Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry

From: Salt and Lavendar

Ingredients:

• 2 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• Pepper to taste
• 3 Tbsp cornstarch 
• 3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1/2 medium onion
• 2 cups broccoli florets 
• 1/2 red bell pepper

Sauce:

• 1/2 cup chicken broth 
• 3 Tbsp mirin
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 2 cloves minced garlic 

1. Prep the ingredients before you start cooking. Once the recipe is started, it goes quickly. Cut the veggies into bite-size pieces so they cook at a similar rate.

2. Add the sauce ingredients to a medium bowl and whisk everything together.

3. Cut the chicken into one-inch pieces and add them to a bowl. Sprinkle the pieces with the garlic powder and some pepper. Stir to combine. Add the cornstarch and stir until the chicken is coated.

4. In a deep skillet, over medium-high heat, add 2 tbsp of the oil. Let the pan heat up for a few minutes.

5. Add the chicken pieces, shaking off the excess cornstarch prior to adding them to the pan. Cook for 4 minutes and then flip and cook another 3 to 4 minutes or so. Chicken should be browned and cooked through. For the second batch (there should be enough chicken to need to do 2+ batches), I add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Transfer each batch of the chicken to a plate once it's done.

6. If the pan is dry, add a small splash of olive oil, and then add the onions. Cook for 1 minute, stirring a few times.

7. Add in the broccoli and peppers, and cook for 3 minutes, stirring often. Veggies should be tender-crisp. Give it a little longer if you want them softer.

8. Add the chicken back to the pan and stir in the sauce. ( Whisk it again quickly prior to pouring it in.) Let it bubble until thickened, stirring constantly so everything is coated. Take the pan off the heat and serve immediately.

Verdict:

Thumbs up! Oh my gosh, the flavor on this was ON POINT. The whole family really enjoyed it!

What I did differently (or would do in the future):

I cooked about 2lbs of chicken because I knew just two chicken breasts wouldn't be enough for us. And I left some out of the sauce so people could do half and half. I should have used more broccoli - all of us love broccoli so much that we went through that really quickly. I left out the bell pepper because I'm the only one who enjoys it, but I cooked my onions separately, so in hindsight, I should have just done the bell pepper separately as well. I used coconut aminos instead of soy sauce. 

Please note - it does say once the recipe is started, it goes quickly, and that's semi-true. It took me about an hour and 15 minutes to make this from start to finish, but that's most likely because of how much chicken I was cooking! If I was only cooking for two, it would probably have gone much faster.

We added rice and it went together perfectly!

Ranch Roll-Up Snacks

 From: Pillsbury Annual Recipes 2007 cookbook

Ingredients:

• 3oz cream cheese, softened
• 8 oz ranch sour cream
• 1/2 cup finely chopped broccoli
• 1/2 cup shredded carrot
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
• 4 slices precooked bacon, chopped
• 5 burrito tortillas

In small bowl with electric mixer, beat cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Beat in dip until well blended. Stir in broccoli, carrot, onion and bacon.

Spread mixture evenly onto each tortilla to edges. Roll up each; wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours before serving

To serve, cut each roll into 8 pieces.

Verdict: Thumbs up! Easy to make and these were so yummy to snack on!

What I did differently and what I would do in the future: I couldn't find ranch sour cream, so I bought sour cream and mixed in a packet of ranch dip mix. I would use less onion next time. I love onion but it was a little overwhelming at times with the slices being so small. I did find that the mixture was a little thin at first, so I added more broccoli and carrot until it thickened up some. 

Hearty Hamburger Soup

From: Food.com

Ingredients:
2 lbs ground beef
1 white onion, peeled and diced
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp dry oregano
1/2 tsp dry basil
1/4 tsp seasoning salt
1 envelope onion soup mix
6 cups water, more to desired consistency
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 15-oz can corn, drained
1 cup celery, sliced
1/4 cup celery leaves, coarsely chopped
1 cup fresh carrot, sliced
1 cup white potato, peeled and cut into small cubes
garlic salt, to taste
parmesan cheese, to serve
sour cream, to serve

• Brown ground beef and onion in a large pot. Drain if needed.
• Add spices and onion soup mix.

