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Summer of Salads: Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad

partysugar — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 10:15:42 -0700

Whenever I'm cooking for a crowd and need a recipe that's portable, I always consider pasta salad. It's filling and easy to make a large batch. While sometimes I assemble a Mediterranean pasta salad with orzo and feta, I also like to make this recipe with tomatoes and mozzarella.

What provides this salad with incredible flavor is the sun-dried tomato dressing - it's so good I've enjoyed it with fish! Made in a blender or food processor, the dressing is a mixture of tomatoes, capers, and garlic, thinned with oil and red wine vinegar. A generous handful of parmesan cheese and fresh basil finish off the satisfying salad that only tastes better the next day. To make it before tomato season is over get the recipe now

Fast & Easy Dinner: String Bean, Arugula, and Pasta Salad

partysugar — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 07:50:16 -0700

Tonight go green with this substantial vegetarian pasta salad. It's not only full of green vegetables, but it conserves energy by only boiling one pot of water.

The recipe highlights the fresh flavor and crunchy snap of green beans. The peppery bite of arugula and the salty tang of parmesan cheese play supporting roles. A simple lemon vinaigrette combines everything together.

Serve this delightful pasta on its own, as a side dish, or pack for a picnic. Check out the uncomplicated recipe when you read more.

String Bean, Arugula, and Pasta Salad
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

4 ounces green beans, trimmed
4 ounces yellow wax beans, trimmed
Coarse salt
1 pound curved, dried pasta, such as conchiglie, orecchiette, or other medium curved shapes
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 ounce pine nuts, toasted and coarsely chopped (1/4 cup)
1 1/2 ounces Parmesan cheese, 1/2 ounce finely grated (1/2 cup), 1 ounce shaved with a vegetable peeler (1/2 cup)
1 ounce (1 1/2 cups) baby arugula

Directions

Prepare an ice-water bath. Cook green and wax beans in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 4 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer beans to ice-water bath until cool, reserving water in pot. Drain beans, and cut into 2-inch-long pieces.
Add pasta to the reserved boiling water, and cook until al dente. Drain and spread on a rimmed baking sheet. Refrigerate for 10 minutes. Transfer chilled pasta to a large serving dish.
Whisk lemon zest and juice and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Season with pepper. Add oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking until emulsified. Drizzle over pasta, and toss until well coated.
Add beans, pine nuts, and grated Parmesan. Toss until evenly distributed.
Just before serving, fold in arugula, and top with shaved Parmesan.

Serves 8.

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Come Party With Me: Anniversary - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 09:00:17 -0700

On Saturday, Aug. 22, my parents will celebrate their 33rd year of marriage. I hate to say it, but I've never thrown them an anniversary party - until now! I've invited over a bunch of my parents' friends for a pool party and barbecue. The event will be festive, but casual, so I'm selecting a menu that reflects this vibe.

Things will kick off with mini peach and pesto pizzas. For the main course, I'll serve what they had at their wedding: chicken, grilled and stuffed with fresh tomatoes and basil. A huge helping of antipasto pasta salad is the ideal side because it serves a crowd and can be made in advance. For these scrumptious recipes, read more.

Mini Peach and Pesto Pizzas
From Every Day With Rachael Ray

Ingredients

1 clove garlic
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil
1/2 cup pecans
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
One 13.8-oz tube refrigerated pizza dough
2 tomatoes, sliced into 1/2-inch wedges
2 small peaches, sliced into 1/2-inch wedges

Directions

In a food processor, chop the garlic. Add 1/2 cup basil, the pecans, 1/2 cup olive oil, the parmesan, vinegar, salt and pepper and puree into pesto.
Preheat the oven to 400°. Roll out the pizza dough on a floured surface into a 14-inch square.
Cut into 8 squares and prick each one several times with a fork. Place on a lightly floured baking sheet and brush with olive oil. Bake until golden, 12 minutes. Let cool.
Spread 1 teaspoon of the pesto on each square and top with overlapping tomato and peach slices. Slice the remaining 1/2 cup basil into thin strips and sprinkle on the pizza. Season with salt.

Serves 8.

