Southwestern Style Fettuccine Food

SOUTHWESTERN PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and and cool, 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make dressing: Whisk all ingredients together. Taste and add salt as desired.
• Stir corn, black beans, cheese, tomatoes, avocados and cilantro in with pasta. Toss with dressing. Cover tightly and refrigerate 1 hour before serving.

SOUTHWESTERN PORK & PASTA

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, cook pork in oil in batches until no longer pink; return all to the pan. Add onions and garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the tomatoes, beans, corn, salsa and spices. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes., Combine the cornstarch and water until smooth. Gradually stir into pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Drain pasta; add to pork mixture and toss to coat., Serve desired amount of pasta with sour cream. Cool remaining pasta; transfer to freezer containers. Cover and freeze for up to 3 months., To use frozen pasta: Thaw in the refrigerator. Place in an ungreased shallow microwave-safe dish. Cover and microwave on high until heated through.

SOUTHWESTERN CORN SKILLET

Steps:

• Cook and drain pasta as directed on package. Meanwhile, in 12-inch nonstick skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is thoroughly cooked; drain.
• Stir in pasta sauce, corn, salt and cooked pasta. Cook until hot. Sprinkle with cheese; let stand 2 to 3 minutes or until melted. Sprinkle with green onions.

SOUTHWESTERN PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
• In a large bowl combine oil, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, salt and garlic. Stir in pasta and set aside to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in corn, beans, green pepper, red pepper and 1/2 of the cilantro leaves. Spoon onto a platter and garnish with tomatoes and remaining cilantro. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

SOUTHWEST PASTA SKILLET

Steps:

• Mix cream cheese spread, seasoning and milk until blended. Cook and stir chicken and peppers in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat 7 to 8 min. or until chicken is done, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes, corn and cream cheese mixture; cook and stir 3 min.
• Add pasta and 1/2 cup shredded cheese; cook and stir 1 to 2 min. or until cheese is melted.
• Top with remaining shredded cheese. Remove from heat. Cover; let stand until cheese is melted.

SOUTHWESTERN VEGETARIAN PASTA

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large, deep skillet. Saute onion, green pepper, garlic, chili powder and cumin. Stir in tomatoes, chickpeas and corn. Reduce heat to low and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, or until thickened and heated through.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
• Combine pasta and sauce. Sprinkle each serving with Monterey Jack cheese.

SPICY SOUTHWESTERN PASTA

Steps:

• Brown onions and garlic in large skillet over medium heat, using a little water or a small amount of oil.
• Add crushed tomatoes, cumin, salt, pepper, chili powder, oregano and pepper flakes.
• Mix well and bring to a simmer.
• Reduce heat to low and cook, covered for about 15 minutes.
• Add green chiles, red peppers, beans and corn. Mix well and cook for 5 more minutes.
• Remove 1/2 cup of the mixture from the pan, mix it with the sour cream and then add this mixture back into the pan and mix well.
• To serve, place 1 cup of cooked pasta on each plate and top each serving with about 1 cup of the sauce.
• Top with 3 tablespoons of the grated cheese.
• I often combine the last steps and mix 2 or 3 cups of cooked pasta and the cheese right in with the sauce and serve the whole meal right out of the skillet.

SOUTHWESTERN PASTA

Steps:

• You will also need: Large casserole dish and a large baking sheet

SOUTHWESTERN PASTA & CHEESE

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions., Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute pepper and onions in oil until tender. Stir in the flour, chili powder, chipotle pepper, salt and cumin until blended. Gradually stir in milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in 1/4 cup cheese until melted., Drain pasta; toss with sauce. Stir in bacon and cilantro. Transfer to a 2-qt. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly.

SOUTHWESTERN-STYLE PASTA SKILLET

Steps:

• Prepare macaroni as label directs but do not add salt to water; drain and keep warm.
• Meanwhile, in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, cook sausage, green pepper, and onion, stirring frequently until vegetables are tender; discard any fat in skillet.
• Stir in zucchini, stewed tomatoes, corn, and chilies with their liquid; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cook 10 minutes to blend flavors.
• Stir macaroni into mixture in skillet; sprinkle with shredded cheese.

SOUTHWEST PASTA BAKE

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in milk. Stir in spinach and oregano; set aside. , In a nonstick skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. Stir in the picante sauce, tomato sauce, tomato paste, chili powder and cumin; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Drain pasta; stir into meat mixture., In a 13x9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray, layer half of the meat mixture and all of the spinach mixture. Top with remaining meat mixture. , Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with cheese. Bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with olives and onions. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

SOUTHWESTERN CHICKEN FETTUCCINE

Steps:

• Toss chicken, 1 Tbs fresh cilantro and 1 tbs oil in a medium sized bowl. Sprinkle with salt & pepper, toss once more. Cover and refrigerate one hour.
• Heat 3 Tbls oil in large skillet. Over medium heat, add garlic, onion, pepper and poblano chili. Saute until just tender, (about 10 minutes).
• Transfer vegetables into a large bowl. Add chicken to same skillet and saute over medium-high heat until cooked through (about 4 minutes). Transfer chicken to vegetable bowl.
• Add cream and chipotle chilies (a bit of adobe sauce optional - HOT)to skillet. Bring to a boil and reduce until you can coat your spin thickly, about 4 minutes.
• Cook pasta until just tender, but firm to bite. Drain and return to pot. Add sauce, chicken and vegetables to pasta and toss over medium-high heat until sauce coats pasta (about 3 minutes).
• Stir in 1 cup shredded jack cheese and toss again to blend. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
• Transfer to a large bowl. Serve immediately.

SOUTHWESTERN PASTA

Steps:

• Peel sweet onions and cut into slices about 1/4-inch thick; separate slices into rings.
• In a large deep skillet, heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Add onions, chicken, cumin, chili powder, salt and cayenne pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and golden, about 25 minutes.
• Stir in the tomatoes, corn and chiles and cook 2 minutes longer.
• Pour in the chicken stock and increase heat to high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Combine the sauce, cooked pasta, cilantro and goat cheese, stirring and tossing to soften the cheese.

SOUTHWESTERN PASTA BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler to high and position the rack 8 inches from the heat.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the boiling water and cook the pasta until slightly undercooked-a little chewy at the center.
• While the water is coming up to a boil, preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat with the vegetable oil. Season the chicken with cumin, coriander, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Add the seasoned chicken to the hot skillet and cook until lightly brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the onions, garlic, and jalapeños and continue to cook for 5 minutes. While the chicken is cooking with the onions, make the Cheddar sauce.
• In a medium sauce pot, melt the butter and add the flour to it. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes over moderate heat, then whisk in the milk. When the milk comes to a bubble, stir in the cheese, cilantro, and parsley with a wooden spoon. Season with a little salt and pepper and remove the cheese sauce from the heat.
• Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and add it back into the large pot, add the contents of the chicken skillet and all of the Cheddar sauce, and stir to combine. Transfer to a baking dish and place under the broiler to lightly brown.

THAI CHICKEN FETTUCCINE, SOUTHWEST STYLE

Steps:

• In saucepan or microwave, combine salsa, peanut butter, orange juice, honey, soy sauce and red pepper flakes. Heat until well blended.
• In a large skillet, cook chicken in oil over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until browned. Add julienned red pepper and cook and stir until crisp-tender.
• Cook fettuccine according to package directions and fold into chicken mixture. Stir in sauce, salt to taste and sprinkle with cilantro.
• Wonderful with spiced fruit salad.