• Stir in water, tomato sauce and soy sauce. Bring to a boil; then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.

• Add the rest of the ingredients up to the potatoes; bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer uncovered until potatoes and carrots are tender, about 30 minutes. (Add more water if needed).

• Season to taste with garlic salt.

• Serve with shredded parmesan cheese and sour cream.

What I did differently:

I left out the onion soup mix because they were out at the store the day I went. I didn't do the celery leaves because I bought pre-cut celery sticks (convenience, hello!) Other than that, I didn't change a thing.

Verdict:

Thumbs up! Oh yeah, this was a GREAT soup, and so easy to make! The flavors blended perfectly. I love a good vegetable beef soup and this one did not disappoint!

Chicken Honey Stir-Fry

From: An old index card

Ingredients:
1 lb chicken breast
3/4 cup orange juice
1/3 cup honey
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp ginger
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 carrots, some broccoli
hot rice

Cut chicken into thin strips. In a small bowl, mix orange juice, honey, soy sauce, cornstarch and ginger. Heat oil over medium heat in skillet. Add vegetables and cook for 3 minutes. Remove vegetables. Add a little more oil if necessary. Add meat and cook until it's not pink anymore. Add the vegetables and the sauce mixture. Cook until thick. Serve over rice.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! Yes, I ate the entire recipe by myself. No shame. This was totally delicious. The only change I made was I used one tablespoon of soy sauce instead of three. Sometimes I feel soy sauce is overwhelming. This was a really fast recipe that was filling and delicious. I will definitely be making this again. 

Glazed Carrots

From: Betty Crocker's New Cookbook

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs carrots
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp grated orange peel

Prepare carrots, cutting into julienne strips and boil until cooked (about 15 minutes). Cook remaining ingredients in skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, until bubbly. Stir in carrots. Cook over low heat about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until carrots are glazed and hot.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! These were awesome. I left them whole since they were baby carrots. Hunter and I finished the whole plate easily. I will definitely be making these again! They were sweet but still had the carrot flavor.

Sweet and Sour Venison Stir-Fry

From: One Pot cookbook

Ingredients: 
12 oz venison steak
1 bunch of scallions
1 red bell pepper
3 1/2 oz snow peas
3 1/2 oz baby corn cobs
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
1-inch piece fresh gingerroot, finely chopped
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
2 Tbsp dry sherry
2 tsp clear honey
8 oz canned pineapple pieces, drained
1/4 cup bean sprouts
freshly cooked rice, to serve

Trim any fat from the venison and cut into thin strips. Cut the scallions into 1-inch pieces. Halve and seed the red bell pepper and cut into 1-inch pieces. Trim the snow peas and baby corn.

Heat the oil in a preheated wok or skillet over high heat. Add the venison, garlic, and gingerroot and stir-fry for 5 minutes. Add the scallions, red bell pepper, snow peas, and baby corn cobs, then stir in the soy sauce, vinegar, sherry and honey. Stir-fry for an additional 5 minutes.

Carefully stir in the pineapple pieces and bean sprouts and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes to heat through. Serve with freshly cooked rice and extra soy sauce for dipping.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! I love stir-fry and I've done a sweet and sour before that I didn't love. I really liked this one although I did vary the recipe a bit on the veggies. I used onions instead of scallions, no baby corn cobs (didn't have any at home), ginger powder instead of gingerroot, I left out the sherry, and I didn't add bean sprouts. But the sauce was so yummy and I loved the other flavors as well! I'll be making this one again.

