My Very Own Greek Pasta Salad #recipe

I love pasta and could eat it at almost every meal. Last year I was challenged to create a recipe using whole wheat pasta. I knew with my love of pasta it wouldn't be difficult. I adapted a friends' recipe and created My Very Own Greek Pasta Salad.

Ingredients:

1 (10 ounce) package Whole Wheat Shells or Bowties

1 tomato, diced

1 bell pepper, diced

1 cucumber, julienned

1 bunch of green onions, diced

1 (8 ounce) package of cubed ham

1 (15 ounce) jar of black olives, drained and  sliced

1 (4 ounce) package crumbled feta cheese

1 avocado, thinly sliced

1 (8 ounce) jar Olive Oil and vinegar dressing

 

Directions:

Cook pasta as directed on package and drain. Cover pasta with ice (to chill) while preparing the other ingredients. Mix the onion, cucumber, tomato and bell pepper into a large bowl. Stir until blended.

Add olives, cheese and ham.  Drain the pasta and add to the bowl. Add the bottle of salad dressing and stir until well mixed. Chill until ready to serve. Immediately before serving add slices of avocado.

Flat Bread- A Simple Recipe for Any Time of Year

Flat bread is simple bread usually made from flour, water and salt.  The reason it is called flat bread is because its appearance is flat instead of rounded types of bread made with yeast.  Although some flat bread recipes do include yeast, most flat breads remain unleavened and are made in a frying pan with some oil or baked in the oven.  

History
Ancient humans learned how to grind grain into flour, combine it with water and bake it for a tasty basic staple of food.  This type of bread continues to be made all over the world and has had a recent resurgence as a pizza base, tortilla-like base and as a dessert by dusting it with powder sugar or cinnamon and sugar.  Ancient Egyptians to Middle Eastern peoples and Native Americans all have their own version of this easy dish.  Flat bread takes very little time to make, takes only a few ingredients, tastes delicious and costs just pennies.  

Ingredients
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch of baking soda
3 tablespoons shortening
1 cup ice water

Directions
In a bowl combine the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda and sift or stir well.  Add the shortening and cut in with a pastry cutter as if making crust.  Add water, a little at a time until smooth dough is made.  Use the hands to incorporate the dough into a mass.  

Cut the dough into 4 to 5 equal pieces and on a floured surface; roll each piece out with a rolling pin into a thin 6 to 8-inch circle.  Prick the circles a few times with a fork.  

Heat a frying pan and add a little vegetable oil.  Place a circle of dough in the pan and turn when one side is browned.  Fry the other side until it is also brown.  Be careful, as this happens pretty fast.  

Serve flat bread plain along with a meal or incorporate it into a meal as they do in some fine dining restaurants in upstate New York, like Wildflowers, where flat bread is made into a lovely appetizer.  Caramelize onions and sauté a few sliced, roasted red pepper from a jar.  Also sauté some chopped white anchovies and place this all on top of the flat bread.  Top with a little shredded, semi-firm cow’s milk cheese like Parmesan and serve or put it in the broiler a few minutes to melt the cheese and serve.

 

This was a guest post from Guy Renzi.

What's Cooking- My Top Five Cookie Recipes of 2012

I love to bake whenever I have a chance. Here's a roundup of some of my favorite recipes to use when you need a sweet treat for a bake sale or other function.

1. Thumbprint Cookies with Jam Filling

2.  Wedding Cookies

3. Peanut Butter Kisses

4. Chess Bars

5.  Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroons

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow

We rarely receive snow in the south, so my daughter was thrilled when she visited friends in Lancaster, PA and it snowed four inches.

Fun Hands On Science Experiments with Frankenweenie

Sometimes getting kids interested in science can be accomplished by learning along with their favorite movie character. Disney has created a 19 page science activity guide, aligned to National Science Education Standards, featuring plenty of hands-on activities.

The Frankenweenie Activity Guide introduces children to a series of three  lesson adventures designed to help them step into Victor’s shoes as a scientist. So go on and take an electrifying adventure with your kids. No pets (deceased or otherwise) necessary!

Keeping Kids Entertained- Frankenweenie Kids Crafts

Frankenweenie, the classic tale of a boy, Victor Frankenstien, who tries to reanimate his deceased dog, Sparky, will be coming to DVD and Blu-Ray on January 8th.  To prepare for the upcoming release and to keep the kids entertained, Disney has prepared a four page Frankenweenie activity pack.  The sheets include 2 mazes, a spot the differences sheet and a hidden activities sheet.  You can receive the free package by clicking on the button below. It's a fun way to spend the afternoon with the kids!

Pumpkin Honey Bread #recipe

One of my good friends, Terri at That's What She Said, has tempted me with her Pumpkin Honey Bread. This is excellent for breakfast or for a snack.

Ingredients
Makes 2 loaves

• 1 cup honey
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1 can (16 oz.) solid-pack pumpkin
• 4 eggs
• 4 cups flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Directions

In large bowl, cream honey with butter until light and fluffy. Stir in pumpkin. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until thoroughly incorporated. Sift together remaining ingredients. Stir into pumpkin mixture. Divide batter equally between two well-greased 9 x5 x 3-inch loaf pans. Bake at 350°F for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let loaves cool in pans for 10 minutes; invert pans to remove loaves and allow to finish cooling on racks.