Cavatappi with Arugula Pesto and Tomatoes

It is really feeling like spring around Fairbanks.  The snow is starting to melt, and with that, Dave is moving snow around our yard.  He usually starts by shoveling off the upstairs deck, then the eaves, and the greenhouse.  The snow gets really heavy when it melts and compacts.  Then he starts on the yard.  He moves it around so it all melts faster.  I think he thinks it makes spring come faster.  

Last year I was gone when he was doing this.  I'll be gone again this year.  If it makes him happy and keeps him busy, what's the harm?

This pasta dish reminds me of spring.  It is fresh, green and delicious.  When I made it, I saved the cheese for the top of Dave's dish, that way the milk free kids could also enjoy.  I was really surprised how easy this was with a food processor.  We will be making this again soon.

Cavatappi with Arugula Pesto and Cherry Tomatoes
Cooking Light, Cooking through the Seasons

5 cups trimmed arugula
1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup water
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound uncooked cavatappi
2 cups red and yellow cherry tomatoes, halved
2 Tbsp. pine nuts, toasted

To prepare pesto:  place first 7 ingredients in a food processor; process until finely minced.  With processor on, slowly pour 1/3 cup water and oil through food chute; process until well blended.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.  Drain.  Combine pesto, pasta and tomatoes in a large bowl; toss well.  Sprinkle pine nut over pasta and grate more fresh parm over top, if desired.  Serve immediately.

2 years ago: The Birthday Cake Commitment
3 years ago:  Moving the Clocks ahead and Quinoa Blondies
4 years ago:  Confessions and Microwave Popcorn

Pasta with Spinach, White Beans and Chicken Meatballs and the Ruined Pedicure

Fairbanks got a huge dump of snow.  The first snow of the season is always very wet and heavy.  It was a little early this year and the trees hadn't even dropped their leaves.  Lots of houses were without electricity, some for up to 5 days.

We were very lucky.  We only lost power for about 7 hours and had the wood stove going the whole time so the house didn't get cold and we could cook on the wood stove.  We did have one limb of our tree break, Dave had to go out and trim it off, buck it up and haul it away.  You can see how deep the snow is in the front by how far down his legs are covered.

He made short work of the broken tree limb and then spent a lot of time moving snow around, off the driveway, the pavers in the back, the back deck, a path for my little dogs to get to the dog yard...

So while Dave was doing all this work, the Chick and I went to get a pedicure for her birthday.  We spend a nice afternoon getting a pedi and then shopping for new boots for her.  I thought we waited long enough after the pedicure to put our shoes back on, but apparently not!  I look like I have hairy toenails.  It is stuck!  I am so disappointed since I paid all that money for a pedicure and now I have to take the polish off.  Getting my leg into a position to take nail polish off is not very comfortable with my hip, but I don't dare ask Dave to do it since he worked outside in the snow and cold the whole time the Chick and I were pampering ourselves.

So I made pasta for him for dinner.  He loves pasta and I don't so I don't fix it often enough as far as he is concerned.  This was a warm, filling dish he enjoyed and it put him in a pretty good mood after all the snow shoveling...I might ask him to take the fuzzy polish off AND repaint the nails.  How do you think that will go for me?

Pasta, Spinach, White Beans and Chicken Meatballs

adapted from Ellie Krieger The Food You Crave

16 oz. Penne Pasta, save 1/2 cup pasta water after the pasta is cooked

olive oil

medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb. chicken meatballs, homemade or store bought

8 cups fresh spinach

1 15-oz can cannellini or other white beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups chicken broth

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, heat the oil over medium heat in a large, deep sauté pan.  Add the onion and cook, stirring a few times, until softened, 3-5 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook an additional minute.  Stir in the meatballs and cook until heated through and browned, about 4 minutes.  Add the spinach and cook until wilted, about 3-4 minutes.  Add the beans, 1 cup of chicken broth, and the red pepper flakes and simmer until the mixture is heated through and liquid is slightly reduced.

Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of water, and add it to the chicken-bean mixture, add pasta water and remaining chicken broth, toss well.  Season with salt and pepper.  Top with Parmesan and serve

Serves 4-6

1 year ago:   White Cake with Strawberry Filling and Celebrating

2 years ago:  3-2-1 Bread and Retiring from the School District

3 years ago:  Roasted Chicken with Apples and Garlic

October 8, 2015  Sunrise 8:22 am  Sunset 6:54 pm  Temp H 39/ L 30°F

Penne with Asparagus, Pepitas, and Mint

Dave and I just spent a long weekend in Austin, Texas.  I had work there on Monday so we flew down on Saturday, spent the weekend going to the Texas History Museum, the Austin Aquarium, out to eat, and shopping!  Dave flew home on Monday while I worked and I flew home on Tuesday.  It was a fun weekend together, and Austin is much greener than I expected.

The downside to that was I didn't get to spend Mother's Day with any of my kids.  I did get a phone call from each of my boys so I was very happy.  I am one lucky momma.

Because of the break in salads over the weekend, we are back at it again.  This is not really a salad, or it is a warm pasta salad if you will.  I added the cheese to Dave's plate, but left it off the kids and then added grilled chicken.  We all enjoyed the dish and the stinky pee the rest of the evening...you gotta love asparagus!

Penne with Asparagus, Pepitas, and Mint

adapted from Cooking Light

8 oz. uncooked whole-grain penne pasta

5 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut diagonally into 1-1/2 inch pieces

3 green onion, chopped, white and green parts divided

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup dry white wine

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

2 tsp. butter

1.5 ounces percorino Romano cheese, grated

1/4 cup pepitas

2 Tbsp. fresh mint, chopped

4-4oz. grilled chicken breast tenders, sliced

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.  Drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid.  Return pasta and 1/4 cup reserved cooking liquid to pan.  Cover and keep warm over low heat.

Meanwhile, heat a nonstick skillet over medium high heat.  Add 1 Tbsp. oil to the pan; swirl to coat.  Add asparagus; sauté 3 minutes or until tender-crisp.  Stir in white parts of green onions and garlic; cool 30 seconds.  Add wine; cook 1 minutes.  Add asparagus mixture, salt and pepper to pasta mixture.  Stir in remaining 2 tsp. oil, remaining green onions, butter, and cheese.  Divide pasta evenly among 4 bowls.  Sprinkle evenly with pepitas and mint.  Top with grilled chicken.

1 year ago:   Cheese Stuffed-Bacon Wrapped Grilled Hot Dogs

2 years ago:  Scary Movies and Pork Sandwiches

3 years ago:  My addiction and Lemon Meringue Pie

May 19, 2015    Sunrise 4:14 am  Sunset 11:23 pm  Temp. H 76/L 49°F

Pasta with two Peas

This is a good news/bad news post.

So, Dave and the hunting party have already gotten two moose.  That was the goal for this year, they will share between six hunters, so two is plenty of meat for the year.  That's the good news.

The bad news is they haven't even been gone a week and they are headed home.  I'm going to work hard at talking them into going to Valdez to fish for silver salmon before my brother has to go back home...that gives me another week.  We'll see.

So, at 2:30 this afternoon, Dave texted and said they were on their way in.  That means they will pull into the driveway about 7:00 and hungry.  I was not planning on dinner for them today.  Good thing I have a few tricks in the pantry, like this pasta dish.  I could just eat this for dinner, but I'll add some grilled steaks to the menu for the successful hunters.  This is quick, easy, fresh, and delicious, and I have everything on hand!

I really shouldn't complain, we will now have a freezer full of meat to get us through the winter.

Pasta with Two Peas

adapted from Cooking Light, September 2014

8 cups water, really? who measures their pasta water?  Not me

8 oz. uncooked ziti

1 cup frozen green peas

8 oz. sugar snap peas, trimmed and halved diagonally

2 center cut bacon slices, chopped

1/3 cup panko

1 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1 cup thinly sliced green onions

2 large garlic cloves, sliced

1 up chicken stock

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 oz. parmesan cheese, grated

Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan.  Add pasta; cook 5 minutes.  Add green peas and sugar snap peas; cook 1 minute more or until pasta is done.  Drain.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium hear.  Add bacon to pan; cook 3 minutes or until bacon begins to brown.  Add panko;  cook 1 1/2 minutes or until browned.