Chicken Pot Pie Pasta

From: Martha Stewart

Ingredients:

• Salt and pepper
• 3/4 pound penne or other short tubular pasta
• 1/3 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 small yellow onion, minced
• 1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
• 2 carrots, diced medium
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups diced cooked chicken

 

In large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta 3 minutes less than package instructions. Add green beans and cook 3 minutes, then drain.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt butter over medium-high. Add onion, celery, and carrots and cook until onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Gradually add broth, stirring constantly, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in chicken and season with salt and pepper.

Stir pasta into chicken mixture.

Verdict:

Thumbs up! I used Tyson grilled chicken chunks to make this meal prep even faster. This was a great meal. My whole family liked it, and I think it was because the flavor was so simple. My husband and daughter don't like things that have a lot of flavor or sauces, so this was right up their alley. I can definitely see myself making this again in the future. 

 

Mini Egg White Omelets

From: Six Sisters' Stuff

Ingredients:

12 eggs

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Toppings you like in your omelets, such as:

Onions, Green Onions, Green and Red Peppers, Fresh Mushrooms, Tomatoes, Cheese, Turkey Bacon, and Ham

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

 

Spray a muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray, then crack an egg into each muffin tin hole. You can use a whole egg, or just the whites, or even egg whites from a carton. 

 

Once you crack them in the tin, take a fork and smash the yoke and mix around the egg whites. Add Salt and Pepper as needed. Add about 2 tablespoons of the veggies/toppings you like into each tin. Sprinkle a little bit of cheese on top.

 

Put into the oven and cook for 20 minutes or until the eggs are a little brown on top. Wait a few minutes then pop them out with a fork.

 

 

Verdict:
Thumbs up! I eat eggs at least 5 times a week for breakfast. Usually they are scrambled but every so often I get a craving for some extra veggies. These little omelets are perfect for satisfying my craving and filling me up. Three or four are perfect for me, along with my coffee and hashbrowns. For this recipe I used ham, green peppers and mushrooms but you can obviously use anything you want. I love recipes that can vary from time to time.

Nutrition info: (based on the ingredients I used)
Carbs: 2g
Fats: 10g
Protein: 23g

Tortellini Vegetable Soup

From: An old index card

Ingredients:
3/4 cup chopped onion
4 cups water
14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings
1 cup diced carrots
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
9 oz (about 2 1/2 cups) cheese tortellini
1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms
1 cup zucchini, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 cup chopped fresh spinach
2 tsp dried parsley, finely crumbled

Coat a 3-quart pot with a tablespoon of olive oil and add the onion. Cover and cook over medium heat for several minutes, until the onions start to soften.

Add the water, undrained tomatoes, carrots, salt and pepper to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, until the carrots are tender.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer half of the vegetables to a blender and pour in about 1 cup of the liquid. Carefully blend at low speed to puree the vegetables. Return the blended mixture back to the post.

Add the tortellini and mushrooms to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook covered for an additional 4 minutes. Add the spinach and cook for another minute, until the spinach wilts and the tortellini is cooked through. Serve hot, topping each serving with a sprinkling of parsley.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! What an awesome mixture of flavors. This was a very simple, inexpensive soup to make and it was delicious. I'll be making this again and I recommend it! 

Cheesy Vegetable Chowder

From: Here

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons butter

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 cup finely chopped carrot

1 stalk celery, finely chopped

1 Tablespoon minced garlic

4 cups chicken broth

2 large baking potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 Tablespoon flour

1/2 cup water

2/3 cup milk

2 cups chopped broccoli

2 heaping cups shredded cheddar cheese

 

Melt the butter in a large soup pot.  Add onions, carrots, and celery and saute over medium heat until tender.  Add garlic and cook 1 or 2 additional minutes.  Add chicken broth and potatoes, bring to a boil, and cook until potatoes are tender.  Mix flour with water, add, and simmer until soup is slightly thickened.  Add milk and broccoli and cook until broccoli is just tender and soup is heated through.  Stir in cheese, allow to melt, and serve.

