Taco Pasta Salad

Not sure if you have ever noticed, but the tagline for my blog is "Forget love, I'd rather fall in chocolate." Well my cousin just sent me something that also made me think "how perfect for my blog!" and I wanted to share it with you because its a cute laugh! ... okay ... so I am not the healthiest person in the world ... chocolate is good for the soul ;)

Keeping with the theme of fun ... I had a really great weekend. I am a weirdo, pretty much fact. And I love dog sitting .... errr ... dog sitting HOUSE TRAINED dogs. The poor hubby comes home to a lot of "Surprise! We are watching [insert dog name]"  Well this weekend, I somehow agreed to watch two other dogs (so ninja + 2) all in our small apartment. But Ninja had so much fun playing. It was so cute. Ninja has been catching up on some major zzzzz's since his friends left... sweet baby has been passed out all day.

I also got together with good friends. First Justin, Sophia and I got lunch and the restaurant had lychee bolba! Oh my ... my heart and tummy were so happy! Julian's owners then took us out to eat as a thank you for watching their dog. We went to BJs and of course I had to order a pizookie! A s'more pizookie ... it's a deep deep addiction. I ate 3/4 of the s'more before the hubby could even eat 1/4. Then our program had a crawfish boil get together. I am going to miss crawfish when I head up north.

I made this dish a while back for a potluck Justin hosted. My schedule was pretty hectic then so I wanted something that could be made in bulk but that was easy. And this was exactly that. Plus I love cold pasta salads.

TACO PASTA SALAD

Adapted from Chelsea's Messy Apron

INGREDIENTS

1 - 1 lb box of pasta
1 - 1/2 c. taco sauce*
1 packet of taco seasoning
2 tbsp. lemon juice 
1(15 oz) can of black beans
1 - 1 1/2 c. corn, drained or thawed
1 small container of cherry tomatoes, sliced
1 (7 oz) can of sliced black olives  

Garnish:
1 c. shredded cheese
1 small bag of shredded lettuce 
1/2 c. sour cream
1 avocado
Diced green onions 
Tortilla strips

*Can use enchilada sauce instead of taco sauce if desired.

DIRECTIONS

In a large pot of salted boiling water -- cook pasta according to package directions. Drain excess water and run cold water through pasta to prevent sticking. Return pasta to pot.

While pasta is cooking whisk together sauce, 2 tbsp. of taco seasoning (so no clumps form), and lemon juice. Stir in sauce mixture into cooked pasta.

Fold in black beans, corn, tomatoes and black olives until evenly distributed. Taste the pasta -- if it seems a bit bland and you want more of a kick (like me) -- whisk together an additional 1 tbsp of taco seasoning and 1/2 c. of taco sauce and add into pasta!

Serve in a bowl and garnish with some shredded cheese and lettuce, a dollop of sour cream, avocado chunks, diced green onions and tortilla strips.

Enjoy,

Cheesy Chicken & Dumplings

Major blogger fail. Can I even call myself a blogger when I stop posting for 5 months! CRAY! Okay, I shall-define myself as a spontaneous poster. hahahaha :) Well, what has been up with me in these past few months. A LOT. First of all ::drum roll::.....

I DEFENDED MY DISSERTATION!

Completely worth the drum roll and obnoxious bold-capital letters, right? Super awesome BUT the most tragic part? Because I am studying to be a clinical psychologist, I cannot call myself a doctor until after internship (hence the "pending completion of internship" on the cookie.). The coolest part of defending is being welcomed back (if you don't fail...and let me tell you, while you wait for your committee to deliberate -- time is crawling and every moment seems more painful than the last second), is to be welcomed back as "Dr. ---." Making all those agonizing moments of running participants, data collection, data analysis and writing (100s of pages of writing), so worth it. Well, for me it was just welcome back, hahahaha.

