Projo Football Food and Spirits

What sounds better with Genoa Salami, two kinds of cheese, olives and pasta? Very little indeed. Chef Mark Prece, corporate executive chef for Mueller’s Pasta, has put together some recipes for the football fan. They sound mighty fine for a Sunday night dinner.

TOUCH DOWN TAILGATE SALAD
1 box Penne Pasta or Whole Grain Penne Pasta
2/3 cup balsamic vinaigrette
1 cup Genoa salami, medium diced
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, medium diced
1 1/2 cups tomatoes, diced
3/4 cup black olives, broken
1/4 cup green onion, chopped
1/4 cup Romano cheese, grated
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions. When pasta is al dente, put in colander. Rinse pasta until cool to the touch. Toss well to remove any excess water. Transfer pasta into a large mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients to pasta and toss well. Chill and serve.

ROTINI FIRECRACKER PASTA SALAD
1 box Rotini (You can substitute whole-grain pasta for regular semolina if you prefer)
1 cup Yellow Onion, Diced
1 cup Green Bell Peppers, Diced
1 cup Red Bell Peppers, Diced
12 oz. BBQ Ham, Beef or Chicken, Diced
2 1/2 cups Ranch Dressing
1/3 cups BBQ Sauce
1/3 cups Parmesan Cheese
1/4 cups Grated Scallions, Minced
Salt and Pepper to taste

Cook pastas according to package directions. When pasta is "al dente", drain in colander. Rinse pastas with cold water until cool to the touch. Drain well. Put pasta in large mixing bowl and add onions, pepper and meat and toss well. Next mix in all remaining ingredients and blend well. Chill, sprinkle with scallions and serve.
This is a great way to utilize leftover BBQ or Deli Meats.

KICK-OFF CASSEROLE NACHO-STYLE

1 box Rotini Pasta or Whole Grain Rotini Pasta
1 (16 oz) jar of salsa (mild to hot according to taste preference)
1 (19 oz) can Mexican chili beans (such as black, pinto or kidney)
1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican-style or Jack cheese (to liking)
1 (11 oz) can of corn niblets, drained
Tortilla chips, whole (such as blue corn tortilla chips)
Salt, Pepper and/or Tabasco sauce to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook rotini according to package directions. Drain.
Combine rotini, salsa and beans in a casserole dish and add ½ of the cheese. Add the remainder of the
shredded cheese and desired amount of tortilla chips (onto the top of the casserole to prevent drying) and bake for 20-30 minutes.
For a heartier dish, add 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken to the rotini, salsa and bean mixture before baking.

If desired, add the following before serving:
Sour Cream
Olives
Guacamole
Salsa
Tomatoes
Hot Peppers

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