Verdict:
This recipe has all the things I love about a good recipe - it's cheap to make, it's easy to make, and it tastes delicious!!  I love chowders and this one was definitely a keeper. I will certainly be making this again. Yummy!!

Roasted Okra

From: Here

Ingredients:
18 fresh okra pods, sliced 1/3 inch thick
1 tablespoon olive oil 

2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste

2 teaspoons black pepper, or to taste

 

Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F. Arrange the okra slices in one layer on a foil lined cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes.

Verdict:

Neutral. It was okay, especially if you really have to stay away from fried foods. We don't (yet) so we definitely prefer the original deep-fried, greasy, clog-your-arteries recipe. If you must watch your diet this is a great alternative though!

Family Fit Fried Potatoes

From: Here

Ingredients:
2 large potatoes, scrubbed clean with skin on
½ large onion
1-2 tsp Kosher or Sea salt (to taste)
1 tsp black pepper
olive oil

Cut potatoes in half lengthwise, then slice to no more than 1/4 inch thickness. Slice onion in thin slices. In a frying pan heat ½ inch of olive oil to medium heat. Place potatoes in frying pan. Top with onions (do not put onions in before potatoes, because they will burn before the potatoes cook through). Salt and pepper. Put a lid on it and let it sit for several minutes. When the bottom layer of potatoes start to brown, turn them. Leave the lid off for a few minutes, turn the potatoes again, and put the lid back on for about 5 more minutes. Potatoes are done when a fork pierces them easily.

Verdict:
Yum! Thumbs up! Great side dish, quick, easy, delicious if you like potatoes! I didn't get a picture of these before they got gone but I will definitely be making these again in the future. 

Asian Sugar Snap Peas

From: Here

Ingredients:
1 lb sugar snap peas, trimmed
3 Tbsp garlic flavored olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 tsp sesame oil
2 drops chili oil
1/4 tsp packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Preheat the oven broiler, and move oven rack into the top position.  Place the snap peas onto a baking pan, drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Spread the snap peas out into a single layer. Broil the snap peas in the preheated oven until tender, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, mix together the soy sauce, sesame oil, chili oil, brown sugar, and sesame seeds in a large bowl. When the snap peas come out of the oven, toss them immediately with the sauce. 

What I did differently from the recipe:
I just got a very small amount of snap peas from our food co-op box last week. We had stir-fry for dinner one night, so I wanted to use these snap peas before they went bad. I adjusted all the quantities of ingredients based on how many peas I had. I didn't have garlic flavored olive oil (and I've never even heard of that!) so I put in olive oil and juice from minced garlic. I left out the chili oil because I don't have that on hand, and I left out the sesame seeds because I don't really enjoy too much of the sesame flavor.

Verdict:
Thumbs up!! The stir-fry was delicious and being able to heap these onto my plate just made it even better. Stephen didn't like the flavor because of the sesame oil - if you don't like peanut butter you won't like these! But I thought it was a delicious addition to the meal!!
 

Venison Stew

From: Taste of Home


Ingredients:
2 Tbsp cooking oil
2 lbs venison stew meat
3 large onions, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 bay leaf
1 tsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp salt
1 tsp pepper
3 cups water
7 potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 lb carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup AP flour
1/4 cup cold water

Heat oil in a Dutch oven. Brown meat. Add onions, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, oregano, salt, pepper and water. Simmer, covered, 1 1/2 - 2 hours or until meat is tender. Add potatoes and carrots. Continues to cook until vegetables are tender, about 30-45 minutes. Mix flour and cold water; stir into stew. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Add browning sauce if desired. Remove bay leaf.

What I did differently from the recipe:
Stephen dislikes onions, so I substituted onion powder instead of actual onions. Yes, the recipe actually says 1 tablespoon of salt. I used red potatoes and didn't peel them.

What I'll do differently next time:
Nothing.

