Fajitas and pasta salad recipes

Here’s a recipe for indoor fajitas. This recipe includes the seasoning, but if you have a favorite bottled seasoning for fajitas just use that to make it easier.

Sheet Pan Fajitas

Fajita Seasoning:

1 Tbsp chili powder

1/2 Tbsp paprika

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp cumin

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

Fajitas:

2 yellow onions

3 bell peppers, any color

1 lb. chicken breast

2 Tbsp cooking oil

1 lime

8 six-inch tortillas

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 bunch cilantro

Preheat the oven to 400. Mix all of the spices for the fajita seasoning in a small bowl and set aside (chili powder, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, sugar, and salt).

Cut the onion and bell peppers into 1/4-inch wide strips. Slice the chicken breast into thin strips. Add the chicken and vegetables to a large baking sheet or casserole dish.

Drizzle the cooking oil over the chicken and vegetables, then sprinkle the fajita seasoning mix over top. Use your hands to toss the ingredients until everything is well coated in oil and seasoning. Spread the chicken and vegetables out over the baking sheet evenly.

Bake the chicken and vegetables in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Squeeze the juice from half of the lime over top of the meat and vegetables after they come out of the oven.

To serve, scoop a small amount of meat and vegetables into the center of each tortilla. Top with a few sprigs of cilantro, a dollop of sour cream, and an extra squeeze of lime if desired.

Since it’s starting to get warmer, here’s a pasta salad that will be good at outdoor cookouts. I have trouble digesting raw green bell pepper so I’d substitute another color. And if you have a favorite Italian-style salad dressing, use that instead of the one in the recipe.

Classic Pasta Salad

24 ounces tri-color rotini pasta, uncooked

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

12 ounces sliced pepperoni

1 red onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

16 ounces mozzarella cheese, cubed

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

8 ounces olives, sliced

Vinaigrette dressing:

1-1/2 cups olive oil

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

2 Tbsp Italian seasoning

2 tsp garlic powder

1-1/2 tsp salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente pasta. Drain and rinse with cold water until pasta is room temperature. Place pasta in a large bowl.

Add cherry tomatoes, pepperoni, onion, bell pepper, mozzarella, Parmesan, and olives to the bowl. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, add olive oil, vinegar, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine.

Pour vinaigrette over pasta salad, then toss to coat. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving. Pasta salad will keep for 3-4 days, refrigerated in a sealed container. Pasta WILL continue to soak up the dressing the longer it sits, so it may need a splash of olive oil and vinegar if it has been sitting for several hours.