Pasta Salad

It's a shame this salad doesn't have a name other than the generic "pasta salad" because it is a good one and perfect for summer. What makes it unique to me is the marinated artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, and the balsamic vinaigrette. I found the recipe here.

Pasta Salad

16 ounces rotini pasta, cooked and drained
3 ounces (large handful) fresh spinach, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
10 ounces grape tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 cup (or more) sun dried tomatoes, chopped
4 ounces feta cheese
3/4 cup mozzarella cheese
14 ounce can of marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
optional: thinly sliced red onion or cucumber chunks (I like adding the cucumber.)

Dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil (I used less.)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, chopped
juice of half a lemon
salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, add the cooked, drained, and cooled pasta, sun dried tomatoes, grape tomatoes, spinach, basil, artichokes, feta and mozzarella cheese. Mix well.

Mix the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic and lemon juice well and pour over salad.

Toss and chill before serving. Serves about eight.

Pasta with Fresh Tomato Sauce

For some reason I was quite surprised that this was an uncooked (raw) tomato sauce, but oh, my goodness, it is fabulous! This is a great way to use up the last of your summer tomatoes. The recipe is from Martha Stewart. You can print it here.

Pasta with Fresh Tomato Sauce

2 1/4 pounds unrefrigerated ripe tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped garlic (from 2 garlic cloves)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pound spaghetti
grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)

Finely chop tomatoes, basil, parsley, and garlic, and mix together with oil (or pulse ingredients, including oil, in a food processor to blend.)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook until al dente. Drain pasta, and toss it in a serving bowl with the raw sauce. Serve with cheese.

Tomato-Chicken Salad

This salad is perfect for late summer when all the vegetables and herbs are fresh from the garden. It was a big hit with my family--definitely a keeper. I found the recipe in Southern Living last year. You can print it here.

Tomato-Chicken Salad

Preheat grill to 400˚ to 450˚ (high) heat. Rub 6 (1-inch-thick) ciabatta or French bead baguette slices with a garlic clove; brush with extra virgin olive oil. Grill bread 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until toasted.

1 lemon
2 lb. assorted tomatoes, halved or chopped
3 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 large English cucumber, sliced
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup sliced green onion
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Grate zest from lemon to equal 2 tsp.; squeeze juice from lemon to equal 2 Tbsp. Combine lemon zest, juice, tomatoes, and next 8 ingredients in a large bowl. Let stand 10 minutes. Toss with crumbled feta just before serving.

Julie's Note: I toasted the ciabatta in the oven for a few minutes rather than on the grill.



  

Thai-Style Peanut-Cabbage Salad

This is a fantastic summer salad. I love that it has a slight Thai-flavored "kick", and I'm always a fan of peanuts and fresh basil. The recipe comes from Relish Magazine, and you can print it here.

Thai-Style Peanut-Cabbage Salad

Dressing:
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 T water
4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 T soy sauce
1/4 cup lime juice
2 T peanut oil
1 tsp. finely grated fresh ginger
1/2 tsp. salt

Salad:
1/4 lb. blanched green beans
4 cups baby spinach
2 cups slivered green cabbage
3 green onions, sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, slivered (I diced mine.)
2/3 cup chopped dry roasted peanuts
1/4 cup chopped basil or mint (optional)
1 1-ounce package roasted vegetable chips or sweet potato chips, lightly crushed

To make the dressing, combine brown sugar, water, garlic, and pepper flakes in a jar with a lid. Add remaining dressing ingredients. Shake well.

To make the salad, toss together all salad ingredients except peanuts, basil or mint and vegetable chips. Immediately before serving, drizzle about 2/3 of the dressing over the salad. Toss well. Sprinkle with roasted peanuts, herbs and vegetable chips. Pass remaining dressing at the table. Serves 4-6.

Potatoes and Green Beans Vinaigrette

For some reason my older girls remember me making this salad a lot when we lived in Berkeley. It is from New Southern Cooking by Nathalie Dupree, and it is definitely a family favorite. 

It can be served either hot or cold, but Nathalie says, "be sure your vegetables are hot when tossed in the vinaigrette. Hot vegetables absorb flavor quickly, so when they have cooled the flavor is even more enhanced."

Potatoes and Green Beans Vinaigrette

1 pound green beans
2 pounds new potatoes

Vinaigrette dressing:
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup white or red wine vinegar
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 small clove garlic, crushed
salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. sugar

2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs such as basil or tarragon (optional)

Remove tips and strings from the beans, but leave the beans whole. Boil in salted water to cover until still crunchy, 7-10 minutes. Remove from the heat, drain, and immediately rinse with cold water to stop the cooking and set the color.

Meanwhile, boil whole, unpeeled new potatoes in salted water to cover until done 20-30 minutes. Drain. Make the vinaigrette (see below). While still hot, peel quickly and toss them in half the vinaigrette, adding the herbs if you wish.

If serving warm, stir the green beans with 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette in a saucepan and warm them gently before adding to the potatoes. If serving cold, simply toss the cooked beans with 2 tablespoons of the dressing and gently mix with the potatoes. Drizzle the remaining dressing over all, and serve either lukewarm or cold.

To make the vinaigrette, whisk the oil into the vinegar, mustard, and garlic; add salt, pepper, and sugar to taste.

Serves 6-8.

Julie's Notes: I usually cut the new potatoes in half, depending on their size.

Bell Pepper Saute

This dish intrigued me when I first saw it in Everyday Food magazine a few years ago. I gave it a try, and it passed the "keeper" test, especially when I added fresh basil. At dinner this week Abby begged for second and third helpings, but then again, she has always loved red peppers. You can print the original recipe here.

Bell Pepper Saute

2 bell peppers, red, yellow, or both (I used 4 peppers--red, yellow, and orange.)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 small red onion, diced (I sliced rather than diced.)
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Remove seeds and ribs from peppers; cut lengthwise into strips and halve crosswise.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add bell peppers and onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until peppers are just tender, about 10 minutes.

Serves 4.

Julie's Notes: Add fresh chopped herbs such as basil, dill, or parsley just before serving.