Outdoor Entertaining 101, part 3

I know, I said "tomorrow" and it is more like "next week" but with a party to prep I chose cleaning the house over blogging. Shame on me. I did make it up to you though- I have recipes! And photos of the recipes. (Seriously, am I the only one that only likes to make food I can see first? I also order the items off of the menu that have pictures. That's not weird, is it?)

So, lets kicks this off. This first salad is a great one visually because it is so colorful. My family also like the sweetness of it which really sets it apart from any other salad I've had. I think it is also a great way to sneak some veggies to kids. ;)

Sweet Veggie Pasta Salad
Ingredients:
1 16oz package of pasta (any kind, but I like farfalle aka bowtie pasta)
1 small head of broccoli, cut into bite-size pieces
1 small package of baby carrots, cut into bite size chunks
2 sweet bell peppers (I like doing red and yellow for color), cut into bite size pieces
Cilantro
Salt & Pepper
2 cups rice wine vinegar
2 cups sugar
2 cups light olive oil

Directions:
1. Cook your pasta according to package directions until it is al dente (slightly undercooked). Adding a splash of olive oil to the cooking water will keep your pasta from sticking together.

2. Toss your cooled pasta in a large bowl with broccoli, peppers, and carrots. Add cilantro and salt and pepper to taste.

3. In a small bowl wisk together equal parts rice wine vinegar, sugar, and olive oil. (Or, put in a martini shaker and shake it up) Pour this over your pasta until it is saturated and allow the salad to sit for at least an hour before serving. Keep the extra dressing in the refridgerator for leftovers to moisten dry salad. (Over time your pasta will soak up the dressing, leaving it feeling dry)



Ok, admittedly I don't eat this next salad (anymore) because it does have meat in it, but the men love it and there are some vegetarian substitutions I do use when it is just me and hubby.

Italian Pasta Salad
Ingredients:
1 16oz package of pasta (any kind works, or mix two smaller packages for a variety)
1 small package of pepperoni or little smokies, cut into small pieces
1 small package of cubbed ham
1 block of soft cheese, like gouda or mozzarella, cubbed
2 cups of shredded cheese, like chedder or pepper jack
1 small can of sliced olives
2 bottles of Italian salad dressing

Veggie Options:
To make this vegetarian, replace the meat with...
1 can of artichoke hearts
2 cups of button mushrooms, sliced

Directions:
1. Cook your pasta according to package directions until it is al dente (slightly undercooked). Adding a splash of olive oil to the cooking water will keep your pasta from sticking together.

2. In a large bowl, add together cooled pasta, cheese, meat, and olives. Toss until they are combined well.

3. Pour one bottle of Italian dressing over the salad until it is saturated and toss the salad together again. Keep the extra dressing in the refridgerator for leftovers to moisten dry salad. (Over time your pasta will soak up the dressing, leaving it feeling dry)



Easy enough, right? Both salads are simple to make and great hits at our BBQs. The great thing about them is that they can withstand the heat of a hot summer day without risking food poisioning. Although they are better chilled, I don't have to worry about Mayo or Eggs in anything getting too hot or sitting out.

Before I leave you today I am going to share a simple dessert recipe. I like to serve dessert at outdoor parties, and while s'mores are a favorite not everyone has a place to light a fire. In lieu of (or in addition to) s'mores I like to serve bite-sized finger food desserts. Here is a simple one to make, but oh-so-delicious.

Bite-Size Mini Cheesecakes
Ingredients:
1 box of brownie mix
1 box of no-bake cheesecake mix
1 carton of fresh berries or topping of your choice

Also need:
Mini muffin pans
Measuring spoon or melon baller
Pastry/Piping Bag (optional)
Mini muffin pan liners
Directions:
1. Prepare your brownie mix according to box directions. Spoon approximately 1 tablespoon of mix into muffin tins lined with paper liners.

2. Bake brownie cups at 350 F approximately 15 -20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Don't burn or overcook these- they should be moist.

3. Press a measuring spoon or mellon baller into the center of brownie to create a sort of cup. Remove the papers from the brownies as soon as they are cool enough to handle. Waiting too long may make this difficult! Be gentle with them so you don't crush your cups. Set these aside.

4. Allow your muffin pans to cool and line with more papers.

5. Prepare crust mix for cheesecake according to package directions. Spoon 1-2 tablespoons of crust mixture into each paper and press with your fingers until you've created a mini pie shell in each cup.

6. Prepare cheesecake filling according to package directions. If you are using a pastry bag, spoon the filling into the bag and pipe it into the pie shells and brownie cups, otherwise spoon a generous dollop of filling into each cup.

7. Top with your choice of berry (or try bits of fun-size candybars, butterscotch chips, lemon filling, or candied pecans). Press gently into the cheesecake filling, but don't squash your berries!

8. Refridgerate at least one hour and peel papers off before serving. Caution: These are addictive!