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Grilled Chicken Stuffed With Basil and Tomato
From Whole Living

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 6 ounces each)
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 garlic cloves minced
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
12 fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish
2 beefsteak tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

Directions

Butterfly chicken breasts: Put halves on a cutting board, smooth sides down, with the pointed ends facing you. Starting on one long side, cut breasts almost in half horizontally (stop about 1/2 inch before reaching the opposite side). Open cut breasts like a book.
Sprinkle each piece all over with 1/8 teaspoon salt; season with pepper. Transfer to a plate, and coat both sides with garlic and oil. Let stand 30 minutes.
Heat a grill or grill pan until medium-hot. Place 3 basil leaves on the bottom half of each opened chicken breast; top each with 2 slices tomato. Fold over other half of chicken breast, and secure with two toothpicks or short skewers.
Grill chicken breasts, turning once, until golden brown on both sides and no longer pink in the center, about 15 minutes.
Place on a clean serving platter; garnish with basil. If desired, remove toothpicks or skewers before serving.

Serves 4.

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Antipasto Pasta
From Bon Appétit

Ingredients

12 ounces linguine
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 large (5-inch-diameter) portobello mushrooms, stemmed, dark gills removed, caps sliced 1/4 inch thick
6 ounces 1/8-inch-thick slices Genoa salami, cut into thin strips
1 cup sliced vegetables and 6 tablespoons marinade from 16-ounce jar antipasto salad with olives
2 cups grated Asiago cheese, divided
2 cups chopped fresh basil, divided

Directions

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid.
Heat oil in same pot over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; sauté until tender and brown, about 6 minutes.
Add salami; toss 30 seconds.
Add pasta, 1/2 cup cooking liquid, sliced vegetables, reserved marinade, and 1 1/2 cups cheese; toss until liquid thickens and coats pasta, about 3 minutes. Mix in 1 1/2 cups basil.
Season with pepper. Transfer to bowl. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup basil; serve with 1/2 cup cheese.

Serves 4.

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Summer of Salads: Mediterranean Pasta Salad

partysugar — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 10:42:29 -0700

Mediterranean-style pasta salad has quickly become one of my picnic staples. It's super easy to make a huge batch and tastes better after the flavors have mixed for a few hours. When making pasta salad, I prefer to employ orzo. There's something about the small, rice-like shape that makes the salad seem modern and more glamorous. This recipe is my own invention: it uses two types of tomatoes, olives, green onions, and feta cheese. The dressing is a simple red wine vinaigrette. Feel free to look at the recipe as inspiration for your own pasta salad. Whatever you do, be sure to make a large batch because this salad is an ideal portable lunch! To check out the recipe, read more.

Mediterranean Pasta Salad
Original Recipe

Ingredients

1 lb. of orzo
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
half of a lemon, juiced
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 small shallot, minced
salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 small jar sundried tomatoes in oil
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, sliced in half lengthwise
1 bunch green onions, dark greens removed, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

Directions

Fill a large pot with water and season with salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cook the orzo according to the instructions on the package.
Drain well and rinse with cold water until the orzo is cool.
While the pasta is cooking, make the vinaigrette. Whisk the vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, shallot, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Slowly pour in the olive oil, in a steady stream, whisking constantly to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
In a big bowl, combine the orzo with the tomatoes, olives, green onions, fresh herbs, and cheese. Pour on half of the vinaigrette. Season the salad generously with salt and pepper. Toss well to coat. Add more vinaigrette until the pasta is moistened to your liking. Chill until serving.

Serves 10-12.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Pasta Salad With Grilled Vegetables

partysugar — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 09:00:26 -0700

Go veggie tonight with this quick Summer pasta salad. It's chock-full of grilled tomatoes, zucchini, pepper, and scallions. Black olives provide a salty brininess to the dish. A simple garlic and red wine vinaigrette coats the pasta and vegetables. This salad tastes great the next day and is easy to pack, so make the whole batch and you've got lunch for tomorrow. Want extra richness? Toss in crumbled feta or goat cheese. For the recipe, keep reading

Five Dinners That Improve With Time

YumSugar — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 05:30:12 -0700

In theory, we can all sing the virtues of leftovers: By eating them, you're not only saving money, but also time, energy, resources, and possibly calories. But in reality, some of you just can't stomach the idea of eating yesterday's food. The solution? Take it from SavvySugar: Prepare foods that taste better the next day. For those of you who need a little convincing, here are five dishes that really do taste better the next day.

