Pasta Salad for Dinner - enhance your leftovers

Pasta Salad for Dinner

A plate of leftovers from the holiday, yummy

Pictured is sliced ham, pasta salad and smashed potato and cauliflower. For just a few dollars you can feed alot of people or just a couple of people for a really long time. Linked are the dishes on the plate so you can recreate.

Part 1: Ham

Click for the SAA Glazed Ham recipe

Part 2:  Smashed Cauliflower and Potato

1. Peel and boil potatoes until fork tender.
2. Steam cauliflower in another container until soft.
3. Combine and smash ingredients together, add salt, pepper, butter, etc.

Part 3: Mom's Pasta Salad Recipe (thanks MOM!)

Ingredients

1 - box of 3 colored rotini pasta
2 - packets of Good Seasoning Italian dressing
adding vinegar, and oil
1 - bottle of italian dressing 

Veggies and beans: include but not limited to:
raw cauliflower
raw broccoli 
raw grated carrot 
garbanzo beans

Other ingredients to add (optional):
other raw veggies: celery, green beans
chopped pickles
chopped olives, green and or black
cheese - monterey, pepperjack
pepperoni

Directions:
Prepare pasta as directed. Combine with instructions of italian dressing on the Good Seasoning packet. Add vegetables and other ingredients in big bowl, mix well, add additional dressing for taste. Chill in fridge.

Ham Glazing

Ham Shank with Glaze and Pineapple

A glazed ham is a delicious meal that provides lots of leftovers.

Courtesy of Rachel Ray

Ingredients:

• 
  
• 2 cups apricot jam
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons fresh sage, minced
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 bay leaf
• Pinch of ground cloves
• Pinch of cinnamon
• My addition: Can of pineapple slices, toothpicks

Directions:

- While ham is baking, make the glaze: In a small saucepan, combine jam, Dijon, butter, sage, vinegar, bay leaf, cloves and cinnamon over medium-low heat. Stir until thin and syrupy.

- After ham has baked 1 hour, brush with about half of the glaze (add the pineapple slices by sticking them onto the ham with a toothpick) and return to the oven. Continue to glaze the ham every 15 to 20 minutes for about an hour to an hour and a half longer, until the internal temperature reaches about 130ºF. If the glaze starts to burn, tent with a piece of greased foil.
- Remove ham from oven and tent with greased foil. Let rest for about 10 minutes before carving.

Tips:
-Score your ham fat before cooking
-Let meat rest at least 15 minutes before slicing. The middle will be warmer than the outside.
-Save drippings and bone for making stocks and soups later.

Recipe Reviewed: Pillsbury Bacon Cheddar Rolls

Bacon Cheddar Rolls

This recipe came out pretty closely to the picture that Pillsbury uses to promote this recipe. They taste pretty good too. I think if I were to make these again, I would be sure to maybe use 2 different cheeses or add a little more bacon, or even wipe the crescents with butter before baking. I felt that it still needed a little something. But since I am already thinking of potential improvements, then this recipe was not half bad. I think these pinwheels with a couple other appetizers would disappear in a snap at a party or a late night movie, but not instead of dinner.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Recipe by Pillsbury
Ingredients:
Pillsbury Crescent rolls
Bacon, cooked, chopped at least 1/4 cup
Cheddar cheese - 1/2 cup or more
Ranch dressing - 2 TBSP
Green onion - at least 1/4 cup
Cooking Spray
Baking Sheet

Heat oven to 350°F. If using crescent rolls: Unroll dough; separate into 2 long rectangles. Press each into 12x4-inch rectangle, firmly pressing perforations to seal. If using dough sheet: Unroll dough; cut lengthwise into 2 long rectangles. Press each into 12x4-inch rectangle.

Spread dressing over each rectangle to edges. Sprinkle each with bacon, Cheddar cheese and onions. 

Starting with one short side, roll up each rectangle; press edge to seal. With serrated knife, cut each roll into 8 slices; place cut side down on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 12 to 17 minutes or until edges are deep golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Serve warm.

                                                 My Photo                                    Pillsbury Website Photo