Ranch & Bacon Pasta Salad and Italian Pasta Salad

Hello readers! 


(That is, if I still have any readers... )


The last couple of months have taken their toll on me.  In April, I learned that my position within my district was being eliminated, and that after seven years of service, I would be unemployed for the upcoming school year.  Needless to say, I was not only heart-broken, but completely unprepared for all the impending job-hunt would entail.  Like Time.  The amount of time I have spent rewriting my resume, filling out applications, checking online recruiting databases, and crafting well-thought responses to the written components of applications really surprised me... which is one reason I haven't written to you in so long.  


But the other reason I haven't blogged recently is more emotional than anything.  Truth told, I think I've been working through a sort of depression that I haven't experienced before.  These last few months have been very foggy for me.  My determination, ambition, and creativity were replaced with apathy and insecurity in all aspects of my life (which includes the kitchen!) 


Thankfully, I have had a few interviews in these early weeks of summer, and this simple fact has done wonders for my outlook.  And this has led me back into the kitchen-- which is good, because I have a cookout celebrating a friend's birthday coming up, and I needed to get crackin' with a side dish or two to share. 


Ranch & Bacon Pasta Salad 
(Modified from allrecipes.com) 


Ingredients: 
1 box of bow-tie pasta
1 1/2 c. light ranch dressing
1 c. mayonnaise
1 bunch of green onions, chopped (I included the scallions as well) 
1/2 pkg. grape tomatoes, halved
1 lb. bacon (cooked, drained, and crumbled) 


Directions: 


1.  Cook pasta according to directions. Drain, and set aside to cool. 


2.  In a large bowl, combine ranch, mayonnaise, green onions, and tomatoes. After cooling the pasta with running water, add to large bowl and mix thoroughly.  


3.  Before serving, add bacon crumbles to top of the dish.  Serve chilled. 


Verdict: Keeper, with revision


I am CRAZY for creamy pasta salad, so this was a hit for me.  But I think I can do better.  Next time, I might try using a ranch-dressing season packet mixed with mayo (instead of the dressing) to see how it affects the overall flavor.  Also, I might try using pre-cooked bacon crumbles, just to see if the time saved is worth it compared to the flavor of real bacon. 


Italian Pasta Salad


Ingredients: 


1 box of tri-color pasta 
1 small can of black olives, sliced
1 pkg. cheese cubes
1/2 red onion, chopped. 
1 bottle of Italian dressing (I used Kraft Zesty Italian)


Directions: 


1.  Cook pasta according to directions on box. Drain and rinse with cool water. 


2.  In a large bowl, combine red onion, olives, cheese, and pasta.  Mix well.  Stir in Italian dressing.  


3.  Refrigerate a few hours or more before serving.  


Verdict: Keeper


My friend (the birthday girl/hostess of the cookout) asked me what dressing I used because she liked it so much.  This style of pasta salad instead my favorite-- but since it's kind of a "standard" pasta salad, I'll use this in the future when feeding others who want Italian pasta salad.   

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Never have I ever made macaroni and cheese.

I tried to make Baked Macaroni and Cheese one time.  It's been so long ago that I almost forgot about it.  It was a recipe from a Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook, and I remember doubting myself (and the recipe) as I was making it.  Tasting it confirmed all my suspicions; neither onion nor breadcrumbs belonged in Macaroni and Cheese.  

Since then, I have been on the lookout for a Macaroni and Cheese recipe that would fit my specific requirements in order to be tested.  Disappointment abounded during those years, since every recipe I found had ingredients that I was hoping to avoid.  Have you ever tried to search Mac and Cheese recipes?  It's harder than you think to find one without onions, breadcrumbs, cottage cheese, ricotta, heavy cream, or cream-of-something-gross soup!

Then one day, I found it.  The one. The ingredients? Pasta. Butter. Cheese. Milk. Salt and Pepper.  Perfect! Thank you, Jesus! Or, more specifically, thank you Melissa from Lemons and Love.

This has been bookmarked for several months-- but today was the day.  It's baking right now, and I can't wait! :)

Source:  Inspired by Lemons and Love (slightly modified)


Ingredients: 

16-oz. box of elbow macaroni
16 oz. Velveeta, cut into cubes
16 oz. Shredded Monteray Jack/Mild Cheddar blend (I prefer to use two 8 oz. bags instead of one big bag)
1 stick butter, quartered (Then, each quarter gets sliced into smaller pieces)
1 c. milk (I used skim because that's what we drink)
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven for 325 degrees.

2.  Cook the pasta according to directions on the box.

3.  In a baking dish (I used a Pyrex 8x10), evenly distribute a quarter of the butter pieces.

4.  Layer in half of the cooked pasta.  Follow with half of the Velveeta, then 8oz. of the shredded cheese blend, another quarter of butter pieces, and salt and pepper. 

5.  Repeat last step.

6.  End the last layer with butter pieces on top. Pour milk evenly throughout the whole dish.  

7.  Bake at 325 for 45-60 minutes, till cheese is bubbly and browned in some spots.

Make-Ahead Tip:  Do everything listed above EXCEPT adding the milk.  Cover and refrigerate.  The day you choose to bake it, let the dish come to room temperature, add the milk, then bake as directed. 

Verdict:
I can barely type.  I'm in food coma.  :)

Upon sampling the new recipe, The Mr. informed me that I will be required to make this at least once a week :)  As much as I enjoyed this, we'll have to see about that...