Southwestern Pasta Salad

Southwestern Pasta Salad

I came across this Southwestern Pasta Salad in Taste of Home. This is a vibrant, colorful and hearty pasta salad. I bumped up the flavor, added cracked black pepper, and increased some of the ingredients for a bold and kicked up taste. The original recipe has sliced avocado on top but mine was not ripe, so if you have avocado, slice it and add it just before serving. This dish is perfect for a backyard BBQ and as an accompaniment to chicken or burgers, and for sharing with your family. See the adapted recipe below.

Close-up,  Southwestern Pasta Salad

Southwestern Pasta Salad

Ingredients
1 cup Salsa, Medium

1 cup Lime Juice, Freshly Squeezed

1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 1/2 tablespoons White Wine Vinegar

2 teaspoons Ground Cumin

1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

1 teaspoon Coarse Salt

1/2 teaspoon Cracked Black Pepper

1 package (16 ounces) Uncooked Cavatappi (or Spiral) Pasta

So yummy!

Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 2-3 hours

1 1/2 cups Fresh or frozen whole kernel Corn, thawed

1 can (15 ounce) Black Beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup Cherry Tomatoes, whole or sliced in half

1 can Black Olives, sliced and drained

1 Green Pepper, chopped

1 Red Pepper, chopped

1 small red onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, divided

Delish!

Pasta salad perfection

Directions
In a small bowl, whisk together the salsa, lime juice, extra virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, garlic cloves, cumin, cayenne pepper, black pepper and salt;  set aside.

In a large pot, boil water, add salt and cook pasta according to package directions. 

Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water; set aside.

In a large bowl, mix with a spatula or wooden spoon the pasta, tomatoes, corn, beans, olives, peppers, onion and 1/2 cup cilantro. 

Pour salsa dressing over salad and combine. 

Refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours to set. 

Before serving sprinkle the rest of the the cilantro.

For the Southwestern Pasta Salad recipe, visit Taste of Home:
https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/southwestern-pasta-salad/

Enjoy!

Sophia/Two Frys

Roasted Carrots

Roasted Carrots

Roasted carrots are a simple way make a delicious side dish. They are much better roasted than just steaming them and taste even better bringing out the sweetness of the carrots. Look for the long slender carrots at your supermarket or farmers market. See recipe below.

Ingredients
7-10 Carrots

1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Sea Salt

Cracked Black Pepper

Roasted Carrots

Directions
Heat oven to 400F.

Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

Wash carrots and pat dry with paper towel.

Roasted Carrots

Add olive oil using a food-grade brush and season with sea salt and cracked black pepper.

Roll carrots on parchment paper so they are coated evenly.

Bake for 30-35 minutes until they are tender and browned.

-Allen/Two Frys

Beef Stir-Fry

Beef Stir-Fry
with Levinsky's Carrot Jalapeño Sweet & Sassy Zinger Hot Sauce

I won Levinsky's Carrot Jalapeño Sweet & Sassy Zinger Hot Sauce on a Facebook contest and decided to cook with it on beef stir-fry. Levinsky's make great vegetable based natural sauces and have an ever growing line. Levinsky's Carrot Jalapeño Sweet & Sassy Zinger Hot Sauce complimented this dish and had a fresh taste with a tangy-sweet flavor. This vinegar based sauce with carrots and jalapeño blended well with the minced ginger, sesame oil and stir-fry sauce and had a touch of heat. Levinsky's has recently expanded into a more traditional line of hot sauces (see link below). This is a quick and easy meal that takes less than 30 minutes to prepare. Beef Stir-Fry recipe and directions below.

Beef Stir-Fry with Jasmine Rice

Beef Stir-Fry with Jasmine Rice

Beef Stir-Fry with Jasmine Rice

Ingredients
1-2 cups Jasmine Rice

1 bag Frozen Chinese Stir Fry Vegetable Blend

Sliced Mushrooms (canned or fresh)

1 pound Beef Round Strips

Coarse Salt

Cracked Black Pepper

2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided

1/2 teaspoon Ginger, minced

3 tablespoons Levinsky's Carrot Jalapeno Sweet & Sassy Zinger Hot Sauce

1/2 teaspoon Japanese Sesame Oil

1/2 cup Stir-Fry Sauce

Levinsky's Hot Sauce 

Minced Ginger, Stir-Fry Sauce, Japanese Sesame Oil

Cooking veggies

Directions
Set your rice cooker to the cook setting with desired amount of jasmine rice, water, and season lightly with salt.

