Good Eats and Sweet Treats

One of my very most favorite things to do in life is cook and bake. I don't do it nearly as often as I want to. Now, I do cook dinner almost every night, but I am talking about the real fun kind of cooking that is creative and more than your average dinner meal. Last night, I had some time to cook, and so cook I did.

A couple of weeks ago, I was craving a good pasta salad. Being gluten free makes this a bit of a situation, and so I decided I would try my hand at whipping one up. It turned out to be a new favorite meal. For dinner, I serve it hot, and then for next day lunch, I eat it cold.

Primavera Pasta Salad

• 1 package spiral noodles (I use GF Schar Fusilli Pasta.)
• 2-3 Chicken Breasts
• 1 1/2 cups Hormel Mini Pepperonis (For GF people these are gluten free)
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 1 cup Carrots
• 1 cup Broccoli 
• 1 cup Snap Peas
• Olive Oil
• Garlic
• Worcestershire
• Cracked Pepper
• Oregano
• 1/2 cup Lite Italian Dressing (This is up to you more or less depending on how you like your pasta salad) 

Directions:

1. Marinate Chicken in Worcestershire and sprinkle with cracked pepper and oregano. Bake Chicken at 350 degrees for 20 minutes covered in foil. Then remove foil for remaining 5-10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, boil water for pasta and cook according to package directions.
3. Saute the onion (do not dice, but rather cut in strips) with about 2-3 tablespoons of Olive Oil and a teaspoon of garlic in a pan on low to medium heat. After the onion has softened and begun to caramelize,add the remaining vegetables. Stir occasionally and cover for about 1-2 minutes.
4. Once the chicken has baked and the pasta is tender, place the pasta, cubed chicken, and vegetables in a bowl.
5. Add in pepperonis and Italian dressing.
6. Mix well.
7. Serve :) I top mine with Parmesan Cheese. To each his own.

Now, for the sweet treat, I made a semi-homemade dessert. As in I started with a box mix and incorporated in order to make a special Fall sweet treat.

Pumpkin Spice Cake

• 1 box yellow cake mix (I used Betty Crocker's GF Yellow Cake)
• Ingredients per your box of mix
• 1 15oz can of pure pumpkin. (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
• 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
• 3 Teaspoons Vanilla
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons Cinnamon
• 2 Teaspoons Nutmeg
• 2 Teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
• 1 container of whipped cream cheese frosting

Directions:

Preheat oven to your cake mix's desired temperature. Combine all ingredients as your box asks. (I did decrease the amount of water by 1/2 due to the added moisture of the pumpkin). Combine remaining spices and pumpkin. Mix well. (I beat mine for about 1-2 minutes on high). Bake until done.

Top with cream cheese icing. And enjoy!

Just a few yummy things I whipped up last night. I was a happy camper. Happy baking!