This is a very light and nice dish. You can serve it at dinner, but I prefer it for a picnic, or light lunch. It keeps for days and is a very easy quick and grab dish to make. Serve it cold, so you can make well ahead of time. Perfect when served with a pinot gris.
• 1 pound ripe tomatoes (about 3 tomatoes)
• 2 cups shredded chicken
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic cloves
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup shredded basil leaves
• Cook bowtie pasta or penne according to the box – or make homemade
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Directions
Take out seeds and cut the tomatoes in into 1/2-inch pieces, and put them in a bowl large enough to hold the finished dish.Add 2 cups shredded chicken. Add the remaining salad ingredients and toss well. Cook your pasta according to package or if homemade boil for 20 seconds.. Add a 6-ounce ladle of the hot pasta water to the tomato salad. Drain the pasta in a colander, and add it immediately to the tomato salad. Toss thoroughly, and divide the pasta among 4 soup plates. Sprinkle generously with the cheese, and serve immediately
So there is 3 meals I have made for under $20 in ingredients. I must say I have stayed under $200 for the last 3 weeks in groceries and we have had a housefull of company. Most nights we fed 8 or more people. I am thinking I will lower my blog statement to where you can feed your family and buy all toiletries, wine/beer for under $200 per week. Today we went to Vons and walked out of there with over $100 worth of groceries and we only paid $27.00. Gotta love the coupon clipping.
I have one more recipe that is brainless and quick. Perfect to do this week, while the kids are gone and I am working like a maniac. I will make Chicken Tacos. That covers Monday night, Tuesday night and Wednesday night. Thursday we are going to lunch with our friend Sam McCracken. My daughters old basketball coach and Mr. Big at Nike. Google him =) So when i go out for lunch, I rarely cook for dinner that night. I am never hungry for more than one big meal a day.
We will see if I cook anything else at all. Randy and I plan on going to the market once while the kids are away. They come back Sunday. Next week I will be busy in my kitchen prepping for my trip so that they have food to eat while I am gone.