Remove panko mixture from pan.  Add butter to pan; swirl until butter melts.  Add green onions and garlic; cook 1 1/2 minutes.  Stir in stock, salt, and pepper; cook 3 minutes.  Stir in pasta mixture, juice and Parmesan cheese; toss.  Top with panko mixture.  Serves 4.

1 year ago:   Guard Geese and Rhubarb Meringue Bars

2 years ago:  Missing my Backdoor Neighbors and Pecan Crispies

September 18, 2014  Sunrise 7:22am   Sunset 8:06pm  Temp. H 67/ L 44°F

10 meal Workshop

This is not a paid advertisement.  I did not receive any monetary compensation for this post.  I did make 20 delicious meals in 2 hours though!

Well, I made 10 and the Chick made 10, so there are 20 in our freezer ready to go.

Laura, our Pampered Chef consultant.  You can contact her at laurac.pamperedchef@gmail.com

We had a fun couple of hours.  We could have gone faster, but I was being slow that day.  Dave would cart our meals out to the freezer (after he rearranged to make room).  Laura was handing us cool tools to try, washing our dishes, and cleaning up the floor where I constantly spilled stuff.  

We now have 20 19 meals in the freezer for when I'm traveling or too lazy to put dinner together.  I do love to cook, but by Thursday or Friday dinner is such a chore.  Now I have a back-up plan (or 19 of them!)

The Chick, graciously helping and not complaining that I roped her into this.

We have 3 chicken dishes, 3 beef dishes, 3 pork dishes, and one vegetarian dish that I'll add shrimp to so Dave will be happy.

Our pantry ingredients ready to go.

 It took us 2 hours to make 10 meals each.  We are going to do this again in October, so if you want to join us just let me know.  We have lots of room at my house and Dave will just set up a table for you.  

One of the meals in progress, our recipe on the flip folder - very easy to follow.

My 20 meals, stacked in the freezer!

Italian Chicken Pasta

from our Pampered Chef 10 Meals Workshop

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (at least 2 lbs.)

3 Tbsp. Pampered Chef Italian Seasoning Mix

1 Tbsp. Pampered Chef Garlic and Herb Rub

1 Tbsp. Pampered Chef Three Onion Rub

1 Tbsp. Pampered Chef Bell Pepper Herb Rub

2 (14.5 oz) cans chicken broth

2 Tbsp. butter

2 Tbsp. Flour

16 oz. uncooked rotini or other short type pasta

In a freezer, gallon-sized ziplock bag add all the seasonings, broth, butter, and flour.  Mix by massaging the bag.  Add chicken.  Label and freeze.  

When ready to cook, thaw and add to your crockpot.  Cook on low 4-6 hours.  Add the pasta for the last hour of cooking time.  

Serve.

2 years ago:   Salmon Cakes

August 20, 2014   Sunrise 5:54 am Sunset 9:52 pm Temp. H 67/L 47°F

Homemade Ravioli and the New Pasta Machine

I've wanted a pasta machine for a while now.  I don't really know why, I don't eat much pasta.  But I did see a recipe for crackers that you roll out in your pasta machine and last month's Daring Bakers challenge was a pastry you roll out in the pasta machine and fold to make hundreds of flaky layers, I did not make those because I didn't have a pasta machine (I'm not going to mention those adventurous and ambitious bakers that made it without a pasta machine!).  But now I can go back and complete that challenge.

I received a gift card for my favorite cooking store when I retired from my school district.  It was a wonderful gift and I've been stopping at the store often, looking for the perfect thing to buy with it (we won't tell Dave about all the "little" things I bought that just weren't right for the gift card!)  I saw these pasta machines and knew it was the thing.  I brought it home, washed it off and it was ready for me to go.

So forgive me if the next couple weeks include a lot of recipes that use a pasta machine.  If you don't have one, I suggest you get one.  They are a lot of fun but they don't do much for the "no gain holiday challenge" I'm in.  I don't usually eat pasta, but you have to try what you make!

I thought I'd start with an easy ravioli.  A sheet of pasta, mounds of seasoned moose sausage, the pasta folded in half and then sealed, boiled for a couple of minutes and a quick sauce with my home canned tomatoes.  We were set!