Verdict:
Okay, seriously, new favorite stew recipe! I have made stew beef before, and pot roast, and more pot roast, and I've always felt like there was something missing from these recipes. This was a big hit with all four members of the family and boy, did it go great with my new crescent roll recipe! Sorry for the bad picture, it doesn't do it justice - I promise!

Pasta Primavera

From: Taste of Home

Ingredients:
2 cups broccoli florets
1 can condensed cream of chicken or mushroom soup, undiluted
1 large carrot, julienned
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 garlic clove, minced
1/8 tsp pepper
3 cups cooked spaghetti 

In a large saucepan, combine the first seven ingredients. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat until vegetables are tender, about 12 minutes. Stir in spaghetti; heat through.

One serving prepared with low-fat soup, skim milk and nonfat cheese:
238 calories
425 mg sodium
8 mg cholesterol
43 g carbohydrate
11 g protein
2 g fat
3 g fiber

 

What I did differently from the recipe:
Nothing.

What I'll do differently next time:
Nothing.

Verdict:
Neutral. I'm not a huge fan of the taste of Parmesan cheese, so this was a little too much for me. BUT, it is super easy, and actually my kids have chowed down on it so it can't really get any better than that. I would have liked this a lot except for the Parmesan, so I would recommend it for others to try. I actually liked this recipe better.

Zucchini Chips

From: Here

Ingredients:
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
1/8 tsp black pepper
heaping 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup cold milk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 1/2 cups sliced zucchini (about 2 small zucchinis)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a medium bowl combine breadcrumbs, cheese (if using) and black pepper. In separate bowl add flour, milk and vinegar.  Gently stir until combined but do not over stir. Dip zucchini slices in flour mixture and then dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Place coated zucchini slices on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, flipping the slices over once halfway through cooking, or until browned and crisp.

What I did differently from the recipe:
Nothing.

What I'll do differently next time:
Less Parmesan. I don't love the flavor of Parmesan.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! Shocking fact: my husband ate more of these than anyone. I seriously can't believe that. That alone means I will be making these again in the future, because it is so. hard. to get him to try a new vegetable! Honestly, these looked totally disgusting when I was making them (it's that drippy whole wheat flour part) but they turned out really good. Perfect opportunity to use your homemade breadcrumbs! I do recommend these for a yummy side dish!

Hearty Chicken and Noodle Casserole

From: Good Housekeeping

Ingredients:
1 can Campbell's cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
2 cups medium egg noodles, cooked and drained
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Stir soup, milk, black pepper, grated Parmesan cheese, vegetables, chicken and noodles in 1 1/2-quart casserole dish. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes or until hot. Stir. Top with cheddar cheese.

What I did differently from the recipe:
Stephen doesn't like cream of mushroom, so I usually substitute cream of chicken. I didn't actually have cream of chicken soup on hand, so I made some. Also, I didn't cook the noodles before putting them in with everything else. There was enough liquid, I felt, to cook them in the oven instead of doing it first. They did cook all the way through.

Verdict:
Well, I would give this recipe a thumbs down. But Stephen and Brianna (2 years old) gave it a thumbs up. It surprises me because Stephen really doesn't like to stray from foods he knows! I did not like the Parmesan flavor - I felt it was very strong. If it weren't for that I think I would like this recipe, but I have so many similar recipes to this that we do all like, it's not worth trying to figure out how to tweak this recipe. Like I said, half my family did enjoy it, so it still might be something you want to try for your family! 

Chicken and Biscuits

From: Kraft Foods magazine

Ingredients:
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
3/4 cup sour cream, divided
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 16-oz package frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
1 cup baking mix
3 Tbsp milk

Heat oven to 375. Mix soup and 1/2 cup sour cream in 8-inch square baking dish. Add chicken, vegetables and cheese; mix. Place baking mix in medium bowl. Add remaining 1/4 cup sour cream and milk; stir until stiff dough forms. Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls into 6 mounds over chicken mixture. Bake 35 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown and chicken mixture is hot and bubbly.



