Tomato Basil Pasta Salad

 

Tomato Basil Pasta Salad

Add this Tomato Basil Rotini Pasta Salad to your next BBQ and add lots of flavor with fresh basil, cherry tomatoes, avocado and freshly shredded Parmesan. This is not your average pasta salad recipe by any means!

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time25 mins

Ingredients

• 8 oz. rotini, or fusilli, or penne or farfalle pasta 
• 2 cups baby spinach
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 10 oz. sliced cherry tomatoes
• ⅓ cup chopped fresh basil
• ¼ cup thinly chopped red onion
• 3 T balsamic vinegar
• ⅓ - ½ c olive oil
• ½ c grated parmesan romano and/or asiago cheese (optional)
• ⅔ c mozzarella pearls
• ¼ tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
• ½ tsp cracked pepper
• ½ tsp sea salt

Instructions

1.                   Cook pasta according to package instructions.

2.                   Prep and cut all of the vegetables.

3.                   In a small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, garlic, red pepper, salt and pepper.

4.                   When pasta is cooked al dente, drain. Add spinach immediately and stir. This will allow the spinach to wilt a bit from the heat of the pasta. Transfer to a medium bowl.

5.                   Add tomatoes, basil and onion and toss to combine.

6.                   Pour the dressing in and stir to coat evenly.

7.                   Finally, add the cheeses and toss to combine.

8.                   Refrigerate for about 30 minutes to one hour before serving.

Notes

• You can make this Tomato Basil Rotini Pasta Salad the night before you intend to serve it. I suggest tossing it before serving with an extra drizzle or so of olive oil.
• Feel free to use your favorite gluten free pasta for this pasta salad. Make sure to follow cooking instructions.
• Have this as a side dish or toss some chicken or other protein in for a full meal!

 

Hummus

 

Hummus

3 cans garbanzo beans drained

3-4 tbl tahini

1 lemon or lime

1/3 cup olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

 

1.       Saute the chopped garlic in oil over a low flame

2.       Juice the lime or lemon

3.       Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend well.  The hummus will be thick and have a dry consistency

4.       Add water in small amounts until desired consistency is achieved

5.       Put the hummus in a bowl

6.       Just before eating make an indent in the center of the hummus and por a small amount of olive oil into the indent.

Hummus improves flavor if it sits overnight in the refrigerator.

Homemade Naan

 

Homemade Naan

By Jennifer Segal

Servings: 6 naans

Prep Time: 30 Minutes

Cook Time: 20 Minutes

Total Time: 50 Minutes, plus 1 to 1.5 hours rising time

 

INGREDIENTS

·       2 cups all purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled off with a knife, plus more for rolling (see note)

·       1 tablespoon sugar

·       1 teaspoon instant dry yeast/rapid-rise yeast (see note)

·       1 teaspoon salt

·       Heaping 1/2 teaspoon anise seeds (optional)

·       3 tablespoons plain yogurt

·       2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

·       3/4 cup warm water (about 100°F)

·       2 tablespoons melted salted butter, for brushing on finished naans

·       1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley (optional), for serving

 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, yeast, salt and anise seeds (if using). Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together, the yogurt, olive oil, and 3/4 cup warm water (about 100°F). Add the yogurt mixture to the dry ingredients and mix with a fork. When the dough is about to come together, dust your hands with flour and knead gently into a soft, slightly sticky dough (sprinkle more flour, little by little, if the dough is too wet to work with). As soon as it comes together, stop kneading.
3. Lightly oil or spray a clean bowl with nonstick cooking spray (the bowl should be large enough to allow the dough to double in size). Transfer the dough to the prepared bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel. Let sit in a warm place for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until about doubled in size (hint: the warmer the spot, the faster the dough will rise).
4. Fill a small bowl with about 1/2 cup flour. Dust a work surface with some of the flour and dump the dough on top. Sprinkle some of the flour on top of the dough and on your hands. Shape the dough into a long rectangle and cut into 6 equal portions, dusting with more flour as necessary so the dough doesn't stick. Roll each portion of dough in the bowl of flour to keep them from sticking.
5. Warm a large cast iron or heavy nonstick pan over medium-high heat until very hot. Using a rolling pin, roll one of the dough balls into an oval shape about 1/8-inch thick (it should be about 9 x 4 inches). Pick up the dough and flip-flop it back and forth between your hands to release any excess flour; then gently lay the dough in the dry skillet and cook until the top is bursting with air bubbles and the bottom is golden and blackened in spots, a few minutes. Flip the naan and cook about 1-2 minutes more until the the bottom is lightly browned and blistered in spots. Remove the naan from the skillet and brush with melted butter. Place the naan in a tea towel-lined dish to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining naans, adjusting the heat lower if necessary as you go (I usually find it necessary to lower the heat to medium after the first naan). Sprinkle with parsley, if using, and serve warm.
6. To keep the cooked naan warm, place them in a 200°F oven. Store leftovers in a Ziplock bag and reheat in a 350°F oven wrapped in foil.
7. Note: I use King Arthur flour, which is higher in protein than some other all-purpose flours. If using a flour with a lower protein content, such as Gold Medal, you will likely need to add a few more tablespoons of flour.
8. Note: Active dry yeast may be used instead of instant/rapid-rise yeast, however, the dough will take longer to rise. To give active dry yeast a boost, you can dissolve it in the lukewarm water and let it sit until frothy, about 10 minutes. After that, add it to the flour, sugar, salt, and anise seeds, and proceed with the recipe.
9. Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The naan can be frozen for up to 3 months. Once it’s completely cooled, wrap each piece securely in plastic wrap and put all the rounds in a sealable plastic bag prior to putting in the freezer. To reheat, wrap the naan in aluminum foil and warm in a 350°F oven until hot.

Fruit Cocktail Cake

2 cups regular flour 
2 tsp baking soda 

1/2 tsp salt 

2 eggs 

1 1/2 cups sugar 

1 can (1 lb 1 oz) fruit cocktail, undrained 

1/4 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or your choice) 

1/4 cup brown sugar 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Sift together flour, soda and salt and set aside.

Beat 2 eggs until light, then gradually add 1 1/2 cups sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. 

Add the dry ingredients alternately with the can of fruit cocktail undrained into egg and sugar mixture. Mix until smooth after each addition. 

Pour into 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan. 

Combine nuts and brown sugar and sprinkle over cake. 

Bake for 30-34 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly with finger. 

While still warm spread with walnut topping: 

Walnut Topping 

1/2 cup evaporated milk 

1/4 cup butter 

3/4 cup sugar 

1/2 cup walnuts 

1 tsp vanilla 

Combine in a saucepan and cook over medium heat stirring constantly until mixture comes to full boil and is slightly thickened. 

Remove from heat. Add walnuts and vanilla. Mix well and spread over warm cake. 

The cake is delicious to eat warm. It's one of David's favorite cakes. He found it in my DUP* Lady cookbook.  The texture is both light and moist.   

*Daughters of Utah Pioneers

We asked David what cake we should made for his 21st birthday.
He had candles, but didn't get to eat any of the cake today.