Pasta Primavera

This is one of my favorite summer meals.  It's light and filled with summer veggies. 
My sister, Rachelle gave me the recipe.

Pasta Primavera

8 oz of pasta of your choice

1 zucchini or yellow squash

1 pepper (red, orange, yellow or green)

3-4 roma tomatoes

4-5 T. of olive oil

salt & pepper

Italian seasoning

Parmesan cheese
*If you add a variety of squash/peppers, it helps with the flavor and color.  
Sometimes when I have them, I cut up half of each squash and a few different peppers.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Boil water for pasta. Wash and slice veggies. 
You can slice them in long strips or in chunks.  Pour olive oil onto a cookie sheet.

Place cut veggies onto the sheet.  Mix them into the olive oil.  Sprinkle on salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.  Bake for 10 minutes, flipping vegetables halfway through.  Dice tomatoes.  Take a large bowl and dump cooked pasta and vegetables into.  Be sure all of the oil on the pan goes in - it helps add lots of yummy flavor.  Mix. 

Top it all of with fresh tomatoes and Parmesan cheese. 

*How I tweaked it:

We like meat so I cut 2 chicken breasts into strips and cook them in olive oil and Italian seasoning over medium heat. 

I mix the vegetables right into the cooked chicken and steam that for a few minutes.  Then I mix everything together in a large bowl, then top it off with tomatoes and cheese.

Hope you like it!

And just a few reminders:

1- I post new recipes every Monday and Wednesday.  

2- Fridays are special days for my followers!

3- Be sure to follow the blog and email me letting me know you're following.  Then you'll have the chance to post one of your recipes.

Acapulco Chicken and I need your email!

Alright everyone, before we get into another recipe, I have a huge favor.  I'm having a little trouble getting a hold of my followers because a lot of your profiles DON'T have your email address.  So, would you PLEASE send an email to willtherebefoodthere@gmail.com?  That way I can easily ask you to share one of your favorites.  Thanks - I'd really appreciate it.

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Okay...here we go.

Acapulco Chicken
(recipe from here - I tweaked it slightly)

2 chicken breasts

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

1 roma tomato

1 T. olive oil

1 T. chili powder

1 teas. garlic salt

Extras: sour cream, jalepeno pepper, hot sauce

Cut chicken breasts into small slices. Cover with chili powder. Cook chicken in pan with heated oil.

Add peppers, onions, tomatoes, and any other veggies you desire (jalapeno pepper).  Add garlic salt and a little more chili powder (& 10 drops of hot sauce).  Cook for 5 minutes occasionally stirring.

I usually add more onions, peppers and tomatoes.  But this was all I had left in the fridge!

Cover and simmer for 5-10 minutes.  

Pour over a generous helping of rice or in a tortilla shell.  I like to add sour cream to the mixture if I'm putting it over rice - it makes a creamy sauce.  And if you're putting it in a tortilla, just put sour cream on the tortilla.

And it's usually WAY more colorful....but again, missing half of the veggies.

 Roll and eat!

First Follower Friday: Cashew Chicken

Remember when I said I had some exciting things planned?  Well this is one of them! Each Friday I will choose one of my followers (are you following this blog yet?!) to submit a favorite recipe to appear on my blog. I'll do a little spotlight on that person and then post their recipe.  

Pretty exciting huh? See, I'm ALL about learning from you guys, too! 

So for today, my first Follower Friday goes to Caley. She's actually the person who inspired me to create this blog. We've been friends since freshmen year of high school. She's one of my heroes. She's kind, loving, and insanely creative! She works and writes for HowDoesShe.com. Her style is gorgeous and I wish I had her ability to design and decorate practically anything!  

Take it away, Caley.

>>>>>>

Thanks Tiff, you're the sweetest and I'm so excited about this blog! Woo woo!

Today I'm going to share one of my family's favorite meals...

Cashew Chicken

Without turning the heat on, combine into a wok or stir-fry pan:

1 tbsp garlic or garlic powder

1 tbsp cornstarch

5 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp black vinegar or balsamic vinegar

1 tsp chili garlic sauce

2 tbsp sesame oil

2 tbsp water

Mix together, add 3-4 cubed chicken breasts and turn on the heat to medium-high. Stir often while the sauce cooks into the chicken...make sure the chicken gets completely cooked.

 

When cooked, add 1 diced green pepper and 1 can sliced water chestnuts... (you can also add 1/2 medium onion and 3 green onions if you/your family likes them).

 

One minute before you're ready to serve it, add the cashews. If you add them too early they might get soggy and they also get flaming hot! (Watch your tongues!)

Add some rice and you're all done! It's definitely a crowd pleaser and a delicious left-over meal! 

I hope it becomes one your favorites too! Enjoy everyone!

Would you like to share your family's favorite recipe? 

Become a follower and let me know! I'd love to have you!