I am really excited about completing another chapter in my life and am looking forward to a whole new one (and terrified). Not only have the last few months been filled with dissertating (totally a word), but really (okay, I am going to sound like a hippie but a little part of me is) -- re-finding who I am, centering myself and relaxing. I really needed these past few months to withdraw and do some "me time." And it has been great for me and my happy. But I promise I did not stop baking and cooking. After all the hubby needed to be fed ;)

Here is a simple and amazingly delicious recipe for cheesy (and I mean cheesy) chicken and dumplings. Its a great way to sneak in the veggies without tasting them. Because I HATE peas. I mean like can't stand them, how did they even genetically evolve -- kinda hate. But you can't taste them and you feel good that you got your serving of veggies on. If you don't like this recipe, I am not sure we can be friends ;) 

CHEESY CHICKEN & DUMPLINGS

Adapted from Pillsbury

INGREDIENTS

Preheat Oven to 325F Degrees

1 box of Hamburger Helper -- Cheddar cheese melt

1 2/3 c. hot water 

1 2/3 c. milk 

2 tbsp. butter

2 c. green giant frozen mixed vegetable bag 

1-1.5 c. of mini elbow pasta*

2 c. of cubed chicken (cooked)*

1 (~7.5 oz.) can of Pillsbury refrigerated buttermilk biscuits 

Paprika (optional)

Notes: You can use the pasta that came in the Hamburger Helper box. However, I feel that is not enough, and would definitely not be enough to feed the hubby. For chicken, I love using Tysons grilled chicken strips.

DIRECTIONS

In a large skillet or wok over medium heat, combine contents of sauce packet (from Hamburger Helper Box), hot water, milk, butter and vegetables. Heat mixture until boiling. Stir in pasta and chicken. Return to boiling. Once boiling, reduce heat to simmer and stir occasionally. Cook until pasta is tender. If the pasta is not tender , but the liquid is low, add 1/3 c. of water and 1/3 c. of milk until tender. 

While the pasta is cooking, cut biscuits into fourths. Once pasta is cooked, place biscuits over hot pasta and place entire skillet in oven. Bake 10-12 minutes until biscuits are cooked through and golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Garnish with paprika (or maybe some extra shredded cheese, if you're a cheese freak like me).

Enjoy,

Enchilada Pasta-Bake

Sorry I dropped off for a bit there. Ever read that children's book Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day? If not you should -- it's funny and cute. Well, I had a Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day which ended up affecting my mood for the week? And you know those days that just make the whole week suck? Yup...that would be me....now :/ Don't worry, nothing personal. More on the school front. I got some bad news on this award I applied and worked my butt off for. Turns out -- they still did not think it was good enough. ::sigh:: I cried for about a day, and sulked for another day. I am just starting to get back into not being mopey. I know, I know...I should not let this get me down so much and to be honest I have no idea why it hit me so hard, but man, it brought me down! But, I will not be defeated, will brush myself off and try again.

And on top of that, for the past week, I have been getting awful sinus headaches :/ I cannot seem to get rid of them and by the time it's evening, my head is hurting so badly that I feel nauseous and can't even open my eyes. And my sinus headache was the worst on my Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day...just my luck and probably because I was crying. So that's what's been going on with me. Sory to be Debbie Downer in the corner....I just wanted to explain why I've disappeared. The hubby was super sweet (yes...as always) and when I got home from my Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, I had flowers and my favorite chocolate bar waiting for me. It was so nice, and just what I needed. I guess I'll keep him ;) 

I made this pasta for the hubby two days ago. I wanted a recipe that I knew would last a few days (though, knowing the hubby, I should have known a few days would only be two ;). It is super easy to make, because you throw ingredients in a skillet let is simmer, stick it in the oven and voila -- delicious meal :) Most of my time making this meal, was on the couch! Though I had the horrific food blogger moment when I opened my cupboard for one of the ingredients and it wasn't there :/ So, I am missing black beans. But I included a note to add it, if desired.