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Come Party With Me: Boy's Birthday - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:00:45 -0700

For a boy's birthday party on Alcatraz, pack a portable feast of special dishes that wouldn't normally be found in the common ten year olds lunch box. Keep things simple with easy to eat chicken salad pitas. On the side offer a pasta salad packed with salami and cheese and small bags of chips (let each boy select their favorite bag of chips). Don't forget to pack snacks in case they get hungry while on the tour. Cheese and crackers, crunchy trail mix, and homemade fruit roll ups are filling without being too sweet.
For these kid-friendly recipes, read more.

Chicken Salad Pitas
From Martha Stewart Kids

Ingredients

3 stalks celery, 1 coarsely chopped and 2 thinly sliced
1 medium sweet yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1 carrot, coarsely chopped
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, plus more for seasoning
2 (12 ounces total) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1 cup (from one 11-ounce can) canned mandarin orange segments
8 (6 or 8 inch) pita breads
8 lettuce leaves

Directions

Bring 2 cups water, chopped celery, onion, carrot, thyme, and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat to a simmer. Add chicken; cover and simmer until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to a bowl; let cool, then shred with two forks. Discard contents of pan.
Stir together mayonnaise, lemon juice, and mustard in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
Stir in chicken, sliced celery, and almonds. Gently fold in orange segments.
Cut 1 inch from top of each pita to open pocket. Fill each pita with 1 lettuce leaf and 1/2 cup chicken salad.

Makes 8; Serves 4 to 6.

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Pasta Salad
From Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients

Red Wine Vinaigrette:
1 bunch fresh basil, stemmed and leaves chopped (about 2 cups)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Pasto Salad:
1 pound fusilli pasta
1/2 cup hard salami, cut into strips (about 3 ounces)
1/2 cup smoked turkey, cut into strips (about 3 ounces)
1/4 cup provolone cheese, cut into strips
1/4 cup grated Asiago cheese
2 tablespoons green olives, halved and pitted
2 tablespoons roasted red peppers, cut into strips
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Make vinaigrette: in a blender, add the basil, vinegar, garlic, mustard, salt and pepper. Blend until the herbs are finely chopped.
With the machine running, drizzle in the olive oil until the dressing is smooth.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta.
In a large bowl, toss together the cooked pasta with the remaining salad ingredients. Drizzle with dressing and toss to coat. Serve.

Serves 4-6.

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Trail Mix
From Taste of Home magazine

Ingredients

1 package (16 ounces) banana-nut granola
1 package (15 ounces) raisins
1 package (14 ounces) milk chocolate M&M's
1 can (12 ounces) honey roasted peanuts

Directions
In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients. Store in an airtight container.

Makes about 8-10 cups.

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Fruit Roll Up
From Better Homes and Garden magazine

Ingredients

1 6-ounce package dried apples
1-1/4 cups water
1/4 cup sugar

Directions

Turn on oven to 300 degree F.
In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients. Bring to boiling; reduce heat.
Cover and simmer about 15 minutes or until fruit is very tender. Drain off any liquid.
Blend in a food processor. Line a 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking pan with foil. Spray with nonstick coating.
Spread fruit in thin, even layer over foil and bake for 35 minutes.
Without opening the door, turn off oven and let dry overnight.
Lift foil and fruit leather off pan. Remove leather from foil; roll it up and wrap in waxed paper.
The fruit leather will keep in refrigerator up to 3 months or in the freezer up to 6 months.

Makes 1 large 15x10 inch fruit roll up.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Asian Noodle Salad With Eggplant

partysugar — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 08:30:35 -0700

This vegetarian pasta salad makes a great summer meal. It's packed with grilled veggies (eggplant, mushrooms, and green onions) and fresh flavors (lime and ginger). The balanced and healthy pasta comes together quickly and simply. Grilled chicken or steak would be excellent additions. To learn how to make it, read more.