Basic Pasta Sheets

5 whole eggs, room temperature
3 1/2 to 4 cups of flour, plus more for dusting

Place flour in bowl of mixer, make a well in the center (you can do this by hand).  Add eggs and mix until fully incorporated and kneed for about 5-8 minutes.  Take dough out of mixer, cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 30-60 minutes.

Cut dough into 4ths.  Using 1/4 of the dough at a time, run it through the pasta machine at the widest level 3-4 times (for my machine that is 1).  Lightly dust with flour.  Then pass the pasta through the machine at the next smallest number (for mine that is 2), pass it through, lightly dust with flour, and go down again.  Repeat this until you have your pasta the desired thickness.  I stopped at 6 for the ravioli.

To make the ravioli

Lay down a sheet of pasta. Spacing down the pasta sheet, lay down your filling.  I used meatballs I baked and squished down to make them a little flatter.

I lightly pressed my cutter down the length of the pasta to mark the ravioli spaces

Lightly brush water around the edges of the pasta for each ravioli.  Fold the pasta sheet over the filling and, pressing out any air bubbles, seal the edges.  Using a cutter (cookie cutter or glass), cut the ravioli out of the pasta sheet, sealing tightly.  You can reroll the left over pasta dough with the next piece of dough.

Lay the pasta on a parchment lined baking sheet while you finish the other raviolis.

Bring a large pot of water to boil, generously salting the water.  Drop ravioli into the water and let boil for 3-5 minutes, until pasta is done.

Remove from the water and drain.  Top with your favorite sauce and grated Parmesan cheese.

I have a feeling we are going to be eating a lot of pasta from now on!

1 year ago:   White Chocolate Peppermint Popcorn
2 years ago:  Chocolate Crinkle Cookies and Christmas Traditions

December 20, 2013   Daylight 3 hrs, 41 min, 35 sec.  Temp H -1/ L -2

Mac & Cheese with Bacon

I was sitting at my desk, early for work for a change.  Someone came into my office and needed help.  I realized I couldn't help her because I didn't work there anymore.  I had shown up to the wrong office (I did just change jobs).  So I jumped up to head across town to my new digs and I DIDN'T HAVE ANY PANTS ON.  I quickly ran to the closet in my office, grabbed pants and left for the correct office. Then I woke up with a start...

"What are you dreaming now?" Dave mumbled next to me in bed.
"How did you know I was dreaming?"  I asked.
"You sleep like a damn tornado."

He pulled the covers over his shoulders turned on his side and went back to sleep.  I got up.  There was no sleeping for me after that.  I'm not sure which worried me more, the fact that I showed up to the wrong office and had a better closet there than at home, or the fact I didn't have pants on and it didn't seem to bother anyone but me.  Dreams are weird, and if you analyze dreams, don't tell me what this is supposed to mean I really don't want to know.

Since I couldn't sleep, I figured I'd make something delicious to chase the dream away.  I needed comfort food.  And what better than loaded mac and cheese.  Nothing is more comforting that warm, silky cheese sauce covering pasta and topped with salty, crunchy bacon.  I ate two servings, I hope I have big girl pants in that closet in my office, I'm going to need them.

Loaded Mac-&Cheese
from Cook Like a Rock Star, Anne Burrell

Extra virgin olive oil
6 slices bacon, cut into 1/2 inch strips
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 onion, diced
kosher salt
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 quart whole milk, plus more if needed
1 lb. pasta shells
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
2 cups grated Fontina cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup dijon mustard
Tabasco, to taste

Drizzle a bit of olive oil in a large saucepan, add the bacon, and bring the pan to medium heat; stir the bacon occasionally.  When it's brown and crispy, 6-8 minutes, remove from the pan, drain on paper towels, and reserve.

Add the butter and onion to the pan with the bacon fat, season with salt, and cook until the onion is soft and aromatic, 8-10 minutes.  Add the flour and cook, stirring frequently, for 4-5 minutes or until the mixture looks like wet sand.  Slowly whisk in the milk, season with salt, bing to a boil and reduce to a simmer; cook over low heat for 8-10 minutes or until the mixture is slightly thicker than heavy cream.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil.  Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook for 1 minutes less than the instructions on the package suggest.  Taste the pasta, it should be toothsome with just a little nugget of hard pasta still in the center - this is al dente.  Drain the pasta and reserve.

