Cheesy Chicken Recipe

I found this one yesterday from Wolfgang Puck. Can hardly wait to try it. I got the stuff yesterday.  I love summer pasta salads.  MEDITERRANEAN SHRIMP AND PASTA SALAD

Serves 4

2 cups dried bite-sized pasta shells

3/4 pound fresh small-to-medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon pine nuts

1 roasted, peeled, and seeded red bell pepper, cut into thin strips

1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and thinly sliced

1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives

1 fresh jalapeno chili pepper, halved lengthwise, stemmed, seeded, deveined, and thinly sliced

1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

1/4 cup coarsely chopped fre****alian (flat-leaf) parsley leaves

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves

1/2 cup Fresh Citrus Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta shells and coo****il al dente, tender but still slightly chewy, following the manufacturer's suggested cooking time. Drain the pasta well and set aside to cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, prepare the shrimp. In a large skillet, heat the 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Season the shrimp lightly with salt and pepper and saute them, stirring constantly, until they turn opaque and pink, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a dish to cool.

In a small, dry skillet over low heat, toast the pine nuts, stirring constantly, until they turn a light golden color, about 2 minutes. Transfer immediately to a plate to cool, during which they will continue to darken slightly.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked pasta, shrimp, pine nuts, bell pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, chili pepper, basil, parsley, and mint. With clean hands or two large salad servers, toss all the ingredients together, breaking up the pasta shells. Add just enough of the 1/2 cup of dressing to coat the ingredients evenly, tossing well. Taste and, if necessary, adjust the seasonings with a little more salt and pepper, tossing again.

To serve, drizzle the remaining dressing on 4 individual chilled serving plates. Mound the pasta salad on top, making sure to divide the shrimp evenly among the plates. Pass a pepper mill at the table for guests to add extra to each serving as they like.

FRESH CITRUS VINAIGRETTE

Makes about 2 cups

1 medium orange, juiced

1 medium lemon, juiced

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the orange and lemon juices and the sherry vinegar. While whisking continuously, slowly pour in the olive oil in a thin, steady stream until it is fully incorporated and the mixture has thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate, covered, in a nonreactive container until ready to use. This one also from his site: I don't like to fry so I might try baking it.

THREE-CHEESE QUESADILLAS

Serves 4 to 8

4 flour tortillas, each 12 inches in diameter

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1/2 cup shredded Mexican-style queso blanco or Fontina cheese

1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Extra-virgin olive oil

Place two of the flour tortillas on a work surface. Top with the cheeses, spreading half of each one evenly over each of the two tortillas. Top with other two tortillas and press down with your hands to help seal them together. Another quick easy recipie with left over chicken Mexican of course. Can ya tell I'm a fan?!  1&1/2 cups of cooked chopped or shredded chicken more if you like 1 8oz pkg of 1/3 less fat cream cheese 1 teaspoon garlic or 2 cloves...more to taste if you like cream all this together and place in flowered tortilias in baking pan, cover with your fav Mexican sauce and heat. I sometimes use enchalida sauce, other times just rotel and lowfat cheese melted on top. My son likes them plain. With some warmed up refried beans with avacado on top or sour cream.