Easy Pasta Salad

I love pasta salad almost as much as I love soups! I love how they are versatile and can be used with almost any meal at any time of the year. This pasta salad is quick and easy and can be modified in just about any way to make it fit for your liking. I am usually the person who will use the store brand of a lot of items, but I specify the "name brand" in this recipe . I have found that for this, the flavors work better when name brand is used. But you can use whatever you have on hand.

What you will need:

Large sauce pot

Strainer or Colander

Large mixing bowl

Long handled spoon

Ingredients:

1 box of Penne Pasta - 16 oz

1 can diced tomatoes & green chilies - 10 oz (I prefer Rotel, original)

1 can sliced black olives - 6.5 oz (you can use less or omit - I love black olives!)

1 packet ranch seasoning (I prefer Hidden Valley- if using store brand you will want to use 1+1/2 packet)

Chicken bouillon seasoning (my go-to is Knorr) Feta cheese

Olive Oil

Directions:

1. In a large sauce pot, add water and about 1 heaping TBSP of chicken bouillon. Bring to boil.

2. Add pasta and cook per package instructions.

3. While pasta is cooking - in a large bowl, add undrained cans of tomatoes and chilies and black olives. Add packet of ranch and approx 1/4 cup of olive oil (I eyeball that measurement). Mix all together.

4. When pasta is done, drain the noodles then add to the large bowl.

5. Toss all together, if mixture seems dry and not coating noodles, add a little more olive oil.

6. Put into a container with lid. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

7. Just before serving, toss with some feta cheese crumbles. Note: This pasta salad is good with added grilled chicken or shrimp, capers, red onions, and most vegetables too.

TIP: Easy Peel Boiled Eggs

How many times have you boiled eggs only to have them not peel easily and come out looking like a 3 year olds art project? (No offense to the 3 year olds out there!) I have tried most of the techniques out there, "let them sit with a lid on", "salt the water / dont salt the water", "use baking soda", "ice bath / no ice bath". You name it, I probably tried it! Then I tried adding the eggs to boiling water - and it worked!! Works perfect every time! I have had friends try this and it worked for them too!

What you will need:

Large sauce pot

Eggs

Salt

Slotted spoon

Large bowl with ice & water

Directions:

1. In a large sauce pot, add water about 1/2 - 3/4 of the way up the side.

2. Set over med-high heat. Add salt. You want to heavily salt the water- not like you are seasoning it.

3. When water comes to a full rolling boil - add the eggs slowly with the slotted spoon. (Be careful not to splash the boiling water on you!)

4. Set a timer. 7 mins = solid whites, runny center (similiar to soft boiled) 8 mins = perfect eggs with slightly runny (almost gummy) center *see picture 9 mins = solid center, but not dry 10 mins = fully cooked 11 mins = well done

5. When time is up - immediately use slotted spoon to transfer eggs to ice bath.

6. Wait a minimum of 5 minutes before trying to peel them. This gives them time to cool off and set up. Note: I have left eggs sitting in an ice bath for an hour before when I got busy - they still peeled perfectly!

Chunky Tomato Soup

I love all things soup, but I like them better when there is substance to them. Where you have chunky bites and its not all broth. Here is my take on tomato soup. It is on the thin side (which was my fiance's complaint), but the flavor makes up for the consistency. Pair this hearty soup with a grilled cheese made with sourdough bread and munster cheese... Heaven! This soup takes less than 30 mins to make and no one will ever believe you didn't spend hours making it!

What you will need:

Large dutch oven (or large sauce pot)

Knife / Cutting board

Long handled spoon

Can opener

Measuring cup

Tablespoon

Ingredients:

1 lb. mild Italian sausage

1 lb. spicy Italian sausage (can use all mild or spicy-your preference)

1/2 large yellow onion (chopped)

3 Tablespoons butter

2 cans petite diced tomatoes (14.5 oz each)

46 oz tomato juice

5 Tablespoons sugar (dont judge! Its to cut acicidty)

2 Tablespoons chicken base (I love Knorr powder)

1-2 cups of heavy cream

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1/4 cup chopped parsley

Fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In pot over med heat, start browning the Italian sausage. Break up the sausage as much as you want. (I like to keep it a little chunky)

2. While sausage is cooking dice the onion.

3. When the sausage is 3/4 of the way cooked, add the onion and the butter.

4. One sausage is cooked through and the onions are transclucent, add the cans of tomatoes, and the tomato juice. (tip: add the juice slowly so it doesnt splash around your kitchen!)

5. Stir together.

6. Add the 5 Tbsp of sugar (this can be ajusted for your liking, but 5 was perfect for us)

7. Add the chicken base and pepper.

8. Heat to almost a boil (you will see little bubbles starting), then turn off the heat.

9. Stir in Heavy cream, and the basil and parsley.

TIP: To finely chop the basil (or any leafy herb), stack them on top of each other. Then roll them tightly together. And run your knife back and forth over them to get a nice chiffonade (long thin strips). From there its easy to just do a rough chop for finer chopped herbs.