ENCHILADA PASTA-BAKE

Adapted from Plain Chicken

INGREDIENTS 

Preheat Oven to 350F Degrees

1 tbsp. olive oil
3 tbsp. green onion
1 lb. ground turkey (or beef)
2 tbsp. taco seasoning
1 tbsp. garlic powder
15 oz. of red enchilada sauce (I used 1 1/2 --10oz--cans)
1 c. of salsa
1/2 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. of milk  (or 1/2 c. of sour cream)
8 oz. pasta 
1 c. frozen corn kernels, thawed
1/2 c. frozen chopped poblano peppers, thawed + some for garnish
1 c. black beans, drained*
2 c. of cheese, divided**

* I did not add beans because I did not have any at home :( Though I thought I did. But I think it would make the pasta even better!

**I used 1 c. of pepper jack cheese and 1 c. of the fiesta blend. You could also just do 2 c. of the same cheese.

DIRECTIONS

In a large skillet heat olive oil over medium high heat. Saute green onions until slightly browned and fragrant. Add in ground turkey -- sprinkling taco seasoning and garlic powder over meat -- and cook until browned. Drain any extra fat.

Stir in enchilada sauce, salsa, chicken broth and milk. Add in pasta, making sure pasta is completely submerged in sauce. Bring contents to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to low heat and cover skillet. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Then fold in corn and poblano peppers (and beans if desired). Cover and simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes, until pasta is tender. If your pasta is not tender, but your liquid (sauce) is low, add in 1/4 c. of enchilada sauce, 1/4 c. of chicken broth and a tbp. of salsa, at a time, until pasta is tender. Once pasta is tender and no residual liquid remains, stir 1 c. of cheese until completely melted.

Coat a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish with cooking spray. Pour enchilada pasta in casserole dish and cover with remaining cheese. Place in oven and bake for 5-10 minutes until cheese has completely melted. Remove from oven and garnish with poblano peppers.

Enjoy,
Chika

Creamy Cajun Pasta

Opps, I did it again! hahahaha...I promise, I will stop now. Let's not bring back flashbacks of Brittany Spears in red pleather -- must. stop. nightmares ;) Just kidding! Let's not ding us 2000 teens who grew up on Brittany, N'SYNC and the Back Street Boys. Before Brittany went cray, Justin Timberlake dabbled in acting, and the Backstreet Boys did not look like our dads! How does time fly?!?

I do not like to admit my own "oldness," yet giving away that I listened to N'SYNC clearly dates me. You know how I know I'm getting up there? Mostly because for my birthday I count backwards.  I also teach undergrad courses. I love giving music and television show examples, because let's be honest -- I have no life ;) I tried to give examples on Saved by the Bell, Boy Meets World, or Full House and I get blank stares. How do you not know the awesomeness that is Zack and Kelly, Cory and Topanga, and Michelle Tanner. And some of the TEENS I work with were born in the 2000s. Oh goodness! I-am-old... sophisticated.

I know, I am weird, but that whole blurb started from me thinking that I made another Cajun recipe and went Opps, I did it again. Sometimes when I have a type of food and I crave it, I just want to make it over and over again. I do that with music too (when I love a song, I play it on repeat -- over and over again). Well, after posting about this Cajun Risotto, I was still wanting more. I had pinned this recipe to my Pasta board on Pinterest, some time ago and thought now would be a great time to make it! And it was great! There were so many things I loved about this recipe. 1. After a long day, I whipped this up in 30 minutes and got an eye catching, yummy meal, 2. The creaminess, 3. The hint of spiciness and flavor. ::droooool:: I hope you enjoy making this as much as I did!

CREAMY CAJUN PASTA

Adapted from Food.Com

INGREDIENTS

Double recipe if  serving for more than 2
 
4 oz. linguine noodles  
1/4 c. olive oil
1 tbsp. garlic (optional)
1 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
3 tbsp. + 1 tsp. flour
1 1/2 c. heavy cream (milk)
1 c. Parmesan cheese (or other shredded cheese)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp. Cajun seasoning*
8 oz. cooked chicken strips or 1 1/2 chicken breasts (I used Tyson's Grilled Chicken Strips)
1.5 oz of diced sun dried tomatoes
1 diced green onion

*Can adjust seasoning based on spice preference

DIRECTIONS 

In a large pot of salted boiling water -- cook pasta according to package directions. Drain excess water and run cold water through pasta to prevent sticking. Keep pasta in colander. Do not return to pot.

