#3379 - Pierogi Spinach Soup

(by Shirley McNevich)

4 cups chicken broth
1 - 28oz. can diced tomatoes
6oz. cut green beans (drained and cut into small pieces)
1/2 lb. fresh spinach (washed and drained)
fresh grated Parmesan cheese
Italian style croutons
1 - 12oz. bag mini pierogis with potato and onions

Cut the drained spinach into bite sized pieces. In a pot add chicken broth and diced tomatoes/juice--stir well. Cook/stir over medium heat until it starts to boil. Add the bag of mini pierogis--cook/stir until boiling again. Add green beans pieces--turn heat back to simmer. Add the spinach pieces--stir. Simmer until spinach is done to your liking. Serve in bowls and top with Italian croutons and fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

#1033 - Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 8oz. box any shape pasta (cooked and drained according to box directions with 1 tsp. salt--rinse pasta in HOT water rather than cold water)
2 skinless/boneless chicken breast halves (cut into bite sized pieces)
1 - 8oz. bottle Caesar salad dressing
2 green onions (sliced thin) OR 1 small chopped onion
1 - 10oz. bag frozen sugar snap peas OR regular peas (thawed and drained)
1 fresh carrot (washed, peeled and sliced into thin pieces)
1 cup fresh spinach pieces
Parmesan cheese for sprinkling

Remove chicken breasts from package--cover each with Saran wrap, pound each with a meat tenderizer--remove Saran wrap, then salt and pepper both sides of each piece to your taste. Cut all chicken into bite sized pieces. In a skillet over medium heat add 3 to 6 TBSP of the Caesar dressing--add chicken pieces to the skillet. Stir and cook until chicken is cooked. Add onions, peas and carrot slices--stir and cook until hot. Add spinach--cook and stir until spinach is hot. In a large salad bowl add cooked/drained pasta and chicken mixture--toss. Pour the remaining Caesar dressing on the mixture--toss to coat. Serve warm. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top just before serving.

#338 - Spinach Dip

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 pounds pepperjack cheese
2 cups half-and-half cream
1 large diced tomato
1 diced onion
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
3 cups fresh spinach, rinsed and chopped

Over a double boiler slowly melt the pepperjack cheese. When the cheese is melted whisk in half and half until smooth and creamy. Stir in tomato, onion, red bell peppers and chopped spinach. Transfer to a serving bowl. Serve warm with tortilla chips or bread.