Mediterranean Pasta

 From The Golden Balance via Instagram

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef or lamb

8-10 oz cooked rigatoni pasta (or other pasta of choice)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp oregano

1 jalapeño, finely diced (optional)

1 shallot or small onion finely diced

1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced

1 Tbsp sundried tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes

1/4 cup reserved pasta water

1/4 cup kalamata olives

1 1/2 tsp mint

1/2 cup feta cheese

Olive oil

Arugula

Directions:

Brown the ground beef in a pan. Season with salt, thyme, and oregano. Add jalapeno, shallot, and mushrooms. Sautee until tender. Add sundried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, olives, and pasta water. Stir to combine and cook until the cherry tomatoes soften slightly. Add the pasta and stir until well combined. Plate and top with mint, feta, olive oil, and arugula.

Cilantro Lime Ranch

From Melanie Pierce

This sauce is delicious and can be used as a taquito dipping sauce, dressing, or marinade!

Ingredients:

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup milk or buttermilk

1 lime, juiced (about 2 tbsp)

1 packet of Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix (ignore package directions)

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 cup of roughly chopped cilantro

1/4 cup green salsa (such as La Costena or Herdez)

Hot sauce to taste (such as Cholula or Tabasco)

Directions:

Combine mayonnaise, milk, lime, and ranch dressing mix. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until thoroughly combined. Alternatively, you can combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until the sauce is homogenous throughout. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight to allow the flavors to blend and the sauce to thicken. 

Cajun Chicken Pasta

 From Melanie Pierce

Ingredients:

8 oz penne or bowtie pasta cooked according to package directions

2 Tbsp butter

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

4 tsp Cajun seasoning, divided

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 1/4 cups parmesan cheese

Chopped parsley (optional)

Directions:

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and 2 tsp of Cajun seasoning. Stir-fry for 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Add cream and remaining 2 tsp of seasoning to the same skillet. Boil gently for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and add parmesan cheese. Stir until cheese is melted and sauce thickens. Add the pasta and chicken. Toss to coat with the sauce. Plate and top with parsley and parmesan, if desired.

Quick and Easy Pizza Crust

 From Chef Rider via AllRecipes

Note: This dough can be made in advance and stored in the fridge overnight. It will be easier to work with and have better flavor when it has been refrigerated.

Ingredients:

1 .25oz package of yeast (or about 2 1/4 tsp)

1 tsp white sugar

1 cup warm water (around 110 degrees F)

2 1/2 cups bread flour

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. In a medium bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in the warm water. Set aside until it has bloomed and it looks creamy, about 10 minutes. Stir in the flour, salt, and oil. Beat until smooth. Let rest for 5 minutes. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat/roll into a large round. Transfer crust to a lightly greased pizza pan or sheet tray. If using a pizza stone and pizza pel, simply place on the pizza peel after dusting with cornmeal. Spread with desired toppings and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Dumplings

 From Haylee Luo

Note: None of these measurements are entirely exact, feel free to adjust as necessary 

Ingredients:

1 package of dumpling wrappers

1/2 of a small cabbage, chopped into small pieces

1 Tbsp salt

3-4 green onions, sliced

1 lb ground pork (Jimmy Dean sage, or your favorite kind)

2 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp sesame oil

1/2 Tbsp fresh ginger (grated or finely diced)

Neutral oil (for pan frying)

Directions:

Mix the salt and cabbage together. Let sit until the cabbage juice starts to come out. Continue to agitate and press the cabbage until all of the water is extracted from the cabbage. Drain. Add the green onions and pork to the cabbage. Mix until well combined. Add the soy sauce, sesame oil, and ginger. Mix until incorporated throughout. Place about a tablespoon of filling in the center of a wrapper. Wet the edges and crimp/fold the edges as desired. Heat a pan (that has a lid) with a drizzle of oil. Add dumplings in a single layer and fry until bottoms are golden brown. Add several tablespoons of water to the pan and cover. Steam until cooked through, about 5-6 minutes. Repeat as necessary with remaining dumplings. The dumplings can be boiled or steamed as well.

Soy Dipping Sauce:

1 tsp sugar

1 Tbsp hot water

2 Tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp rice vinegar

1 tsp garlic, minced

1 tsp ginger, grated or minced

1 tsp sesame seeds

1/2 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

Peanut Dipping Sauce:

2 Tbsp peanut butter

1/2 Tbsp water

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp rice vinegar

1 tsp honey or sugar

1 tsp garlic, minced

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp siriacha (optional)

Other filling variations:

Kimchi

1 1/2 cups of kimchi, chopped - squeeze excess liquid or else the dumplings will be soggy! Cornstarch can also be added to bind excess liquid.

1/2 package of firm tofu, crumbled

1 bag of bean sprouts, blanched and chopped

1 egg

3-4 green onions, sliced

2 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp sesame oil

1/2 Tbsp ginger 

1/2 Tbsp garlic, minced

2 tsp salt

Japchae

1 Onion, sliced thinly

1 Red Pepper, finely diced

1 bunch of spinach

2 shredded carrots

2 cups of cooked japchae, chopped (sweet potato noodles)

1 lb ground pork

1 egg

3-4 green onions, sliced

2 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp sesame oil

1/2 Tbsp fresh ginger

1/2 Tbsp garlic, minced

2 tsp salt

(Note: Sautee the veggies in some oil with salt and pepper, ensure all liquid is expelled before you mix in the rest of the filling ingredients.)