Season frozen stir fry veggies and mushrooms with salt and pepper.

Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to skillet on medium heat, add veggies and mushrooms, and cook just until al dente; set aside.

Levinsky's Hot Sauce

Cooking beef in sauces

Season beef strips with salt and pepper.

In a skillet on medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, and beef strips.

Cook for about 5-6 minutes.

Veggies added

All done!

Jasmine Rice 

After three minutes, add minced ginger, Levinsky's or your favorite hot sauce, sesame oil, stir-fry sauce and with tongs, stir together.

Add the steamed veggies and mushrooms to skillet and stir together.

Serve the beef stir-fry with jasmine rice.

For further information, visit:
https://www.levinskystopshelf.com/silk-city-hot-sauce

-Allen and Sophia/Two Frys

Ravioli

Ravioli

Allen asked me to make ravioli earlier this week so I got the ingredients I needed to make a quick and hearty dinner. This seriously took less than thirty minutes with jarred sauce and frozen ravioli filled with ricotta and pecorino Romano cheese. These shortcuts helped save time without cutting back on flavor. I bought organic ground turkey but you may substitute with ground chicken, ground sausage, ground pork, ground beef, or use a combo of ground meats. You can omit meat completely and make it vegetarian. Your preference. You can use your favorite spices, but I seasoned the ground turkey with 2 Gringo's Chupacabra Special Blend (link below), which is a company we love for many years and use their spices all the time. I added Italian seasoning to the pasta sauce (I used Prego Fresh Mushroom) and one bay leaf from Allen's parents backyard. See ingredients and directions below.

Ravioli

Ingredients
1 bag (25 oz.) Cheese Ravioli (Frozen)

1 jar (24 oz.) Pasta Sauce

1 lb. Organic Ground Turkey

1/2 Medium Spanish Onion, chopped

4 cloves Garlic, minced

1 Bay Leaf

2 tablespoons 2 Gringo's Chupacabra Special Blend (or your favorite spice blend)

2 Gringo's Chupacabra Special Blend

2 Gringo's Chupacabra Special Blend

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon Tomato Paste

1/2 cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese

1/2 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 teaspoon + 1 tablespoon Coarse Salt

Bunch of Parsley, chopped

Yummy ravioli

Directions
Heat skillet to medium heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Season both sides of the ground turkey with 1 teaspoon of coarse salt and 2 Gringo's Chupacabra Special Blend (or your favorite spice blend) and add to skillet.

Add the onions.

While cooking, heat a large pot filled with water on medium-high heat and boil.

Add 1 tablespoon of salt.

Cook the ground turkey until browned and use a spatula to break up the meat until it is in small pieces.

Ravioli done!

Add the pasta sauce, tomato sauce, garlic, bay leaf, and Italian seasoning and mix together.

Turn heat to low and simmer while you cook the ravioli.

Add the ravioli to the large pot once the water is boiling.

Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil.

Cook the ravioli according to package directions. My ravioli took 8 minutes to cook.

Adding more shredded Parmesan cheese

Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water.

Drain and return to pot.

Turn off ground turkey pasta sauce ragu.

Add it to the large pot with the ravioli.

Add reserved pasta water and mix together with a spatula.

Add grated parmesan and mozzarella cheeses and combine.

Add parsley and combine.

Sprinkle a little extra parmesan just before serving.

Serve with Italian bread or a salad if desired.

To order 2 Gringo's Chupacabra Special Blend or other products, visit:
https://2gringoschupacabra.com/

Enjoy!

