greek pasta salad

you will need: a stockpot, a saucepan, a colander, a large mixing bowl, a small mixing bowl, a whisk and a spoon
yields: 4 serving

8 ounces of whole wheat spiral pasta
4 cups raw baby spinach
2 cups green beans, cut in half
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 tomatoes, deseeded and diced
8 kalamata olives, minced
4 oz crumbled feta cheese
4 tablespoons light italian dressing
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

cook pasta according to directions. at the same time, start green beans.

drain pasta in colander and pour into large mixing bowl. stir in spinach when pasta is still hot. set aside to cool.

combine olives, feta, vinegar, italian dressing and cinnamon in small mixing bowl and whisk together.

place red peppers in bottom of colander and drain green beans over them. add to spinach and pasta.

add tomatoes and dressing. stir and serve immediately.

for additional flavor, dice 10 slices of thinly slice salami and add.

menu planning 6/13-6/19

okay, it's confession time; i did not make a single thing on my menu last week. not one. instead we had brats, chinese, olive garden, leftovers, salmon, soup and ribs. expect to see the previous menu incorporated into my menu plan sometime in the future. an advance apology for the future repeats.

sunday - mushroom ravioli with red peppers and wilted spinach in alfredo sauce
paprika cauliflower
banana mousse with raspberries

monday - marinated beef medallions
baby red potatoes
honeydew melon

tuesday - baked paprika-parmesan chicken (recipe from allrecipes.com)
pesto and triscuits
greek pasta salad
broiled carrots in balsamic vinegar
blackberries

wednesday - pumpkin curry with cashews
black bean hummus and tri-colored chips
broccoli
plums

thursday - left-overs

friday - blt's
zucchini fries
chocolate covered pears

saturday - camping (hamburgers on the grill with onion, lettuce and tomato, corn on the cob, macaroni salad, watermelon, lemonade and s'mores)

sunday - camping (portabella spaghetti, garlic bread, green salad, cherries and ice cream)

chicken, blueberry and feta pasta salad

you will need 2 skillets, a large spoon, a stockpot, a colander, a cutting board, a sharp knife and a serving bowl
yields 8 servings

1 pound chicken breast
1 cup chicken broth
1 box whole-wheat pasta (fusilli or radiatore is good)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
4 oz (1/2 cup) feta cheese
1 tablespoon lime zest
3 tablespoons lime juice (or one lime yields)
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
salt and pepper

place chicken in a large skillet and add half the chicken broth; bring to a boil. cover, reduce heat to low and simmer gently until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, about 10 to 12 minutes. drain and transfer the chicken to a cutting board to cool.

place oil and onion in a small skillet and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until softened, about 3 to 5 minutes. remove from heat. add remaining broth, lime juice, lime zest and feta. stir until feta is melted, about 1 to 2 minutes.

bring a large pot of water to a boil. cook pasta according to package directions, about 9 minutes. drain and transfer to a decorative serving bowl and coat with feta dressing. salt and pepper to taste.

chop chicken into bite-sized pieces. stir into pasta. toss in blueberries and fresh thyme right before serving. serve room temperature or chilled.

menu planning 6/6-6/12

sunday - loaded baked potatoes (broccoli cheese, sour cream, chives, salsa)
cowboys beans
salad
watermelon
homemade hot fudge sundaes (with homemade fresh mint ice cream)

monday - tequila honey lime shrimp in avocados
rice, zucchini and corn salad
cottage cheese
apricots

tuesday - marinated pork
cheesy-garlic mashed potatoes
lemon broccoli
strawberry shortcake

wednesday - chicken, blueberry and feta pasta salad
roasted green beans and onions
parmesan brussel sprouts
mango

thursday - left-overs

friday - artichoke chicken pizza
salad with bacon, sunflower seeds, croutons and blue cheese crumbles
baby carrots
fruit salad parfait
black bean brownies

saturday - kielbasa with tomatoes and white beans (recipe from recipezaar.com)
spaghetti squash
pineapple

sunday - mushroom ravioli with red peppers and wilted spinach in alfredo sauce
paprika cauliflower
banana mousse with raspberries