Add the Cheddar, Fontina, and Parmesan to the milk mixture and whisk to combine.  Add the mustard and a few shakes of Tabasco; taste and adjust the seasoning if needed, adding a little more milk if the mixture seems too thick.  Stir in the cooked bacon and pasta.  The mixture should be very creamy and flavorful.  Transfer to a baking dish, or individual ramekins and heat in a 375°F oven until bubbly.
Makes 6-8 servings

October 7, 2013   Daylight 10 hrs. 35 mins. 36 secs.  Temp.  H 43/ L 34°F

Lasagna two ways

The baby boy posted on Facebook that his chick tried to make soup, and then they ordered pizza.  We've all had tries in our kitchen that haven't been the best (unless you haven't then I don't want to hear about it.)

When Dave and I were first married, I made an oh, so delicious dish fishstick casserole.  Yea, really.  It seemed like it had ingredients that all five kids liked, fish sticks, tator tots, cream of something soup, cheese...I made it, served it, and we all ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches that night, except Dave.  He chocked down ate two servings so I wouldn't feel bad.  That was 15 years ago and we still talk about the deliciousness of that casserole.

Well, one thing we all could agree on is lasagna.  I don't eat noodles so I make lasagna two ways, one with noodles for Dave and one with zucchini for me.  Everything else is the same, just be sure to salt and let your zucchini release some of it's water, or use a lot less tomato sauce or the zucchini lasagna is very watery.

Lasagna can be made 9million different ways.  This is how I do it and it works for my family.  Add or delete any of the ingredients to suit your family's needs.  I have found that, while my kids won't eat spinach as a side dish, they eat it up in the lasagna!  Win.

Zucchini lasagna, and noodle lasagna.  I make them at the same time.

Lasagna

1-2 medium zucchini, sliced on a mandolin, salted and sit for about 20 min. then rinsed and patted dry

1.5 lbs. burger (I use moose)

1 onion

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 carrots grated

1 pkg. frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1 cup ricotta cheese

2 cups mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

lasagna noodles, boiled about 4 minutes until soft but not cooked through

4 cups good marinara sauce

Preheat oven to 350˚F.

Brown ground meat in skillet with onion, garlic, an carrot.  Drain any fat.

Spray two loaf pans with cooking spray.  Spread about 1/4 cup of sauce in each pan, top with noodles or zucchini, add a layer of meat, about 2 Tbsp. ricotta, in dabs, a layer of spinach, a layer of mozzarella, a layer of parmesan, and a layer of sauce.  Repeat with noodles or zucchini, meat etc. until ingredients are used.  Top with noodles, sauce, mozzarella, and parmesan.

Bake for 20-30 minutes until lasagna is bubbly and cheese on top is nicely browned.

September 13, 2013   Daylight 13 hrs. 14 min. 52 secs.    Temp H 61/ L 39˚F

Crab and Goat Cheese Ravioli

It is Spring Break and that means  one thing in Fairbanks, snow shoveling!  At least at my house.  There is a lot of snow shoveling in Fairbanks all winter, but Spring Break is major snow shoveling time.  My husband really works hard to get the snow off the top deck, off the pavers and off the back deck.  So when the snow does start to melt next month (I hope) the water has someplace to go and doesn't dam up and create a real problem.  He shovels snow and chips ice, hard, every night after work for about two weeks then he just keeps up with getting the water moving.

He has been working hard so I thought he needed a little treat.  I made the parmesan shortbreads from this month's Bon Appétit, but he really didn't care for them so I figured I needed to try again. (By the way, the parmesan shortbreads were awesome!  My backdoor neighbors liked them.)  I've seen recipes for ravioli made with won ton wrappers and so I thought I would try it when I came across yet another recipe with won ton wrappers.
Crab and Goat Cheese Ravioli with a garlic and lemon cream.  They were really delicious and really so easy, I've been inspired to try some other types now.  Can you say moose sausage ravioli?  These are a little hefty in the calorie count, perfect if you have been shoveling a lot of snow.