-Sophia/Two Frys

Mangu with Men Pa'w Umami

Mangu with Men Pa'w Umami Mild Gourmet Sauce

We have reviewed several Men Pa'w Sauces over the years on many foods and are big fans of the product line. Carline Phanor recently released the stellar Men Pa'w Umami Mild Gourmet Sauce. I put it over mangu that Sophia made us and it was superb! Umami is mild but it is packed with flavor and will compliment all your dishes. The rich taste lingered nicely on my tongue and I kept adding more of it to my mangu. Umami adds a refreshing and bold kick and is versatile for rice dishes, beans, seafood, eggs, chicken, pork, steak, veggie dishes and more.

Men Pa'w Umami with mangu

Umami is a vinegar based sauce and features roasted red peppers, fire roasted red jalapeno, chocolate habanero and a variety of spices. Men Pa'w are known for their Caribbean flavors and Umami is no exception. Some of the spice ingredients are garlic, cayenne pepper, paprika, onion, curry powder, black pepper, celery, chili powder, and parsley. See mangu recipe below. We made ours with Dominican salami but you can also make mangu with fried Spanish white cheese, and also fried or scrambled eggs.

Umami

Mangu Ingredients
3-4 Green Plantains

Apple Cider Vinegar

1/2 cup, 1 stick Butter, softened

1 Shallot, diced

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Coarse Salt

Mangu with Dominican Salami

Mangu with Dominican Salami

Directions
Peel and slice plantains.

In a small skillet, add 1 table spoon of olive oil, shallots and season with salt. Sautee over medium heat and then set aside.

In a large pot filled with water, add the peeled and sliced plantains and cook over medium heat.

Plantains ready to mash

Adding butter and continuing to mash

Add coarse salt.

Cook for 20-25 minutes.

Reserve 1 cup of the starchy water.

Drain plantains and return to pot.

Add cooked shallots and stir together with a spatula

Starchy water reserved before draining plantains

With a masher start to smash plantains.

Add butter and continue mashing.

Add about 2 tablespoons of the starchy water and continue mashing until you reach the consistency you like. I prefer mine a little on the chunky side.

Adding starchy water

Adding apple cider vinegar

Add cooked shallots and combine with a spatula.

Add 1-2 tablespoons (or less) of Apple Cider Vinegar and stir together with a spatula.

Add 1 tablespoon at a time of the starchy water if needed.

Enjoy!

-Allen and Sophia/Two Frys

Vacation Eats

Vacation Eats

Yosemite, Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias

We were on vacation for two weeks in northern California and spent quality time with our family. For 4 days, we visited with my sister in law Kristen in Bass Lake, CA. During this time, the Ferguson fire was going strong and unfortunately, it still is. We did not see the raging flames, but the air was smoky, the smell of fire was ever present, and ash coming down. We ended up going to Yosemite the day we arrived in Bass Lake since we found out they were closing the park at midnight. We intended to go the following day, my 50th birthday but plans changed. We went to the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias. It was magnificent even though we were surrounded by a smoke filled sky. We are thankful to have the opportunity to be in the presence of such beauty and grandeur.

Yosemite, Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias

Our hearts go out to those who died and we are grateful to everyone at Cal Fire, the firefighters and emergency personnel fighting the Ferguson Fire, and all the volunteers for their efforts and hard work. We spent some time at Bass Lake and Redinger Lake and it was relaxing and fun. Vacation goes so fast and it is over before you know it. I did not photograph every place we ate, and I present some of our vacation eats to share with you all. We hope you enjoy it. We sure did!

July 20: We had Taco Salad for dinner tonight and that was a treat. My Mother In Law Laurlee always makes it for us when we visit. Family friend Debbie joined us as it is one of her favorite meals as well.

Taco salad night

July 21: Uncle Bill and cousin Rob were with us and we had a great time together. We had 3 pizzas from Costco, and I made salad. For dessert, we enjoyed a decadent Tuxedo Chocolate Mousse Cake also from Costco. It was all so yummy.

Salad I made

Tuxedo Chocolate Mousse Cake

July 23: After shopping at Walmart my father in law, Allen and I had lunch at In-N-Out Burger. I always come here at least once when we come out west. I love this place. So yum! Allen and me ordered the same thing the Double-Double and French fries.

