Tex Mex Pasta

Ingredients
2 cups uncooked spiral pasta
1 pound ground beef
16 oz salsa
1 can cream of chicken soup
4 - 6 oz shredded Mexican cheese
1/2 can of sliced olives
Garlic salt, lemon pepper & chili powder

Sour cream


Directions
Preheat oven to 350°. Cook pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, cook beef in a Dutch oven over medium heat until no longer pink; season to taste. Stir in the salsa, soup and 1/2 cup cheese; heat through.

Drain pasta; stir into meat mixture. Transfer to an 11x7-in. baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover and bake 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove from oven and top with olives.  Serve with sour cream.  Yield: 4 servings.

Black Bean & Corn Salad

Ingredients
1 can, 14 ounces, black beans, rinsed and drained2 cups frozen corn kernels1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped1/2 red onion, chopped1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, half a palm full2 teaspoons hot sauce, just eyeball the amount (recommended: Tabasco)1 lime, juiced2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil, eyeball itSalt and pepper


Directions
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Let stand at least 15 minutes for corn to fully defrost and flavors to combine, then toss and serve. The corn will also place a quick-chill on this easy side-salad as it defrosts -- no need to refrigerate!

Zucchini Corn Pancakes

From Damn Delicious

INGREDIENTS

1 pound zucchini, grated
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup corn kernels, frozen, canned or roasted
4 large eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS

Place grated zucchini in a colander over the sink. Add salt and gently toss to combine; let sit for 10 minutes. Using a clean dish towel or cheese cloth, drain zucchini completely.

In a large bowl, combine zucchini, corn, eggs, basil, oregano and garlic powder; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in cheese and flour until well combined.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Scoop tablespoons of batter for each pancake, flattening with a spatula, and cook until the underside is nicely golden brown, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side, about 1-2 minutes longer.

Serve immediately.

Rustic Tomato Tart

From: http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/a5324/rustic-tomato-tart-1975/

Ingredients

1.50 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
4 tbsp. margarine or butter
0.25 c. shortening
1 tbsp. olive oil
3 medium onions
0.50 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
0.25 c. Kalamata olives
1 package goat cheese
1 large yellow tomato
2 large red tomatoes

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In medium bowl, stir flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt. With pastry blender or two knives used scissor-fashion, cut in margarine or butter, and shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Sprinkle 3 to 4 tablespoons cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, into flour mixture, mixing lightly with a fork after each addition until dough is just moist enough to hold together.

On lightly floured surface, with floured rolling pin, roll dough into a 14-inch round; ease into 11- by 1 1/4-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Fold overhang in and press against side of tart pan.

Line tart shell with foil and fill with pie weights, uncooked rice, or dried beans. Bake tart shell 20 minutes; remove foil with pie weights. Return tart shell to oven; bake 10 minutes longer or until crust is golden.

While tart shell is baking, in nonstick 12-inch skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until onions are tender and browned, stirring often, about 20 minutes. Reserve 3 or 4 Kalamata olives for garnish. Pit and slice remaining olives.

Turn oven control to broil. Spoon cooked onions into tart shell; top with half of goat cheese. Arrange tomato slices, alternating colors, in concentric circles over onion layer. Sprinkle with pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Crumble remaining goat cheese over top of tart.

Place tart in broiler about 7 inches from source of heat. Broil tart until cheese just melts and tomatoes are heated through, about 6 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle with whole and sliced Kalamata olives to serve.

Note from Carol Jean:  ok the recipe i have says that the 3 onions should be about 1 pound for the tart and the goat cheese is a 3 1/2 ounce package but I use more cheese and olives and that isn't an 11 inch tart pan it is closer to 9 1/2 inches and fit just fine

Bacon Swiss Pork Chops

Ingredients

4 bacon strips, chopped

1 medium sweet onion, chopped

6 boneless pork loin chops sliced thin

1/2 - 1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 - 1 tsp Smokehouse Maple Seasoning

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 c heavy cream

1/4 c pure maple syrup

Parmesan cheese

6 slices Swiss cheese

Directions

1. In a nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook bacon and onion over medium heat until bacon is crisp, stirring occasionally. Drain on paper towels
2. Sprinkle pork chops with garlic powder, smokehouse maple seasoning and salt. Add pork chops to same pan; cook over medium heat 3-4 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 145°. Top pork with bacon mixture and cheese. Cook, covered, on low heat for 1-2 minutes or until cheese is melted.
3. Mix cream and syrup and bring to a boil.  Add Parmesan cheese until sauce reaches desired consistency.  Drizzle over pork right before serving.  

*** I usually serve this with rice (that way you can eat more of the sauce)