Michelle’s Pasta Salad  

1 16oz. package garden rotini  (Aldi has usually)
1 bottle Aldi Fit and Active Italian
½ cup chopped red onion
2 roma tomatoes, diced
1 cup diced cucumber
1/2 cup sliced baby carrots
½ pkg frozen vegetable blend (broccoli, cauliflower etc)
1  can black olives, sliced  (use 1/2 can)
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain pasta and allow hot water to collect in another bowl.  Rinse pasta with cold water to chill quickly and drain well.

Meanwhile put onions and frozen veggies in the hot water from the pasta and let sit for a few minutes to soften onions and vegetables.  Drain well.

Combine all ingredients – you will not use the entire bottle of Italian dressing at first.  After chilling for a few hours, add the remainder of the bottle. 

Please send your submissions to amy@momadvice.com and title your emails “Aldi Recipe Submission.” I am looking forward to sharing some of the foods you prepare in your kitchen! Many thanks to Mary for our first reader contribution!

Notes from the chef: I don’t do the mushrooms (can’t stand mushrooms), so I can’t comment on how those are. I use a Cuisinart Contact Grill and it cooks the thinned out chicken breasts at about 5 min. I’ve also used the marinade on plain old boneless-skinless – not pounded thin chicken, and put it in the oven at 350 for about 20-25 minutes. On the pasta, I don’t always use the butter with the spices. I’ve been known to just mix the sourcream, lemon juice, and cheese, and toss it with the pasta, totally skipping the butter part. Kids still love it – one less pan for me to wash – less work, too.

I hope you enjoy!!!

Mary

Lemon Grilled Chicken and Mushrooms

Servings: 4

1. Preheat indoor grill. If you have a grill with a variable temperature control, set it to medium-high (1 or 2 steps below high) or to about 350 to 400 degrees F.

2. Marinade: mix the lemon juice, oil, Dijon-style mustard, garlic, pepper and salt.

3. Divide the marinade between two (1-gallon) zippered freezer-weight storage bags, 1-quart airtight containers or shallow square glass dishes (8 x 8 x 2-inch). Set aside while you prepare the chicken and mushrooms.

4. Spread a large piece of plastic wrap on a flat work surface. Arrange the chicken breasts in a single layer over the plastic wrap. Cover the breasts with another large piece of plastic wrap. Pound the breasts with the flat side of a meat mallet, bottom of a large heavy skillet or rolling pin until evenly flattened to about 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick.

5. Put the pounded breasts into one of the marinade-filled bags, containers or dishes. Turn the chicken so all surfaces are coated with the marinade. Zip the bag dosed, or cover the container or dish and marinate in the refrigerator for 20 minutes or up to 24 hours.

6. Prepare and marinate the portobello mushrooms. Using a small pairing knife cut the stems from the portobello mushrooms and slice the caps into 1-inch thick strips.

7. Put the mushrooms into the remaining marinade-filled bag, container or dish. (Note: If you are marinating the chicken overnight, do not put the mushroom slices in the marinade filled bag or container until up to 2 hours before cooking. The mushrooms will get too soggy if marinated longer.)

8. With your fingertips, gently turn the mushroom pieces so all surfaces are coated with the marinade. Zip the bag dosed, or cover the container or dish and marinate in the refrigerator for 20 minutes or up to 2 hours.

9. Grill the chicken and mushrooms. If you have a grill with a small grilling surface, grill the mushrooms first, then the chicken.

10. If you own a larger capacity grill, grill everything snnultaneously. Transfer the grilled food to a platter covered with aluminum foil to keep it warm until serving time.

11. Spray all surfaces of the mushrooms and chicken with cooking spray before putting them on the grill. Grill the mushrooms until grill marks appear, they are cooked through and a little over half their size when raw. Grill the chicken until the interior temperature reaches 160 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. (about 4-6 minutes on a hot double sided grill) The meat should no longer be pink in the center, and all the juices should run clear when pricked with the tip of a knife.