In-N-Out Burger

I got some smiles for the photo

Employees are so busy

The Double-Double and French fries

French fries, close-up

Double-Double, close-up

July 24: After our visit to Yosemite, we had dinner at Casa Velasco Mexican Restaurant in Bass Lake, CA. The food is authentic Mexican and tastes great.

Casa Velasco in Bass Lake, CA

Yummy chips and salsa 

Allen having chips and salsa

My Ground Beef Burrito, Mexican Rice, Refried Beans

Allen's Carne Asada Burrito Grande

Carne Asada Burrito Grande goodness

Sis Kristen

Dad

July 25: My 50th birthday! Our day started with a hearty and delicious breakfast and surprise birthday pancakes at Ducey's on the Lake - Pines Resort in Bass Lake. They even sang happy birthday to me and good thing it was after coffee.

Ducey's on the Lake

Love the décor

Sis and Dad

Allen and Sophia

Me with Sis

Sophia and Allen

My birthday pancakes 

Enjoying a hearty breakfast

Allen happy they have Tapatio

My hearty breakfast. Did not eat toast since I got the birthday pancakes

After breakfast we drove to Oakhurst to buy my birthday cake at Raley's. This area was really smoky from the Ferguson Fire. I chose a Strawberry Shortcake Cake. It was really pretty and delish. The cream on the cake was silky and rich, and the cake airy with sweet strawberries in syrup. All in all, it was a great birthday cake to share with my familia. 

About to have some cake

My 50th cake: Strawberry Shortcake Cake

Strawberry Shortcake Cake

Strawberry Shortcake Cake

My slice of cake

After cake, we went to Redinger Lake for the rest of the day. The family did their fishing while I read my book, Delicious by Ruth Reichl and relaxed. It wasn't as smoky over here so that was good. For dinner, we ate at the Pizza Factory in North Fork. The pizza was 1/2 veggie and 1/2 all meat. Tasty! 

Pizza

Veggie

July 26: We had breakfast at Ducey's again and burgers for dinner at The Forks in Bass Lake.

We came back to Ducey's for breakfast

Allen's Biscuits and Gravy

My breakfast

The Forks - Bass Lake: Best burgers in town!

The Forks in Bass Lake, CA

The Forks

The Forks; where we sat outside 

The Forks; we sat out here and had a beautiful view of Bass Lake

My burger and french fries

Allen's cheeseburger on sourdough and french fries

A perfect view of Bass Lake 

July 27: We sadly left Bass Lake in the morning and half way home, we went to Black Bear Diner in Merced for lunch. 

Welcome to the Black Bear Diner

Black Bear desserts

Allen proudly displaying the Black Bear Hot Sauces

Allen's breakfast

Allen's biscuits and gravy

My breakfast: Veggie omelet and hash browns topped with lots of ketchup

July 28: We met up with our friend Mike at Anita's Mexican Restaurant in Livermore for lunch. We always have the best time with Mike and the food at Anita's is delish.

Anita's Mexican Restaurant

Chips and Salsa

Allen with his Carne Asada Burrito

Allen's Carne Asada Burrito

My Fish Tacos with Mexican Rice and Refried Beans

Mike and Allen

July 29: For dinner, Allen baked chicken thighs slathered in Sweet Baby Rays BBQ Sauce. My mother in law made her signature macaroni salad. I am happy she shared the recipe with me.

Mom's Macaroni Salad

BBQ Chicken Thighs

Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs, close-up

Dinner: BBQ Chicken Thighs, Macaroni Salad, Sliced Avocado

My dinner plate

July 29: Allen and my father in law grilled steaks for dinner. Allen seasoned the steaks with McCormick Steak Seasoning. My steak was a perfect medium and so juicy. We finished off Mom's Macaroni Salad.

Allen and his steak

About to cut into my steak

Sis and Mom and silly Allen's finger in the photo

Dad and me enjoying our steak

To see the pies I made my family on vacation go to: Lemon Meringue Pie  and Almond Joy Pie. 

-Sophia and Allen/Two Frys