Anita's Tuna Seashell Pasta Salad

1 box medium seashell pasta

4 boiled eggs

1 large pack deli style tuna

1 regular size package deli style tuna

1 red bell pepper

4 stalks celery

1 small red onion

1 small jar pimento

1 cup mayo

2 Tbsps. white vinegar

1/2 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Boil pasta per box instructions for al dente.  Drain and spray with cold water...let set and drain.

Dice up red pepper, celery and onion. Combine in large bowl all diced veggies and pimento.  In small bowl, combine mayo, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper.  Open packages of tuna and add to veggies.  Pour combined mayo in to veggies. Mix well.  Add cooled, drained seashells to veggies.  Peel boiled eggs and chop up - add to veggies.  Combine all together.  Taste for preferences to how much more salt and pepper may be needed.

Chill in fridge at least two hours.  Stir well before serving to make sure not too dry.  If so - add a little more mayo until it is consistency you like.

Frank's Delicious Crispy Skinned Baked Chicken Legs

5 chicken legs, skin on

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. smoked paprika

1/8 - 1/4 tsp. cayenne

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the drumsticks in a single layer on the parchment.

Make the seasoning paste: In a medium bowl, use a fork or a spatula to mix the olive oil, salt, pepper, and spices.

Using a pastry brush or your hands, coat the chicken pieces with the seasoning paste.

Bake the drumsticks uncovered until their internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F, about 40 minutes.

Baste the drumsticks with the pan juices using a clean pastry brush. Serve immediately.

Becky's Squash and Zucchini Casserole

3 lb. yellow squash and zucchini, cut 1/4-inch thick

1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped

1/4 cup butter

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. ground pepper

2 large eggs

8 oz. sour cream

1/2 cup mayo

8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves

Basil, garlic powder, oregano - all to taste

1 1/2 sleeves round butter crackers (such as Ritz) - broken - about 3 cups

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease a 2-quart casserole dish or deep dish pie pan.

Heat the butter in large skillet over medium heat.  Sauté the squash, onion and herbs until soft.  Drain off any fluid.  

In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, sour cream, mayo and  cheeses.  Season with salt and pepper.  Fold in squash mixture. Sprinkle in more herbs for those that were lost in draining off fluid.

Place in prepared baking dish.  Sprinkle with crackers. evenly over top.

Bake for 20 minutes until golden and bubbly.

ANITA’S RENDITION OF “NANA'S CHICKEN AND RICE”

 Ingredients:

6 large chicken tenderloins – size of breasts (I buy the big frozen bag of Tyson raw tenders and use 6 of the largest ones)

1 can evaporated milk, shake well

Perfect pinch steak seasoning – to taste

Pepper – to taste

Self-rising flour

Perfect pinch steak seasoning – to taste

Pepper – to taste

1 can Campbell’s Cream of Chicken soup with herbs

1 can Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom soup with garlic

1 can or equivalent (if pouring from big container of broth) chicken broth

Left over milk tenders soaked in

2 cups Uncle Ben’s converted rice, raw

Directions:

Take partially frozen tenders and cut them into small bite sized pieces.  (They cut easier when real cold/partially frozen.)  Place in a lock and lock bowl.  Pour evaporated milk and seasonings over them.  Marinade for at least two hours in the fridge – shaking occasionally.

In a Ziplock bag, make up a mixture of self-rising flour and seasoning – mix well.  Take the tenders a few at a time from the evaporated milk mixture, tapping it to get a lot of milk off.  Bread the tenders with the flour mixture – and put in fridge on plate if not cooking right away.  

If cooking right away, pour Crisco oil into frying pan and bring to heat over medium setting.  Test the oil with a little milk spitz’s – when it spits it is ready.  Brown in oil quickly.  The tenders do not have to cook all the way as they will cook in the oven.  

As they brown, place in bottom of a large baking pan.  (I used a 9x11 for the above amount)  Arrange in a layer in the bottom.  Pour out any excess grease from the frying pan, leave the crumbles in the pan. 

Preheat oven to 350.

In a separate bowl, mix together soups, rest of milk mixture from tenders and can of chicken broth.  Smooth any lumps.  Add to frying pan that is on medium low heat.  While stirring, add raw rice.  Mix well.  Pour mixture over tenders.  

Cover tightly with foil.  Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Christmas Crack

 Ingredients:

 3 cups Rice Chex

 3 cups Corn Chex

 3 cups honey nut Cheerios toasted oat cereal

 2 cups small pretzels

 2 cups salted peanuts

 1 (12 ounce) bag holiday M&M's plain chocolate candy (red & green)

 1 (12 ounce) bag holiday M&M's peanut chocolate candies

 2 (12 ounce) bags white chocolate chips

Directions:

Mix all ingredients but the white chocolate morsels in a large bowl.

Melt white chocolate morsels according to directions on the package.

Pour melted white chocolate over the cereal mixture and toss well to coat.

Spread on waxed paper and let sit until the white chocolate hardens.

Store in an airtight container.

Pumpkin Seed topped Pumpkin Bread

 1 can (15 0z) solid packed pumpkin

4 large eggs (room temp)

3/4 cup oil

2/3 cup water

2 cups sugar

1 cup honey

1+1/2 tsps. vanilla

3+1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsps. baking soda

1+1/2 tsps. salt

1+1/2 tsps. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 cup salted/shelled pumpkin/pepitas seeds

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, beat pumpkin, eggs, oil, water, sugar, honey and vanilla until well blended. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt and spices; gradually beat into pumpkin mixture.

Transfer to two greased 9x5-in. loaf pans. Sprinkle tops with pumpkin seeds.

Bake 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool.

Enjoy plain or spread a little cream cheese on top.

Anita's Summer Veggie with Orzo

 3 Tbsps olive oil, divided

1/2 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves minced garlic

1/2 green pepper, diced

1/2 yellow pepper, diced

1/2 red pepper, diced

1 medium zucchini, cubed

1 cup sugar snap peas, halved

1 cup orzo

2 cups chicken stock

Salt and Pepper to taste

In large skillet over medium, heat 2 Tbsp. oil.  Add onion and sauté for about 3 minutes.  Add garlic and cook 1 minute.  Add peppers, zucchini and sugar snap peas and cook for 3 minutes. Transfer vegetable mixture to bowl.

In same skillet, over medium, heat 1 Tbsp. oil.  Add orzo and cook until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Stir in chicken broth.  Cover and cook for 7-9 minutes; stirring occasionally.  Liquid will be absorbed and orzo should be tender.  If more liquid is needed to finish cooking add water 2 Tbsp. at a time.

Add the vegetables and stir to reheat.  Season with salt and pepper.