed

*I'm just reading my directions as I'm typing and they call for sweetened, frozen raspberries. I used plain old raspberries and we loved it.

In a large bowl, combine dry cake mix and gelatin powder. Add raspberries with juice, eggs, oil, and water. Beat until well blended. Pour into a greased 9*13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35- 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

For frosting, fold whipped topping into raspberries (I used real cream, whipped it and then fold the berries into the cream). Spread over the cake. Refrigerate for 2 hourse before serving. Store in the refrigerator.

Very Pink Strawberry Cake

This was my favorite cake as a child, in fact it came from a Strawberry Shortcake birthday card that I got one year.  But just a warning, it is very pink, and my parents remember this as being terribly sweet, which I think was from the icing.  On Janet's blog she talks about the cake she made for Jake's birthday and the frosting being whipped cream and frozen raspberries, you could probably do the same here just use the strawberry liquid or the other half of the strawberry package.

Very Pink Strawberry Cake

1 white cake mix

3 tbsp flour

1 (3oz) package strawberry gelatin

1 cup salad oil

4 eggs

1/2 cup cold water

1/2 small package frozen strawberries (thawed)

Mix cake mix, flour and gelatin.  Add oil. Beat in eggs.  Add water and strawberries.  Mix well.  Bake in two loaf pans greased and floured (we used round cake pans too) or 9x13 for 40 - 50 minutes at 350 degrees.

Very Pink Strawberry Icing

2 tbsp butter

2-3 tbsp strawberry liquid

1 cup powdered sugar

Melt butter, add strawberry liquid.  Mix in powdered sugar until spreading consistency.

Honey Oatmeal Wheat Bread

This is our family's favorite bread. It's simple to make, delicious, and with a yield of 3 loaves it's enough to last a couple days.

3 cups boiling water
1 1/2 cups oatmeal
3/4 cup warm water
3 pkgs. yeast (6 3/4 tsp)
1/2 cup honey or brown sugar (we always use honey)
1/3 cup canola oil
2 tsp salt
3-4 cups whole wheat flour (we use more like 5 cups)
4-5 cups bread flour (we just use enough to make a soft dough... don't even bother measuring)

1. Pour boiling water over oatmeal in large mixing bowl. Cool to lukewarm (or it will kill yeast).

2. Dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until foamy (or until oatmeal is lukewarm).

3. Add yeast to oatmeal mixture. Add honey and oil. Blend well. Add salt. Add whole wheat flour, stirring well after each addition. Gradually add bread flour, forming a soft dough. *

4. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead 5-10 minutes. Place dough in greased bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Let rise until double.

5. Punch down and form dough into 3 loaves. Let rise about 20 minutes.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Put on rack or board for cooling.

* I do steps 3 and 4 differently.

Add honey, oil, salt, and 3 cups whole wheat flour to oatmeal. This helps the oatmeal cool faster. Stir until well moistened. Add yeast mixture. Stir until yeast mixture is incorporated into dough. Add more wheat flour if desired. Stir until it begins to get stiff. Turn out onto well floured surface (several scoops of flour) and knead bread flour into dough until dough is no longer sticky and continue kneading until the dough is smooth and pliable.

I measure only the first 3 cups of wheat flour and only because I'm afraid the yeast mixture won't incorporate if the batter is any thicker than that.

Ezekiel Bread

Submitted to Taste of Home magazine by Roger Hawley in Valley Park, Missouri:

"If your Bible's handy, read Ezekiel 4:9 to find the inspiration for this recipe and it's title. This tender, chewy multigraing bread has a hint of sweetness."

3 pkg. active dry yeast (roughly 6 3/4 tsp)
5 cups warm water, divided
1 Tbsp plus 2/3 Cup honey, divided
2/3 cup canola oil
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp salt
4 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup toasted wheat germ
6 - 8 cups bread flour

Dissolve yeast in 3/4 cup warm water and add 1 Tbsp honey. Add the remaining water and honey, the oil, sugar, salt, whole wheat flour, wheat germ and 3 cups bread flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining bread flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky).

Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turn dough to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down. Shape into four loaves. Place in 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pans (greased). Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 -35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

*I'm assuming the use of human or cow excrement to generate the 350 degree temperature is optional.

Here's a dinner roll recipe for you Janet!

