A Meal in One - Favorite Pepperoni Pasta Salad

I always love pasta salads and they are sometimes so expensive. I have discovered instead of paying 4$ for a small container I can make enough for a party but t feed my family two times, understanding that we all have 2nd and 3rds! Super quick, easy and a family favorite!

1pkg Pepperoni, I use 1/2 a pack and slice in 1/2 (so I can make again or use for pizza cheese toast )
1 box or pkg Veggie Pasta
1 or 2 cans black olives, drained
1 pkg grape tomatoes, rinsed
1 pkg Feta cheese, crumbled
1 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 bottle Italian Dressing

I use extra spices and we like a lot I don't measure it's for your taste of:

Granulated Garlic
Italian Seasoning

Boil the pasta, while its cooking according to package directions grab a colander and rinse your tomatoes, dump in your black olives ( I do not rinse these just put right into colander ) chop your bell pepper & slice the pepperoni and separate after.

Transfer Pepperoni, Tomatoes, black olives and bell pepper in a large serving dish or container and add your Feta cheese.

Use the colander again to strain pasta, rinse with cold water and add to container.

Add your Italian Dressing and spices if you choose, chill and enjoy!

That simple and delicious :)

Egg Salad Sandwich

Egg Salad is one of my family favorites!  It brings back loving memories of my Grandmother making it for my school lunches.  I would sit at the bar talking to her while she would get my lunch ready.  She was an amazing woman and such a huge part of my life.

I got a lot of my cooking skills from her that's for sure.  Grandmother was for sure the down home country cook and my mother made some but liked to dabble in more elegant like Roasted Duck etc... 

My husband, daughter and myself love egg salad.  To me it tastes like deviled eggs and we love those and want them more than just at the holidays so we eat these sandwiches off and on all year!  While my Grandmother would boil just 2 eggs to make my sandwich I boil usually 8 to 12 eggs for us!
So here's how to have a quick, easy and delicious egg salad sandwich!

Ingredients: Eggs

Mayonaise 

Mustard ( we like Dijon for the added flavor)

Lemon Pepper

Dill Weed

Boil Eggs - the secret to boiling a good egg is bring the water to a full boil then add your eggs; carefully one at a time and return to full boil for exactly 12 minutes.

Remove from heat and drain and rinse in cold water.  

I just dump them into a colander in the sink and run water over them. They are cooked and the shell comes off easily. 

Peeled and ready to mash!

Start mashing, this day I just used a fork (but normally use my pastry blender or potato masher) dice, smash, whatever you like just break them up to get your preferred texture.

All smashed up and ready to get dressed up with all those good spices!  

Here's where you make it your own.  I do not measure.  Where my Grandmother would use Mayonaise a little mustard, salt and pepper.  

I use a generous scoop of Mayonaise, a little less of the Dijon Mustard, sprinkle lemon pepper all over the top and then a lot of dill weed.  

Dill Weed is a special ingredient that just gives it a wonderful fresh flavor.  We all love it and I use it in Mac-n-Cheese too!  Kendall actually requests it!  

 So you blend in your ingredients to taste and load it up on what ever type bread you like and enjoy!

I often thank God for letting me have so much time with my Grandmother because I have so many memories with her and lots of them were centered around her in the kitchen, me at the bar which looked into the kitchen watching and learning from one of the greatest women who I've ever met and that God graced me to be a part of her life.  

A funny note:  She would send these sandwiches to school with me and honestly everyone would be grossed out by the smell thinking my lunch smelled like a toot!  The funny part is that it was all I could do to keep others from taking my "stinky" sandwich.  They all loved it!  :)