Easy Peazy Chicken Tetrazinni

1 lb cooked angel hair pasta (or spaghetti or linguini)
5 chicken breasts (cooked and cubed)
1 medium bell pepper (chopped)
I cup chopped celery
1 Tablespoon garlic 
3 10.75 oz cans creamy soup (I used two cream of mushroom and one cream of celery)
1 cup water
1/4 cup butter
2 cubes of chicken bouillon
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or sharp cheddar is good too!)

Boil chicken breasts and set aside to cool.  In a separate pan boil the pasta until done.  Cube the chicken and set it aside.  Drain and rinse the pasta and put in a large mixing bowl.  In a sauce pan, mix the water and chicken bouillon until bouillon melts then add soup and mix well.  In another pan melt the butter and saute the celery and bell pepper until just tender and add to soup mixture (including pan drippings).  Mix soup, veggies, chicken and pasta together and pour into a baking pan (spray it with Pam or some other non-stick spray).  Top with cheese and bake for at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Serve with garlic bread and a salad.  

[Originally published August 26, 2014]

Pasta Salad

3 cups rotini pasta, cooked and drained
2 cups broccoli florets
1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 cup chopped red pepper
1/2 cup sliced red onion
1/2 cup pitted ripe olives
1 cup Italian Dressing

Cook your pasta, rinse and drain. Set aside. Optional: cook broccoli florets (I cook mine to take just a little bit of the crunch out by dropping into boiling water for 5 minutes then removing because you don't want soggy broccoli). Cool and set aside.

Combine the other ingredients (except dressing) in a bowl. Add pasta and broccoli and toss. Add dressing and toss again. Refrigerate over night for best flavor.

Variations:
Sprinkle crumbled blue cheese or feta cheese in addition to the parmesan cheese (we like cheese!)
Replace black olives with chopped green Spanish olives
Try Bernstein Brothers’ Cheese Fantastico or Cheese & Garlic Italian