Crab and Goat Cheese Ravioli
Cuisine at Home, April 2012


For the Ravioli, Combine:
4 oz goat cheese, softened
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives
1/4 tsp. each kosher salt and black pepper
1 can lump crabmeat (6.5 oz) (or fresh if available to you)
32 won ton wraps
2 Tbsp. olive oil

For the Sauce, Saute:
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Lemon zest

For the ravioli, combine goat cheese, chives, salt and pepper in a bowl.  Stir in crabmeat with a fork, keeping lumps as large as possible.
Scoop 2 tsp. (#60 scoop) crabmeat mixture into centers of 16 won ton wraps.  Brush edges of remaining wraps with water and place wet side down over filling, pressing edges to seal.  Trim edges of each ravioli with a cutter, if desired, and reseal edges with water as needed.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium.  Add oil and ravioli in tow batches; cook until brown on one side, 2-3 minutes.  Flip ravioli, add 2 Tbsp. water to skillet, cover, and steam until soft, 1-2 minutes more.  Remove ravioli to a plate.  Repeat with second batch.

For the sauce, saute garlic in butter in a small skillet, 1 minute.  Stir in cream, increase heat to high, and boil until cream is reduced to 1/2 cup, about 5 minutes.  Stir in lemon juice and season sauce with salt and pepper.  Divide sauce between ravioli servings and garnish with zest.

Serves 2

March 19, 2012     Daylight  12 hours, 10 minutes,  40 seconds   Current Temp. -6 ºF

Frog Eye Salad

Family in Alaska has a slightly different flavor to it than anywhere else.  Many of us moved to Alaska, away from our families and settled here so others have adopted us as honorary members of their families. Some of us have families that have moved to warmer climates, like Arizona, California and Oregon, leaving us Fairbanksians alone in the dark and the cold (thank you boys...and dad and mom).  We adopt, are adopted and family are those around us with whom we rely on and know we can count on.  Luckily, my husband does have family here, and we have wonderful friends so we are blessed with a whole bunch of people I am proud to call my Fairbanks Family.

My favorite Fairbanks niece, Nichole, makes frog eye salad for me.  She brings it for every special occasion like Thanksgiving, Christmas, my birthday that is coming up soon...
I don't make it myself because I can't be trusted with a whole batch in the house alone with me.

I. Will. Eat. It. All.

So Nickie brings it, I get a serving, the left-overs and I've only eaten half the batch not the whole thing.  It is a sweet salad made with mandarin oranges, pineapple and cool whip.  The frog eyes are acini di pepe pasta, some people think it is made with tapioca, they are about the same size.    I think most people eat it as a dessert but I eat it as anything I can get away with.  It is cool, sweet, creamy and the perfect breakfast when the rest of the house is asleep and I don't have to share.

Tips:
Don't try this at home alone - you will eat the whole batch.
I couldn't get the lighting right at Thanksgiving, the picture was way too dark (give me a break, you know I live in the dark all the time.  There is no "natural light" and I'm waiting for Christmas for my husband to buy me some lighting..hint, hint.) SO, I asked Nickie to make another batch so I could photograph it.  O.K., so my lighting didn't turn out any better.  Dave came home and asked where the large cool whip tub of salad was (Nickie had told him).  I had already taken the too dark pictures and eaten the whole bunch!  It's just not safe at my house.

Frog Eye Salad
1 c. Acini de Pepe pasta
1 can (20oz.) Pineapple tidbits
1 can (15oz.) Mandarin oranges
3/4 cup sugar
dash of salt
8 oz. Cool Whip
2 tbsp flour
2 egg yolks

Cook 1 cup dry macaroni in 2 quarts of water for 9 minutes, or as directed on package.  Drain, rinse and drain, then cool.

Drain the fruit (keep the juice from the pineapple).

In a sauce pan, combine pineapple juice, sugar, flour, salt and slightly beaten eggs.  Cook until thickened, stirring constantly.  Cool to room temperature.  Pour over macaroni, and refrigerate overnight.  In the morning, add fruit and Cool Whip and mix well.   Serves about 8-10 people.

December 20, 2011   Daylight 3 hours, 41 minutes, 59 seconds   Current Temp. 18º F