Quick and Easy Pesto Pasta Salad

Do you need a quick and easy side dish to take to an office party or family gathering? I’m almost embarrassed to share this recipe because it’s really so simple  and all the flavor comes from a store bought pesto sauce.  But, hey you had to cook the pasta and cut up everything yourself.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound rainbow rotini pasta (or whatever shape of your choice)
• 8 ounces cubed Colby Jack or Mozzarella cheese
• 1 cucumber, diced
• 8 ounces grape tomatoes, sliced in half
• 3.8 ounce can of sliced black olives, drained
• 3/4-1 cup pesto or Italian dressing of your choice
• 8 ounces hard salami cubes (this is optional. I didn’t have any on hand but it tastes wonderful in the salad.)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Chill in ice bath and remove once pasta is cool.
2. While pasta is cooking, cut up cheese, cucumber, tomatoes, and salami if using.
3. Add all ingredients into a large bowl and stir in pesto. Mix well.
4. Chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes or overnight for the next day.

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Mexican Cornbread Casserole

Happy Cinco de Mayo! This recipe is like a mash up of my Mexican Casserole and a tamale pie recipe I’ve tried in the past. And for my fellow home cooks who like quick recipes, the 35 minutes baking time is the longest you have to wait.  I love shortcuts, so if you do not have all the required spices in your cupboards you can also use a packet of taco seasoning. Since there is only two of us at home to eat this, I used half the meat and only one box of the Jiffy cornbread mix and an 8×8 baking pan. Otherwise I used the same amount of all the other ingredients. For my vegetarian friends, omit the ground beef and add pinto beans.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 (8.5 ounce) boxes Jiffy cornbread mix
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 1/2 cups grated Mexican cheese blend; separated into 1/2 cup and 1 cup
• 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies (optional)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 small red onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can black beans (15 ounce)
• 1 cup corn kernels
• 1 can (2.25 ounces) sliced black olives
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 can (10 ounce) Ro-Tel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chiles
• 1 1/2 cup chunky salsa

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Meanwhile in a large bowl, prepare Jiffy cornbread mix by combining mix, eggs and milk. Stir well then add 1/2 cup grated Mexican cheese blend. Set aside. (If you like some extra spice, add a small can of diced green chilies to the cornbread mixture.)
2. In a skillet add olive oil and cook ground beef over medium high heat until cooked through. Drain any grease. Add onions and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes until onions are tender.
3. Add remaining ingredients to the meat mixture in skillet. Mix well and remove from heat.
4. In a 9X13 baking pan, add meat and vegetable mixture. Top with 1 cup grated Mexican blend cheese.
5. Add prepared cornbread mixture on top of cheese layer. Be sure to spread out evenly.
6. Bake in oven for 33-35 minutes or until cornbread turns golden.  Enjoy with your favorite beverage.