Recipe: Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

I have a deep love for all pasta salads.  This love developed when I would visit my father when I was little (parents are divorced) and my then step-mother would make this amazing pasta salad.  I wasn’t able to get the recipe before she turned psycho-evil and bounced, and I have never successfully managed to duplicate it, though not for lack of trying.  Maybe someday I will figure it out, but in the meantime, this does mean that I have become fairly proficient at making various pasta salads.  This particular salad is extremely easy and inexpensive to make, and requires very little “cooking”.  Additionally, it serves 8-12 people, which is perfect for serving at parties.  I rarely, if ever, have that many people over, so mostly it just means I have leftovers for a week, which is 100% fine with me.

Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

1 bag frozen mixed peas and carrots
1 box shaped pasta
1 bottle fat-free ranch dressing
1 bag bacon bits
Garlic salt
Morton’s Nature’s Seasons

Boil pasta according to directions.  I use Barilla Farfalle (Bow-Tie) pasta and it takes about 11 minutes once the water is boiling.  Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside in large mixing bowl.  “Defrost” the frozen mixed peas in carrots by pouring them into a strainer and running cool water over them for 5-10 minutes.  Do not boil/cook them, and do not run warm water over them for more than 20 seconds.  You want to make sure they are still crunchy and crisp.  Once they are completely defrosted, add them to the pasta.  Pour 1/2 of the bottle of the ranch dressing in and add the entire bag of bacon bits (unless it is ridiculously large, then use your best judgement).  Stir thoroughly.  Add garlic salt and Nature’s Seasons until desired flavor is reached.  If you feel as though there is not enough ranch flavor, add the remainder until it reaches the flavor level you like.  Stir thoroughly and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.  Serves 8-12.

Note: If you would like a less creamy flavor, use Italian dressing, or any dressing you really enjoy.

FBFF: Favorite Summer Recipe

Since bloggers tend to sit in front of a computer and often don’t have much interaction with other bloggers… I’m trying to create a way for all of us to get acquainted. Welcome to Fashion Beauty Friend Friday. This is an opportunity for fashion and beauty bloggers to share their thoughts on a specific topic and read what others have to say on that same topic. - Katy at Modly Chic

This week’s Fashion Beauty Friend Friday gets a bit domestic as we share our favorite summer recipe.  I must admit, I am not one who cooks by the season.  Part of this is due to the fact that I live in a part of California that doesn’t really have seasons.  The other part is that I refuse to let the outside temperature or seasons dictate what I eat because I love certain foods…a lot.  And honestly, even if it is summer, I want to be able to eat baked ham with carrots and potatoes.  That being said, I do find that during the “slightly warmer months” of spring, summer and fall, I do grill foods a lot more…and by I, I mean my boyfriend, since he is the grill-master.  I also must admit, I don’t really cook that much, as I have said multiple times before.  I am much more of a baker.  Anyways…all of this being said, I know that a lot of people out there do cook based on the seasons, and so, I shall share a recipe that makes for a delicious and refreshing drink during those hot summer months.  I certainly can’t take credit for the recipe, which comes courtesy of the Food Network and the well known Emeril.

Homemade Strawberry Lemonade

2 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1 cup fresh lemon juice
1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
2 cups cold sparkling water or club soda
Ice
Mint sprigs, garnish
Whole strawberries, garnish

Recipe: Blueberry Banana Muffins

In my quest to continue making healthier baked goods I found this recipe for some healthier blueberry banana muffins, which was perfect, since we had an excess of both blueberries and bananas.  It is dairy free, nut free, and has limited eggs (egg whites only).  Also, no oil or butter, and only 1/3 cup of brown sugar.  Each muffin is only 130 calories.  I have a feeling that I could substitute the flour with almond flour, and it could also be gluten free.  Because of the banana this muffin is not as sweet as your normal blueberry muffin, but I quite liked how it tasted (so did my brother who devoured at least four of them within 15 minutes of them being pulled out of the oven). I think next time I might eliminate 2 of the egg whites and half a cup of the mashed banana and put in a bit of unsweetened applesauce instead, just to make it a little sweeter.

Healthy Blueberry Banana Muffins

2 cups unbleached flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas
4 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup fresh blueberries (washed)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan or use cupcake/muffin liners (which I did).  In a medium sized bowl mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon.  Set aside.  In another bowl, mash bananas (about 4 medium-sized).  Add egg whites and vanilla and mix thoroughly.  Add to dry mix.  Stir until completely combined (will be goopy in consistency).  Fold in blueberries.  Spoon into muffin pan.  Bake for 20 minutes, or until lightly brown on the outside, and toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.  Remove from oven, let cool 10 minutes, then remove from muffin pan and serve.  Should make 12 muffins.