Pasta Salad with Ham and Asparagus

2 packets of Rice & Corn Pasta (Gluten Free) - about 500gm in total
About 12 fresh asparagus stalks
Bertocchi Mini Roast Ham
Lite Coconut Milk - 1 Can
Tumeric
Garam Marsala
Coriander
Nutmeg
Paprika
Sugar - 1 teaspoon
Salt
Pepper
Sunflower seeds


Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil and add the pasta. Cook until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water. When cold, add to Salad Bowl.
Cut Aspargus into small pieces and steam - drain, and rinse in cold water, add to salad bowl.
Cut the Ham into small chunks, eat about a quarter of it while you're cooking and add the rest to the salad bowl.
Add sunflower seeds.
Mix the coconut milk with the dried herbs and spices and seasonings ... it's to your taste ... I thought I was adding fairly generous portions, but the flavour was quite mild, so ?
Add the dressing to the salad, toss well. Paprika looks nice, so sprinkle some more on top of the salad, just for looks!

Cheater’s Tomato and Basil Risotto

1 Family Size SunRice Pre-Cooked Microwaveable Brown Rice
2 handfuls of Fresh Basil Leaves
2 punnets of red grape tomatoes
1 small handful of Pinenuts - toasted
250 ml of Dolmio Classico Tomato and Basil pasta sauce
200 ml of Lite Sour Cream

Microwave the rice for 2.5 minutes per directions, then empty into a large bowl.
Add the chopped basil and tomatoes and toasted pinenuts.
Stir it all together. Cover and leave till you’re ready.

When you’re nearly ready to serve, add the Pasta sauce to the dish, stir it all together and microwave for five minutes.

Then add the sour cream, stir through, some salt and pepper for taste.
Would serve a decent helping to 4 adults and a small side dish to about 8!

Creamy Chicken & Bacon with Tortellini

8 Chicken thigh fillets
Olive Oil
A packet of McCormick 'Slow Cooker' Country Chicken Casserole Recipe Base
10 rindless bacon rashers (no fatty bits!)
Baby Spinach Leaves (the big Coles Packet)
200gm sliced mushrooms
600ml Lite Sour Cream
Fresh Sage leaves
Fresh Rosemary
Latina Fresh Cheese and Spinach Tortellini (Family Size)
Parmesan
Salt / pepper

In a baking tray, cover the chicken thighs with a little bit of oil, and all of the Recipe Base with Qtr cup of water to make sure all the dry recipe base is moistened and all the chicken is covered. Add the washed spinach leaves (add some salt) and mushrooms and chopped sage and rosemary. Chop the bacon into whatever size you like and fry the bacon. Add cooked bacon to the chicken dish. Stir through 2/3rds (400ml) of the Sour Cream and make sure everything is combined well.

Place chicken dish in the oven and cook through. I cooked it for an hour on 125 degrees and turned the oven off. It probably rested for about half an hour in the heated oven. When I started the Tortellini, I turned the oven back on 150 degrees for about 20 minutes. Wanted to make sure it didn't dry out ... but it could all be done at once on a higher heat.

Boil salted water, add the Tortellini and cook till al dente. Drain, place back in the saucepan and stir in the remaining third of the Sour Cream, some parmesan and salt / pepper and more chopped sage / rosemary.

Plate the Tortellini first, then plate a chicken thigh or two to each person on top. Spoon over the spinach, mushroom and bacon mixture including a spoonful of juicy stuff on top of the chicken.

Add more parmesan or salt / pepper if needed, but it probably didn't need it!

I served four adults and had left overs so it could probably stretch to 8, if you dole the chicken thighs out more judiciously!