Italian Sub Salad

Ingredients:

2 hearts of romaine, chopped
1/2 lb salami, chopped
1/2 lb provolone, chopped
8 oz package mini fresh mozzarella balls
1 cup shredded Parmesan
1 package mini pepperoni
1 cup milk pepper rings
1 small purple onion, thinly sliced
1 package cherries tomatoes, slice in half
1 Tablespoon black pepper
1 Tablespoon dried basil

Dressing:

1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup garlic powder
1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 Tablespoon Honey
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1.  Whisk together ingredients or salad dressing.  Cover and set aside.
2.  In a large bowl.  Add Romaine lettuce.  Top with meats, cheese, and remaining veggies.  Sprinkle with pepper and basil.
3.  Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight (to let flavors meld).
4.  When ready to serve, toss, and drizzle with dressing.
5/. Serve cold garnished with fresh basil.

Creamy Asiago Chicken and Mushroom Tortellini Soup

INGREDIENTS

2 Tablespoons oil or butter
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon thyme, chopped
1/4 cup flour (rice flour for gluten free)
1/2 cup white wine (or chicken broth)
4 cups chicken broth
8 ounces cheese tortellini (gluten free for gluten free version)
1/2 lb boneless and skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)
1/2 cup heavy/whipping cream
1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
1/2 cup asiago cheese, grated
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oil in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat, add the mushrooms and onions and cook until the mushrooms have released their liquid and it has evaporated, about 10-15 minutes.

2.  Mix in the garlic, thyme and flour and cook, stirring, for a minute.

3.  Add the wine and deglaze the pan.

4.  Add the broth, tortellini and chicken, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the tortellini is tender and the chicken is cooked, about 10 minutes.

5.  Remove the chicken, dice or shred it and mix it back into the soup.  (I diced the chicken raw when originally adding to the soup, so I could skip this test.)

6.  Add the cream, mustard, and asiago, let the cheese melt, season with salt and pepper to taste and remove from heat.

Chile Colorado Burritos

Ingredients:

1.5 to 2 lbs stew meat or other beef cubed
1 large can of mild (red) enchilada sauce (@ least 19 oz.)
2 beef bouillon cubes
1 can refried beans
1 cup cheddar cheese
5 to 8 burrtios shells.

Directions:

Put beef, whole bouillon cubes (do NOT add water), and enchilada sauce into a crockpot & cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours, until meat is very tender. 

When beef is done, (very tender and flakes when stirred), taste and add salt to taste, if desired.  Heat up refried beans, & put your oven on broil.  On an oven proof plate, lay out a tortilla.  Place on tortilla about 1/2 cup of the meat, drained by using a slotted spoon, and a spoonful or 2 of beans.  Roll into burrito (hopefully you know how to do this).  Pour some of the remaining enchilada sauce from the crock pot over the burrito to cover it.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Broil until cheese is bubbly, about 2-4 minutes.

Depending on how full you stuff your burritos, this will make 5 to 8 burrtios.

Red Beans and Rice

Ingredients

3 cups water
1 cup dried red kidney beans
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped green bell peppers
3/4 cup celery
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon paprika
3/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
14 oz package of Andouille Sausage
1 bay leaf
5 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups hot cooked rice

Combine first 12 ingredients in a slow cooker.  Cover with lid; cook on high heat for 5 hours, or on low for 8 to 9 hours.  Discard bay leaf; Serve over rice.