After pasta is cooked, use the large pot to heat olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, saute garlic and red pepper flakes until garlic is browned and fragrant. Do not over cook, as this will burn the garlic. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in heavy cream, stirring constantly until mixture is slightly thickened. This can take some time, approximately 10-15 minutes -- but it will thicken. Remove from heat. Stir in shredded cheese until melted and smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste, followed by Cajun seasoning. Pour sauce over pasta and stir to evenly distribute sauce. Gently fold in chicken and sun dried tomatoes. Garnish with green onions.

Bye, Bye, Bye ;) (My ode to 'NSYNC),
Chika

Gnocchi w/ Pesto Cream Sauce

I love getting into the seasons and holidays. I wish the hubby and I had a bigger place, really a house (which is not possible since I am still in school, and I know we still have got some moving around in our future) -- because I want to buy tons of holiday decor. Fall (as much as it can be Fall in Texas) is here. Today was the first cold day of the season. I whipped out my winter boots and long sweaters :) Can't wait till it gets a little cooler so I can wear my scarves (I bought a ton while in Asia that I love). Although it does not happen here, I love the leaves changing colors, being wrapped up in a blanket on the couch, eating soup and wearing house socks.

Living in a small college town, does not always provide me a foodie scene that I was used to in Los Angeles or Houston. But I have found some amazing little finds, that I have fallen in love with. One restaurant is called Cenare's. I went there last month for a dear friend's 40th birthday. She is in my cohort and so we started graduate school together. She has grown into a wonderful friend that makes my time in graduate school so much better :) Well, even though she turned 40 she looks 20! I am in complete awe and envy of not only her youthful looks but her amazingly youthful and sweet personality. I wanted to do something special for her 40th birthday and so I hosted a surprise birthday for her. She loves spaghetti and so I knew I wanted to host this party at an Italian restaurant.

And I am so glad I found Cenare's. The food was mouthwatering! I could eat everything on their menu. And unlike other Italian chain restaurants, they make their food fresh. And you can taste this freshness. Every single person that came, loved their meal. I chose the gnocchi with cream sauce and I was hooked. It was so creamy and the Italian sausage that came with it, was a perfect pairing. Ever since then, I have been craving this recipe. So I decided to figure out how to make it myself :) It is so, so yummy! I am a huge fan of gnocchi. The recipe is easy to make, and would make a perfect meal for a date night with the boyfriend, fiance, or hubby. You're gonna love this!

GNOCCHI W/ PESTO CREAM

A For the Love of Dessert Original Recipe

INGREDIENTS 

1 (16oz) box of gnocchi
2 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. garlic
1 c. heavy cream or half and half
1/2 c. of Parmesan cheese
3-4 tbsp. pesto sauce
salt and pepper to taste

2 Italian sausage links, sliced

DIRECTIONS 

In a medium pot of salted boiling water -- cook pasta according to package directions. Drain excess water and run cold water through pasta to prevent sticking. Keep pasta in colander. Do not return to pot. 

In the medium pot, melt butter over medium heat. Once melted, saute garlic until golden brown and fragrant. Increase heat to medium-high and whisk in heavy cream -- constantly stirring -- and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer, and stir in Parmesan cheese. Continue stirring until cheese had melted. Mix in pesto sauce, followed by salt and pepper. Allow sauce to simmer for an additional 3-5 minutes on low heat, occasionally stirring. Once sauce has thickened, fold in gnocchi until completely covered in sauce.

While prepping sauce, in a medium skillet over medium heat, cook Italian sausage until browned. Top gnocchi with Italian sausage.