12. To serve, slice the lemon into very thin rounds. Place equal amounts of pasta on four dinner plates. Slice the chicken breasts across the grain into 1/4- to 1/2-inch slices. Arrange equal amounts of the chicken and the grilled mushrooms on top of the Lemon Cream Capellini on each plate.

13. Sprinkle each plate with equal amounts of the capers, and parsley. Garnish with the thinly sliced lemon. Serve immediately with hot garlic bread and a Caesar salad.

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Lemon Cream Capellini:

1. In a 4- to 5-quart pot, bring very hot tap water, salt and oil to a rolling boil over high heat with the cover on. (The cover helps the water boil faster because the steam is trapped.)

2. When water is boiling, add the pasta. Part of the pasta will be sticking out of the pot. Stir gently until the pasta softens and all the noodles fit in the pot. Cover the pot and bring the water back up to a boil, about 1 to 3 minutes. When the water begins to boil again, take the cover off, and cook for 8 to 12 minutes until tender but slightly chewy (al dente). Since cooking times vary per brand, read the package for exact timing.

3. When pasta is done, drain immediately in a large colander.

4. While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a 1-quart saucepan over medium low heat. Whisk in the pepper, salt and nutmeg. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes.

5. Measure the sour cream, lemon juice and Parmesan into a 2or 3-cup bowl or measure. Whisk the butter mixture into the sour cream.

6. Using a rubber spatula, fold the lemon cream sauce into the hot pasta right before serving. Cover to keep warm if chicken and mushrooms are not quite done.

Slow Cooker Ravioli

1 (25 ounce) bag beef or cheese ravioli
1 (26 ounce) jar pasta sauce
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Pour about half of the pasta sauce in the bottom of slow cooker. Add frozen ravioli. Pour additional pasta sauce, tomato sauce, and water over ravioli. Sprinkle cheese on top. Turn slow cooker on low and cook for four to five hours (until ravioli are tender).

Penne with Rosemary Chicken

1 pound diced cooked chicken
1 pound penne pasta (can sub with any short pasta, should penne not be available)
1 cup low-fat shredded cheese blend
1 tbsp dried rosemary
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 cups nonfat milk
1 1/2, 15 ounce cans of cream of mushroom soup

Preheat ovent o 350. Place everything into a baking dish and cover with the foil. Bake for 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Or, place in a slow cooker set on low heat for five to six hours.

Caesar Chicken Pasta Salad

1 pound chicken (about three small breasts)

½ pound penne pasta (This ingredient is available this week at Aldi. If it isn’t at your store, you can substitute with elbow macaroni)

1 romaine heart, chopped

½ pint cherry or grape tomatoes

1/3 cup Caesar dressing

A sprinkle of Parmesan cheese on top

Bake chicken breasts as directed on package on a cookie sheet. While the chicken is baking, chop the romaine heart and halve the tomatoes. Cook pasta until al dente, as directed on package. Drain and rinse pasta with cold water. Dice the cooked chicken and put this in a bowl. Toss in pasta, tomatoes, lettuce, and the dressing. Mix until all the ingredients are incorporated. This can be served with a little sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

Amy’s Notes- Because I wanted plenty of food for leftovers, I actually cooked the entire box of pasta and kept all the other ingredients the same. This stretched the dish further and we have enough for four more lunches. Additional dressing can be added to leftovers to keep pasta from tasting dried out. Basically, for forty more cents you can feed another four people! That makes this a great dish to entertain with!

Chicken Broccoli Lo Mein
Yields Four Servings

8 ounces thin spaghetti (if linguine is available, I prefer this over the spaghetti)
2/3 pound skinless, boneless chicken (3 chicken breasts, dethawed overnnight)
1 cup fresh button mushrooms
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 bag frozen broccoli pieces
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon ketchup

Cook pasta as directed. Clean & chop mushrooms. Heat oil. Cut chicken in bite size pieces. When all the chicken is cut, add it to the skillet. Add mushrooms and broccoli to the skillet. Cook for five to six minutes or until mushrooms have released their liquid and chicken is cooked through. Add soy sauce, vinegar, and ketchup. Stir to combine. Add cooked pasta and serve immediately.

Serve with ramekins of applesauce.