Asian Noodle Salad With Eggplant
From Bon Appetit magazine

Ingredients

4 Japanese eggplants, unpeeled, cut on diagonal into 1/3-inch-thick slices
8 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed
2 bunches green onions, trimmed
1/4 cup Asian sesame oil
1 6-ounce package dried chuka soba (Japanese-style) noodles*
1 8-ounce package sugar snap peas, trimmed
7 tablespoons hoisin sauce
3 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 teaspoons finely grated lime peel
1 1/2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger

Directions

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat).
Combine first 3 ingredients; add Asian sesame oil and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Grill vegetables until tender, turning often, about 7 minutes for eggplant and mushrooms and 5 minutes for green onions.
Transfer mushrooms and onions to cutting board; cool slightly. Slice mushrooms and onions.
Meanwhile, cook noodles in large pot of boiling salted water until almost tender but still firm to bite, about 3 minutes.
Add sugar snap peas to noodles; cook 1 minute longer. Drain well. Transfer noodle mixture to large serving bowl. Add grilled vegetables.
Whisk last 4 ingredients in small bowl to blend. Toss noodle salad with dressing; season with salt and pepper.

Serves 4.

*The cooking time of Japanese-style chuka soba noodles varies by a minute or two depending on the brand of noodle. Test them after three minutes to avoid overcooking.

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Reader Recipe: Italian-Style Pasta Salad

YumSugar — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 10:13:31 -0700

I was checking out the Kitchen Goddess group when I came across this salad from Bettyesque. I'm on a bit of a ridiculous olive kick at the moment, and the green and black olives - combined with all the yummy stuff like artichoke hearts and sopressata - just sounded so divine. To check out her original recipe for an Italian-style pasta salad, read more.

Submitted by TeamSugar member Bettyesque.

Italian Pasta Salad
Original Recipe

It's a stretch from a down-home cookout, but I'm not all that country yet so this is what I bring... We are off to cookout this evening and a I just made this so I figured that I would share.

Ingredients

2 lbs. of tri-colored pasta
12 oz. of chopped black olives
16 oz. of green olives
6 oz. of marinated pimentos
6 oz. of marinated artichoke hearts - chopped
1 stick of sopressata - sliced
1 stick of pepperoni - sliced
1/2 lb of fresh mozzarella or provolone depending on your taste - cubes or balls
1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup of vinegar balsamic or regular
Italian seasonings to taste
fresh garlic to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Real simple sugars boil your pasta . . . to al dente . . . drain . . . and put in large bowl.

Throw everything above in there . . . mix and your done.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Sirloin Steak and Pasta Salad

partysugar — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 09:01:15 -0700

Not your usual pasta salad, tonight's quick fix Friday night meal is a delicious blend of pasta, steak, and crunchy vegetables. To save time, cook the green beans in the same boiling water as the pasta. The final dish is coated in a light mustard vinaigrette, and if you don't like blue cheese, substitute a handful of crumbled goat or feta cheese. Get this recipe when you read more

Sirloin Steak & Pasta Salad
From Cooking Light magazine

2 cups uncooked penne or mostaccioli (tube-shaped pasta)
1/4 pound green beans, trimmed
1 (3/4-pound) boneless sirloin steak, trimmed
1 tablespoon salt-free garlic-pepper blend (such as Spice Hunter)
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced red onion
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon extravirgin olive oil
1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled blue cheese

Preheat broiler.
While the broiler preheats, bring 3 quarts water to a boil in a large Dutch oven. Add pasta; cook 5 1/2 minutes.
Add beans, and cook 3 minutes or until pasta is done. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain well.
Sprinkle steak with the garlic-pepper blend. Place on a broiler pan; broil 3 inches from heat 10 minutes or until desired degree of doneness, turning after 5 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices.
Combine onion and next 8 ingredients (onion through black pepper) in a large bowl. Add pasta mixture and beef slices; toss well to coat. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.

Serves 4.

Nutritional Information: CALORIES 437(24% from fat); FAT 11.8g (sat 4.3g,mono 4.5g,poly 0.8g); PROTEIN 29.4g; CHOLESTEROL 54mg; CALCIUM 100mg; SODIUM 582mg; FIBER 4.4g; IRON 4.5mg; CARBOHYDRATE 54.4g

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