Enjoy,
Chika

Classic, Homemade Mac n' Cheese

Fall is creeping it way closer and I cannot complain. Yesterday was the first evening where it was cool! It was that moment of glory when you know you can whip out your leggings, boots and scarves. I am ready for this moment. Today, instead of hearing the clanking of the old AC in our apartment, I got to open all the windows and just bask in the beautiful weather. Someone told me when I was preparing to move to Texas that the weather was a bit funky but that Fall and Spring were gorgeous -- the most accurate information I got when coming to Texas. Though I have fallen in love with some other things about Tejas (other than calling it that) -- rodeos, cowboys, belt buckles, southern accents, Louisiana cuisine, and a laid back lifestyle (Los Angeles being just the opposite).

So, I did not mention yesterday, but this week I will be flying off to Chicago. My third time in that wonderful city, but this time an extremely quick trip. I will be presenting a poster (which does not make me nervous as I have done that before) but I will also be presenting my first oral presentation. I am excited to present preliminary findings from my dissertation study. But I am nervous. Presenting in front of other academics leaves a lot of what ifs for me -- mostly in the realm of I have no clue what questions they will have. I hope they enjoy my talk and see me as a competent and capable graduate student. And I hope I do well. Keep your fingers crossed for me. Because right now I feel as nervous as when they are about to draw blood or give you a shot -- and they are just about to stick you. Ahhhh.....I need to breathe....I'll let you know how it goes.

Mac n' cheese has got to be one of my favorite dishes. A dish just intertwined with childhood nostalgia. One of the few dishes, that when you take a bite, makes you so content in that moment and at the same time, takes you to a flashback of that happy moment in second grade when it was mac n' cheese side day in the cafeteria. Remember? Oh I do. See, being Sri Lankan and growing up in a Sri Lankan household, my mom always made Sri Lankan food, like curry, rice, dosa, etc. And whenever I would go to school or eat out on those rare occasions, there was always some American food that just "tickled my fancy" -- mac n' cheese being one of them. That American classic, so simple that is just awesome. If you do not feel the same way -- I am not sure where you fit into my life ;) Anywhoo, there is something that boxed mac n' cheeses just lack. Their watery cheese sauce just does not cut it! I found this recipe for mac n' cheese tacos (to be posted) and thought, hmmm....why don't I just make a classic- homemade- go-to recipe for my blog. And this is what you have! Simple and delicious. The best combination there is!

CLASSIC, HOMEMADE MAC N' CHEESE

A For the Love of Dessert Original Recipe

INGREDIENTS

2 c. of medium shell macaroni
1/4 c. olive oil 
3 tbsp. flour + 1 tsp. flour
1 3/4 heavy cream
2 1/3. shredded yellow cheese
salt and pepper to taste
crushed red pepper for garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS

In a large pot of salted boiling water -- cook pasta according to package directions. Drain excess water and run cold water through pasta to prevent sticking. Keep pasta in colander. Do not return to pot.


After pasta is cooked, use the large pot to heat olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in heavy cream, stirring constantly until mixture is thickened. This can take some time, approximately 10-15 minutes -- but it will thicken (be patient, as making this "roux" is key). Remove from heat. Stir in shredded cheese until melted and smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Gently fold in macaroni until completely covered in cheese sauce. Allow pasta to sit for a few minutes so macaroni shells slightly absorb the cheese. Serve while warm and cheesy! Garnish with red pepper flakes if desired.

Enjoy,
Chika

Italian Sausage Manicotti

September has come and gone without a For the Love of Dessert post ::shock face:: What is wrong with me!?! So, yes, school indeed started which is most my frequent reason for going MIA that and sheer laziness but can you judge me for the second one ;) And with the new school year brought lots of things for me to do. And I got too caught up with them all! Hopefully I can find a new groove to squeeze in things that I enjoy that do not involve school. I am not sure where to begin because so many little things have happened since I lasted posted. I guess I will just take the time to catch you up on what has been going on these past few weeks with me. Again-- nothing spectacular but lots of fun little things.