Hawaiian Dinner Rolls

Ingredients:

• 1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, undrained
• 1/4 cup warm pineapple juice (70° to 80°)
• 1/4 cup water (70° to 80°)
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine, cubed
• 1/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
• 3-1/4 cups bread flour
• 2-1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 3/4 cup flaked coconut

Directions:

In bread machine pan, place the first 10 ingredients in order suggested by manufacturer. Select dough setting (check dough after 5 minutes of mixing; add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water or flour if needed). Just before final kneading (your machine may audibly signal this), add coconut. 
    When cycle is complete, turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Cover with plastic wrap; let rest for 10 minutes. Divide into 15 portions; roll each into a ball. Place in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes or until doubled. Bake at 375° for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Yield: 15 rolls. 

*I found this recipe on the Taste of Home Website, I keep meaning to try it bit haven't yet.  But I know Janet is looking for bread recipes so I thought I'd post it.

Devil's Delight Cake

I'm just trying this recipe, but I can't imagine that it won't taste great.  I'll let you know if by chance it doesn't taste as good as it sounds.

Devil's Delight Cake

1 pkg. (18.25 oz.) devil's food cake mix (with pudding in the mix)

4 eggs

1 c. water

½ c. vegetable oil

1 c. chopped nuts

1 c. mini marshmallows

1 c. Hershey's Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

½ c. raisins (I don't put these in!)

Confectioners' sugar

 

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease and flour Bundt pan.  In  large mixer bowl

combine cake mix, eggs, water and oil;  beat on low speed just until

blended.  Increase speed to medium; beat 2 minutes.  Stir in nuts,

marshmallows, chocolate chips and raisins.   Pour batter in to pan.  Bake 45

to 50 minutes or until you do the toothpick thing!  Cool 10 minutes; remove

from pan to wire rack.  Cool completely.  Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar

on top.

Banana Pumpkin Bread

This was a great bread, Andy though thinks it should be called cake instead!  Sorry Janet, this probably won't be a recipe for you.

Banana Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/3 cups canned pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup honey ( I used 1/2 cup brown sugar)
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup oats
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup walnuts

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 9x5 inch loaf pan.  I used a bundt pan instead.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the mashed banana, eggs, oil, pumpkin, honey and sugar. Combine the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pie spice and cinnamon, stir into the banana mixture until just combined. Fold in the chips and walnuts if desired. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool loaf in the pan for 10 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.

Really Good Hashbrowns

I have to give a little back story!  A couple years after my husband and I married, our names were given to Andy's Uncle Charlie and Aunt Debbie in the Christmas Gift Drawing.  That year we were staying in in Nevada so out gift was mailed to us.  I was a little shocked to have gotten 2 cases  of dried hashbrown potaotes.  It turns out that these are THE gift to get in the family, and after tasting them I understood.    The brand is Nonpareil, and they come in what look like school milk cartons.  They are already seasoned and you just rehydrate them before cooking.  They are hard to find here (only at Winco) but they do have a website www.buyhashbrowns.com.

I took this to a lot of Mom's group brunches!   When we have it at home I usually serve it with eggs.

Here's what I do with them!

1 container of hashbrowns, rehydrated

1 small onion, diced

1/2 to 1 green bell, chopped

1 ham steak chopped (great use for leftover ham)

about 1  cup shredded cheese (I use chedder)

In a skillet heat about 1-2 tbls of olive oil, add hashbrowns, onions, pepper and ham.

Saute until the hashbrowns are as crisp as you wish.

Shortly before serving top with shredded cheese.  Leave on heat just until cheese is melted.

**this keeps well in a warm oven.

Crock Pot Mushroom and Beef Stew

I haven't posted a recipe for a very long time. Thanks to all who have kept up! WOW! Anyway. I just got dinner in the crock pot and I have no idea how this recipe will turn out, but I wanted to post it up before I forget, in case I like it. SO don't try it until I update the results tonight!

1 pound cubed stew meat
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 pkg brown gravy (the recipe I was following called for onion soup, I improvised)
1/2 cup water
1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms (recipe said 2 4oz cans, drained)
1/2 onion finely chopped
3/4 cup roughly chopped carrots
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp Season All
1 tsp pepper

Put everything in the slow cooker on low for 8 hours (well, I'll be on high for a couple hours, then switch over to low until family is hungry tonight). Serve over hot egg noodles.