My Culinary Blog

2 boneless chicken breasts
3/4 cup steak sauce
1 (12 ounce) package fussili or bowtie pasta
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 medium Vidalia onion, diced
2 avocados, peeled and diced
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 cup blue cheese or ranch salad dressing

Marinate chicken breasts in steak sauce for 15 to 60 minutes. Grill until done and chop into bite−size pieces. In a large pot of boiling water, add the bouillon cubes and cook pasta until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water. In a large bowl, combine chicken, pasta, onion, avocados and tomatoes. Add salad dressing, mix and refrigerate until chilled.
Stir in additional salad dressing when ready to serve, if desired.

1 head iceburg lettuce
1 head romaine lettuce
1 lb. plum (roma) tomatoes
6 oz. greek or black olives, sliced
4 oz. sliced radishes
4 oz. feta cheese
2 oz. anchovies (optional)

Dressing:

3 oz. olive oil
3 oz. fresh (preferred) lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
4 cloves garlic, minced

Wash and cut lettuce into 1 1/2″ pieces. Slice tomatoes in quarters. Combine lettuce, tomatoes, olives, and radishes in large bowl. Mix dressing ingredients together and then toss with vegetables. Pour out into a shallow serving bowl. Crumble feta cheese over all, and arrange anchovy fillets on top (if desired).

1 (8 ounce) bottle Italian dressing
1 teaspoon cumin
dash hot pepper sauce
1/2 pound beef for fajitas, strips or chuncks
1/2 cup corn kernels
1/2 cup cooked kidney beans
1/2 cup red onion, sliced
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tomato, chopped
6 to 8 cups salad greens
2 cups crushed tortilla chips

Combine the cumin, hot pepper sauce and Italian dressing in a small bowl and mix well. Reserve 1/2 cup of the dressing. In a separate bowl, add enough dressing to coat the beef and let marinate for 1 hour.
In a hot skillet, fry the beef and cook until done. Allow the beef to cool. In a medium bowl combine the beef with the corn, beans, onions and 1/2 cup of the dressing. Refrigerate for several hours before serving.
To serve, toss the beef and vegetable mixture with the salad greens, tomatoes and shredded cheese. Add extra dressing if necessary and top with the crushed tortilla chips.

1 cup cooked couscous
1 tablespoon butter
1 red onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup toasted sliced almonds
1/2 cup canned chick peas, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup creamy salad dressing
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste

Place 1 teaspoon butter in a saucepan and melt over medium−low heat. Add 1/2 cup couscous and stir until coated in butter. Add 1 cup water. Bring to boil, reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until all water is absorbed. Season with salt and pepper, set aside to cool.
In a salad bowl, combine the couscous, red onion, bell pepper, parsley, raisins, almonds and chick peas. Stir and mix well. Whisk together the salad dressing, yogurt, cumin, salt and pepper.
Pour the dressing over salad; stir until well blended, chill and serve.

Roasted Beets:

4 bunches of beets (trim root ends and remove tops)
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
Coat beets with oil. Roast in 450 degrees oven on a sheet pan for approximately 45 minutes or until tender. Cool, peel, and dice.

Dijon Honey Vinaigrette:

Tablespoon of lemon juice
1 ounce white wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon honey
1 ounce dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dried thyme
4 ounces vegetable oil
salt & white pepper to taste

Combine first five ingredients in a blender. While blender is running slowly add oil. Season to taste with salt and white pepper.

Salad Ingredients:

1/4 pound French Feta cheese (crumbled)
1 pound of spring mix lettuce
2 heads Belgium endive

Place three endive leaves symmetrically on each plate. Toss spring mix with vinaigrette. Divide between plates, top with diced beets and feta cheese.

1 pound shell, bowtie or elbow macaroni pasta
1/4 pound Genoa salami, chopped
1/4 pound pepperoni, chopped
1/2 pound Asiago or Italian sharp cheese, diced
1 (6 ounce) can black olives, drained and chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
3 ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 (.6 ounce) Italian dressing mix (Good Seasons)
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
salt
ground black pepper

Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and cool under cold water. In a large bowl, combine the pasta, salami, pepperoni, cheese, black olives, red bell pepper, green bell pepper and tomatoes. Sprinkle on the envelope of powdered dressing,
mix thoroughly and refrigerate salad.

To prepare the dressing, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, oregano, parsley, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Just before serving, pour dressing over the salad and mix well.