Italian Chicken Rotelle W/Broccoli & Cheese.

Good Tuesday everyone! I'm back with a food post. I love cooking, baking, and creating new recipes, but I do also love having breaks from the kitchen. Especially from those nasty dishes. I can pile stacks of dishes in no time....

I still haven't seen Hannah Montana yet due to different complications, but my little sister and older sister got to. They came out raving and raving. I am hoping I can see it this weekend. But Ghosts of Girlfriends Past and X-Men are coming out this Friday and I am being pulled in 3 directions. Not sure what I'll see!

I created this recipe when I saw my Mom had some Rotelle on the shelf. I love pasta....especially when it is cold. I added in some chicken for a more balanced meal. The broccoli and provolane cheese take it up a notch. I was out of the bottled Italian Dressing so made my own. A quick meal for those busy week nights. Chilled or eaten at room temperature, it is good.

Italian Chicken Dressing Rotelle

Ingredients:

1 (16 oz.) bag of Garden Rotelle

2 cups chicken, cubed, cooked, and cooled

1 cup broccoli, chopped in small pieces

1 1/2 cup provolane cheese, cut into cubes

DIRECTIONS:
Cook pasta according to directions. Cool. Combine all ingredients together. Set aside. Make dressing and pour all over Rotelle. Refrigerate 4 hours or until chilled or eat room temperature.

Italian Dressing:

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. garlic powder

1 tbsp. onion powder

1 tbsp. white sugar

2 tbsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. ground black pepper

1 tbsp. Italian Seasoning

1 tsp. dried basil

1 tbsp. dried parsley

1 tsp. salt

1/4 cup white vinegar

2/3 cup vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS:

Combine all ingredients together in a jar or bowl. Stir very well.

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Andrew has always loved sports. He has loved being outside ever since I can remember. Baseball is what he does best. He's never been a big camera lover....he'd take pictures but would never ask to have a picture taken of himself. A lot of times he'll give a look, which means get that horrid thing out of my face. Or he'll do the craziest things for the camera. He can also break out in the cheeseiest grins. The last picture is one of his many cheesy grins.

Have a good Tuesday, hopefully you are having some beautiful sunny weather. We are having cloudy cool weather. See you next with a dessert!

A Tasty Dinner Meal In 30 Minutes.

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The winner of the apron is Comment #132:

Maria who said: I like baking with my family! Best times are in the kitchen!

Congrats Maria!! Please e-mail me at priscilla91@iowatelecom.net to claim your prize!

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Happy Thursday everyone! Whew, this week has been busy. I am feeling in much need of a long vacation. I am very excited because at the end of next month I will be going on vacation to California. I will be heading out to see my Grandma and to attend my closest friend's graduation. Ah, I seriously cannot wait. Eating at In-N-Out or Green Burito, seeing Palm trees, swimming, seeing mountains again, embracing the California sun. And much more. California I love you. I also adore you.

Onto a quick dinner meal. I'm sure a lot of you guys are familiar with marinating chicken breasts in Italian Dressing for a couple hours and then grilling it. But I also like to add some Pineapple Juice in with the Italian Dressing Marinade. Mmm, makes some lip smaking good chicken.

The rice and the green beans with eggs is also another favorite meal at our house during the summer with the chicken. The green beans mixed with eggs is my favorite way to eat green beans. We all grew up on Rice Pilaf and eat it all the time. It is a delicious side dish. This whole meal takes about 30 minutes (minus the marinading), it is simple but very appetizing.

Green Beans With Eggs
Ingredients:

5 eggs, beaten

1 can of french cut Green Beans, drained

2 tbsp. butter

DIRECTIONS:

Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Dump Green Beans in and mix with the butter. Add eggs and stir until eggs are cooked. Sprinkle with salt to taste. Yield: 4 servings

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Rice Pilaf

Ingredients:

1 cup long grain rice, uncooked

2 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup vermicelli, lightly browned (Cracked into 3 inch pieces)

1/4 to 1/2 tsp. salt

4 tbsp. butter

DIRECTIONS:

Brown vermicelli at 400 degrees for 5 minutes or until lightly browned. In a pan over high heat, combine rice, chicken broth, vermicelli, and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cover. Cook for 20 minutes or until ready. 5 minutes before ready, drop tablespoonfuls of butter on rice and place top back on to finish cooking. Yield: 4 servings.

Pineapple And Italian Marinated Chicken
Ingredients:
4 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, thawed

1 cup Italian Dressing

1 1/2 cups Pineapple Juice

DIRECTIONS:

Combine Italian Dressing and Pineapple Juice. Place chicken in a pan, pour dressing all over chicken. Cover and marinate for 3 hours. Grill on BBQ on low heat until no longer pink in the middle. Continue to baste chicken in dressing while grilling. Yield: 4 servings.

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I love watching the youngest two out of our family together. Being the youngest out of all of us kids, they have a special something together. Even in a group of people Joe and Anna can usually be spotted together. As long as I can remember they have loved tackling each other to the ground. I sure hope they won't be doing that at 20 and 22 years old. Yes, that would be weird.

Have a wonderful Easter everyone, the days leading up to it is packed with activities! Looking forward to it, hope I can last until Easter and that day too!