Chicken Pasta Soup (Khin Hlaing)

Serves - 7

Ingredients:

• 1/3 lb. sea shell pasta
• 1 carrot
• 2 stalks to celery
• 4 oz. grean beans
• 1/2 lb. chicken breast
• 4-5 cups chicken broth or chicken base
• 8 oz. heavy cream or light whipping cream
• 3-4 tbsp. flour as necessary
• tarragon
• 2 tbsp butter
• white pepper
• 3-4 cloves of garlic

Directions:

Melt butter with chopped garlic.  Sauté chopped carrot and celery for approximately 5 minutes.  Add flour and mix well.  Add chicken broth and bring to a simmer.  Add tarragon, diced chicken strips, green beans, white pepper.  Return to simmer.  Add heavy cream.  Turn off heat.  Add cooked pasta.   

Penne with Italian Sausage and Zucchini (Darlene Neal)

Ingredients:

• 1 package (16 oz) penne pasta
• Salt (to taste)
• 1 lb. Italian sausage (casings removed)
• 4 med. (about 8 oz. each) zucchini (cut lengthwise in half, then crosswise into 1/4 in. thick slices)
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. basil
• 1/4 tsp. oregano
• 1 can (14.5 oz) whole tomatoes
• 16 oz. parmesan & romano ragu (or your favorite flavor)
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• Grate parmesan and/or shredded 5 Italian cheeses (optional)

In a large sauce pan, prepare pasta according to directions on box.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Add sausage and cook until browned, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently to break up sausage. Drain sausage in bowl with paper towel.


Add 2 tablespoon of olive oil to skillet. Add zucchini, pepper, basil, oregano, and salt. Cook until zucchini is golden, about 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Stir in tomatoes with their juice and ragu; heat to boiling breaking up tomatoes with side of spoon. Add sausage back into skillet. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer about 5 minute longer.

Drain pasta; return to large sauce pan. Add sausage and tomato mixture and toss well. Serve with grated parmesan and shredded 5 Italian cheese if you like.

Party Pasta (Cindy Ivey)

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lb pkg of bowtie, salad shells, or spirals - cooked al dente, sprinkle rice vinegar over cooked pasta to keep it from sticking together.
• Green and red grapes
• 16 oz. can chunk pineapple
• 16 oz. can mandarin oranges
• Small can of water chesnuts (best) or sliced jicama
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 1 bag frozen grilled diced chicken or grilled chicken strips cut to 1 inch. No need to thaw.

Sauce Ingredients:

• Small jar of mayo - all of it
• Soy sauce - 1 tbsp, then to taste
• Garlic salt to taste
• 2 tsp curry, then to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped Macadamia nuts

Mix a little sauce with the pasta. Add chicken, grapes, and green onions. Fold in rest of sauce. Add pineapple and water chesnuts. Add 2/3 of the mandarin oranges, fold carefully. Sprinkle remainder of oranges and a few nuts on top.

Cheese Tortellini Pasta Salad (Kendal Jones)

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg (9 oz.) refrigerated Cheese Tortellini (Cooked according to package directions, drained & cooled)
• 1 head of broccoli, washed and cut into small florets
• 1/2 cup frozen baby green peas (thawed)
• 1 small can sliced black olives, rinsed and drained
• 3 spring onions, sliced
• 2 large tomatoes, diced (seeds removed) or 1 pt grape tomatoes halved (seeds removed)
• 1 med. cucumber, diced (peeled, seeds removed)
• 1 can quartered artichoke hearts (drained and cut in half)
• Fresh basil chiffonade (or torn)
• Ground black pepper
• Salad greens
• Light Caesar salad dressing
• Optional: Chopped grilled chicken or salami

In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, broccoli, peas, black olives, spring onions, tomatoes, cucumber, artichoke (chicken or salami if using) and toss with enough salad dressing to coat well. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours or overnight. Serve on salad greens topped with fresh basil and pepper. Keeps well for two days stored in Tupperware in the fridge.