How To Make The Best Pasta Salad

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I admit I don't eat enough pasta salad but then I come back to my senses and realize how shameful I've been. Shameful because I realize how much I've been missing out on. That is especially true if the pasta salad is super good and delicious.

Take for example this pasta salad my wife whipped up tonight.  Ok, this is why I feel the need to post this immediately because in my opinion pasta salad doesn't get much better than this and I need to share the recipe with you.

Ingredients: 

• 1 bag of Wacky Mac Veggie Spiral Pasta (in my opinion this brand of garden style pasta is the best!) 
• 1/4 cup of Italian dressing (I prefer Full Circle Organic Tuscan Italian Dressing found at Market Street stores)
• 1/4 cup of Mild Cheddar Cheese sliced into small cubes
• Pepperoni (as much as your heart desires)
• 1/8 cup of Parmesan Cheese 
• Suggested add ins: purple onion sliced and black olives sliced

It's very important to remember, that after you mix your ingredients together for the pasta salad, to chill it in the refrigerator for a little bit. Pasta salad is a dish best served cold. 

A funny story and lesson learned, I was working out and my wife asked if I wanted veggies in my pasta salad. I quickly said no because I was so into my workout and didn't bother to ask what kind. She ended up preparing some purple onions to put in hers. Needless to say, at dinner I was reaching over and picking them out of her pasta salad.

Lesson learned because you don't want to do without those because it would be like having a salad at Olive Garden where they didn't add any. It just wouldn't be as good because it enhances the taste 10 fold. She should of been more clear though and asked if I wanted purple onions because I would of said yes on the spot. Any how, that's why they aren't in the picture but it's highly recommended just like this recipe. Oh yeah, one more thing, we didn't have any black olives and I wasn't going to the store for one thing but I've had pasta salad with them in it and it's just as highly recommended! 

Quick, Healthy, & Budget Friendly: Chicken Bean Tortilla Soup with Ro*Tel

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Looking for a budget friendly meal during the week that warms you up? Chicken Bean Tortilla Soup made with Ro*Tel will be happy to do that job. It's hard not to like a cheap meal that works it's magic by satisfying your stomach and your budget.

Ingredients:

• 1     can of Ro*Tel
• 1     can of refried beans
• 2     chicken breasts 
• 1     tsp of jarred garlic
• 1/2  tsp of onion powder
• 2     cups chicken broth

Simmer the chicken breasts on low heat in enough water to cover them for 30 minutes. After they are cooked, let the chicken cool. Then shred the chicken after it's cooled by pulling it apart.

With a large pot, add the chicken broth, refried beans, shredded chicken, Ro*Tel, and add your garlic and finally, the onion powder. Cook on low heat for at least 30 minutes. 

What makes it tortilla soup? That's easy. Break out the tortilla chips and crunch and sop up the juices, along with chunks of savory chicken with a little shredded cheddar cheese thrown into the mix. What a satisfying week day meal! 

How to Make Cinnamon Roll Biscuits Out Of Bisquick

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Cinnamon roll biscuits are always a morning treat at my house and a nice change from having just regular biscuits. It took a little experimenting but I finally figured out the way to make them quick and easy. Try these out for yourself and you'll be surprised just how delicious they are.

Ingredients for Biscuits: 

• 2 1/4 cups of Bisquick 
• 2/3    cup of milk

Ingredients for Cinnamon & Sugar Mix:

• 1/2 cup of white sugar
• 2 TBSP of Cinnamon
• 1 TBSP of Brown Sugar
• Sprinkle of Nut Meg

You're also going to need a 2/3 cup of butter


Step 1: Mix the 2 1/4 cups of Bisquick in and 2/3 cup of milk in a large bowl just like your making regular Bisquick biscuits. Important: you don't want to add cinnamon or sugar to the mix because that a separate step.

Step 2: Simply mix the ingredients I have listed for the cinnamon and sugar mix in a jar or container. Shake to make sure mixture is well blended together.

Step 3:  Melt 2/3 a cup of butter in the microwave. This is also probably a good time to go ahead and preheat your oven to 450 F.

Step 4 (above): Take a large cutting board and roll out your Bisquick dough mix very carefully onto it where's about less than 1/2 a inch thick. Then very slowly drizzle your now melted butter over the rolled out dough and brush to make sure it's covering the whole surface area of the dough on the topside. Finally take your cinnamon and sugar mix and sprinkle evenly over the entire surface area of the dough just like you did the butter and as you see in the picture. You should have a little cinnamon sugar mix left for Step 6.

Step 5 (above): Proceed to roll your dough from one end to the other very carefully until you have it completely rolled up as you see in the picture. Take a sharp knife and very delicately cut the dough every 1/2 inch which should come out to about 9 cinnamon roll shaped biscuits.

Step 6 (above): Very carefully (starting sound like a broken record) pick up your cinnamon roll shaped biscuit dough and place evenly on a large cookie sheet or pan. Whatever you have left of your cinnamon and sugar mix from Step 4 sprinkle a tiny bit over on top of the cinnamon biscuits to give it more a topping since all the good stuff is in the spiral. Throw in the now preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until they look golden brown.

Finally and very quickly I might add because this doesn't take long at all, you can enjoy your cinnamon roll biscuits. I love my eggs in the morning and these compliment eggs cooked any style, sausage, bacon, and hash browns very nicely.