What I did differently from the recipe:
I didn't use the whole bag of vegetables - maybe half the bag or a little more. My baking dish filled up really quickly after I put the chicken in! I only needed to cook mine about 30 minutes until it was done.

What I'll do differently next time:
Nothing.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! Such an easy recipe and I love chicken pie like this. I'm not even sure Stephen has ever eaten chicken pot pie in his life and he enjoyed this recipe. In my opinion this is a kid pleaser too, if your kids love vegetables as much as mine do. They don't really care for the chicken but I'm okay with that!! Will definitely make this again in future and highly recommend it to other people.

My apologies for the picture of leftovers - that's how quickly it went!

Italian Chicken and Veggies

From: Not sure... I even made up that recipe title.

Ingredients:
4 oz whole wheat spaghetti, uncooked
1/4 cup Italian dressing
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into strips
2 cups broccoli florets
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, divided
4 tsp grated parmesan cheese

Cook spaghetti as directed on package. Meanwhile, heat dressing and garlic in large nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add chicken and broccoli; cook and stir 5-7 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Stir in tomatoes and half of the mozzarella cheese; cook 1-2 minutes or until heated through, stirring occasionally. Drain spaghetti, place on serving plate. Top with chicken mixture, remaining mozzarella cheese and the parmesan cheese.

What I did differently from the recipe:
I did use Italian dressing but I also used Catalina because I had some that needed to be use. Instead of regular chicken breasts, I used Perdue Italian Chicken Shortcuts that were in the freezer that needed to be used.

What I'll do differently next time:
Not sure.

Verdict:
Very good. This was not my favorite recipe of this kind, but it was probably my fault. At first my taste buds were really overwhelmed with the Italian chicken, Italian dressing and Catalina dressing. After a little bit I got used to it and it was very good. I still think I have so many other recipes like this that I like better that I probably won't make this again. But it's not because it wasn't tasty!

Ingredients:
4 oz whole wheat spaghetti, uncooked
1/4 cup Italian dressing
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into strips
2 cups broccoli florets
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, divided
4 tsp grated parmesan cheese

Cook spaghetti as directed on package. Meanwhile, heat dressing and garlic in large nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add chicken and broccoli; cook and stir 5-7 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Stir in tomatoes and half of the mozzarella cheese; cook 1-2 minutes or until heated through, stirring occasionally. Drain spaghetti, place on serving plate. Top with chicken mixture, remaining mozzarella cheese and the parmesan cheese.

Pasta With Fresh Tomato and Corn

From: Sandhills Farm 2 Table newsletter

Ingredients:
8 oz pasta
4 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 cup corn kernels, cooked
4 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 tsp dried basil
salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta until al dente. Drain. Meanwhile, in a large bowl whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, and dried basil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the tomatoes, corn kernels, and scallions. Let sit for 5-10 minutes. Toss pasta with tomato mixture. Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese. Garnish with fresh basil if desired.

What I did differently from the recipe:
Just tweaked it according to my tastes. I put more corn than it said, less tomatoes (I used about half a tomato) and more onions.

What I'll do differently next time:
Less onions! Yowza!

Verdict:
Neutral. It is totally my fault for adding so many onions. I love onions so much that I went way overboard adding them, and that combined with the vinegar just made it too bitter for me. I honestly think if I had put the recommended amount or less of the onions it would have been incredible. I mean, even with the flavor it had I still ate half of it, so it really didn't taste that bad! This would be an awesome side dish for summer parties.

P.S. I used my fresh tomatoes, corn, and onions all from the food co-op! Yummy!

Pasta w/ Fresh Tomato and Corn

Ingredients:
8 oz pasta
4 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 cup corn kernels, cooked
4 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 tsp dried basil
salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta until al dente. Drain. Meanwhile, in a large bowl whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, and dried basil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the tomatoes, corn kernels, and scallions. Let sit for 5-10 minutes. Toss pasta with tomato mixture. Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese. Garnish with fresh basil if desired.