Z's Fiery Guacamole Dip

Ingredients: 

3 ripe avocados
1 can RO*TEL (use HOT Rotel to kick it up a notch)
Kosher salt & pepper to taste
1 lime

Directions:

Combine avocados and strained Rotel tomatoes and mash up the avocados. You can use a couple spoonfuls of the Rotel juice if you want your dip a little more soupy. Squeeze the juice of one lime into the mixture and add salt and pepper to taste.



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Lindsey's Rotel Chicken Pasta Recipe

Since I am often asked what my recipe is for my Rotel Chicken Pasta, I've decided to go ahead and share it here.

Ingredients:

1 can of Cream of Chicken soup (I use the Campbell's Heart Healthy version)
2 cans of Rotel (if you like it spicy, opt for the HOT Rotel)
2 12 oz cans of chicken, drained
1 lb linguine
16-20 American cheese singles
1 bell pepper, diced

Directions:

1. On low heat in a pan, combine the Cream of Chicken soup, 2 cans of rotel, American cheese singles, and drained chicken until cheese is melted and creates a thick sauce.

2. Boil the linguine.

3. Microwave the diced bell pepper for 1 minute.  Drain the leftover juice and add bell pepper to cheese sauce.

4. Combine the cheese sauce and the linguine in a 9x13 dish and bake for 20 minutes at 325*.

5. Impress your family and friends.

6. Enjoy!

FYI- this dish actually tastes better on day 2, after it has had time to sit and "marinate."

Fresh, clean, and light alternative to traditional spaghetti

If you want to try a simple, yet light- and healthy alternative to your everyday spaghetti, look no further.  Spaghetti checca (pronounced "check-cuh") is your answer.  It features fresh tomatoes, basil, garlic, scallions, olive oil, Parmesan and fresh mozzarella.  Your entire prep and cook time is less than 30 minutes and you can chow down without the guilt of indulging in a calorific bowl of spaghetti- and all you have to actually cook is the pasta itself!

I have included the recipe that I use from FoodNetwork.com thanks to Italian-born chef Giada de Laurentiis.

Give it a try on a hot day or after a long day at work and let me know what you think. 

Ingredients

8 ounces spaghettini or angel hair pasta

• 4 scallions (white and pale green parts only), coarsely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 (12-ounce container) cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 (1-ounce) piece Parmesan, coarsely chopped
• 8 to 10 fresh basil leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, tender but still firm to the bite, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the next 7 ingredients in a food processor. Pulse just until the tomatoes are coarsely chopped (do not puree). Drain the pasta, reserving some of the pasta water. Toss the pasta with the tomato mixture and fresh mozzarella in a large bowl. Add some of the reserved pasta water (about 1/4 cup) if the sauce looks dry. Serve immediately.