A big one is I officially (legally) changed my name to match the hubby. I know, I have been married for over a year, what took me so long? That would be school....and life. Well, my friend and labmate, Ashley, got married in August and so we went together to get our names changed. It was a great motivation for me because I had someone to do it with :)  So I am now S. Wager! It's still taking me some getting used to with the new signature-- but I am sure I will get the hang of it.

Lots of birthdays of some of my favorite people past this month: it was my sister's (I ordered her some really cute boots for fall/winter -- and I may have gotten boots for myself as well and by boots I mean two pairs :), one of my besties (Stephanie), and my other good friend Sophia. My other bestie (Pualina) asked Steph and I to be her co-Maids-of-Honor, and of course we said YES! This is 13 years of friendship in the making :) My sister, her hubby and my favorite cousin have booked their tickets to come here for Thanksgiving. They are going to spend their days in good ol' southern Tejas! Where the turkey comes deep fried ;) I am beyond excited!

Happy Birthday Steph!

As for the hubby and Ninja-- they are doing great :) Hubby's still the sweetest and Ninja, well, he is still the silliest! And me? I'm still enjoying food, especially chocolate -- some things will just never change ;)

He decided he was too good for walking.

yes, I will have a waffle with that chocolate and yes, I did also add whipped cream. When doing brunch, you must do it correctly!

Doesn't manicotti sound fancy?!? And way too sophisticated too make. A recipe we shall just leave to the Italians ;)?  I definitely thought so, but I found a recipe that is easy peasy to make! This is definitely an simple meal to whip up, but it does take some bake time-- so just keep that in mind. Not at all as hard as you would think and totally worth the make due to its yumminess factor. And by yumminess factor I mean that I made this twice, two days in a row because the hubby and I were addicted. Pasta, cheese, Italian sausage -- need I say more?

I made this manicotti recipe with two different sauces (marinara and vodka sauces, both were equally delicious -- the first set of pictures are marinara sauce and the second is vodka sauce). If I had to choose, I would go with the vodka sauce.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE MANICOTTI

Adapted from Heart Mind & Soul

INGREDIENTS

Preheat Oven to 350F Degrees

7 pieces of manicotti
1/2 pound, ground Italian sausage
1 1/4 c. ricotta cheese
3/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese + 1 c. for garnish
1 egg
1 tbsp. garlic or garlic powder 
1 tsp. cilantro + extra for garnish
salt and pepper to taste 
1/2-3/4 jar of marinara or vodka sauce

DIRECTIONS

Cooking the Italian Sausage:
In a large pot of salted, boiling water -- cook manicotti according to package directions. You want the manicotti to be slightly al dente, as that will make it easier when it is time for handling the manicotti in order to stuff them with the cheese filling. Once cooked, drain pasta and run cold water through, to prevent sticking. Lay on plate until needed.

Then in a large skillet over medium heat, cook Italian sausage. Italian sausage has its own fats in it, so I do not cook the sausage in oil. Cook Italian sausage until browned and completely cooked (no pink), approximately 10 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool.

Making the filling:
In a medium bowl combine ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg, garlic, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Whip together until smooth and well incorporated. Then fold in slightly cooled, Italian sausage until evenly distributed in the cheese filling.

Assembling the Italian Sasusage:
Coat a baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.

[this is how I filled the manicotti but you can do it any way you prefer]. Fill a pipping bag, with approximately a 1 inch wide opening, with cheese filling. If you do not have a piping bag you can fill a ziplock back and snip off one of the bottom corners.  

Squeeze filling into each of the manicotti. I squeezed filling from one opening of the manicotti until the filling was coming back out, and then filled at the other end of the manicotti to ensure the manicotti was completely filled. Place manicotti into baking dish and repeat until all manicotti are filled. Cover with sauce. Garnish with remaining grated Parmesan cheese and cilantro. Bake for 35 minute or until cheese is bubbly. Allow to cool slightly.

Enjoy,
Chika