Pasta Salad with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

Want a deliciously different pasta salad?  The cilantro lime vinaigrette in this salad is a refreshing change from Italian pasta salads.  This recipe is an adaptation from a local restaurant that you will want to add to your menu!  You can make this salad a main dish if you would like by adding cooked shrimp or chicken.  This is one of our favorite salads at our house!

 

Pasta Salad with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

      Salad:

      8 oz farfalle or bow tie pasta                      1 c julienned carrots

      1 Tbsp olive oil                                         1 c  julienned red bell pepper

      2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley                      1 c julienned green bell pepper

      2 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro                      1 basket cherry tomatoes, halved

      2 Tbsp minced scallions                            1 lb salad cooked shrimp or chicken (opt)

            

      Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette:

       3 cloves garlic, minced                               ¼ c white wine vinegar

       ¼ c minced cilantro                                    1 tsp salt

       2 Tbsp Dijon mustard                                 ½ tsp pepper

       juice & zest of 1 lime                                  2/3 c canola oil            

Cook the pasta al dente using package directions.  Rinse under cold water and drain well.  Toss with olive oil in large bowl.  Add rest of salad ingredients and mix gently.  

Combine all vinaigrette ingredients except oil in blender.  Add oil in a fine stream, blending until well mixed.    Add vinaigrette to pasta and toss gently.  Chill until serving time.  Serves 6-8.

Pumpkin Leek Soup

Fall time always makes me think of soups, and I'm sharing my number one favorite!  It probably isn't one I would have tried on my own, even though it sounded interesting.  I first tried it when my sister made it for a family craft night a few years ago and I fell in love!  She got it from a small restaurant in Salt Lake and it is now a favorite of my family (other than my husband who can't eat dairy - he is really missing out!)  It is quite easy to make.  Serve with a crisp salad and crusty bread for a delicious meal.  Enjoy!

Pumpkin Leek Soup

              4 Tbsp butter                                                       ¼ tsp white pepper

            2 lg leeks, white part only, cleaned                      2 c pumpkin purée

               and thinly sliced                                                4 c chicken broth

            2 tsp dried thyme                                                 2 Tbsp brown sugar

            ½ tsp nutmeg                                                       1-1/2 c half-and-half

            1 tsp salt

           

            Garnish: 

            dollops of sour cream                                   grated Monterey Jack or white Cheddar

            chopped fresh chive                                        cheese

In large saucepan, heat butter and sauté leeks for 8-10 minutes on low heat, stirring often.  Leeks should be soft and lightly golden.  Add thyme, nutmeg, salt, white pepper, pumpkin, chicken broth and brown sugar.  Stir, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.  Taste for seasoning.  Add half-and-half and simmer another 10 minutes.  Serve with sour cream, fresh chopped chives and/or grated cheese on top.  Serves 6-8.

Garden Fresh Italian Marinara Sauce

When my brother and his family lived in Italy, their Italian neighbor taught my sister-in-law how to make real marinara sauce from scratch.  I didn't care much for marinara sauce until I tasted the real stuff!  It was not an exact recipe - the neighbor taught her to just pour olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan, add onions, etc.  and that is how my sister-in-law has made it ever since - just throwing in the amount of ingredients that look right.  With a lot of help from her, I have tried to come up with some measurements.  This recipe is very versatile and you can change some ingredients to meet your tastes.

Pour a good quality olive oil into the bottom of a heavy saucepan.  I doubled this recipe, so I used a big pot and froze the extra.  Turn heat onto medium high.  Chop onion into small pieces (I use a food processor).  When oil is hot, add onion and cook till light golden brown.  (5 to 10 minutes)  You can also add minced garlic and/or green peppers at this point.  Or you could leave out the onions and just use garlic if you want. (Garlic cooks faster than onions, so don't cook as long.) 

Add tomatoes, basil and salt.  Don't puree the tomatoes - leave them a little chunky.  You can use any tomatoes you would like, though the preferred tomato is the Roma because it has a lower water content than other tomatoes.  If you use a different kind of tomato or a combination, just let it simmer longer to reduce the water.  Bring the sauce to a simmer and turn the heat down to keep the sauce at a slow simmer for about 30 minutes or until sauce is reduced to the thickness you want.  (It will not be a paste type sauce.)  You may need to simmer for up to 2-3 hours depending on the tomatoes and how thick you like it.   Stir occasionally.  You could also add oregano if you like. 

Your house will smell so good!  Spoon over your favorite pasta or use as a dipping sauce for bread sticks or rolls.  Mmmm.....delizioso!  Enjoy!

Garden Fresh Italian Marinara Sauce

          1/3 c olive oil                                              1 Tbsp salt

          1/2 onion                                                    4-5 basil leaves, chopped

          6 c Roma tomatoes, cut in chunks

Pour oil in heavy medium size pan.  Turn heat to medium high.  Chop onion by hand or in food processor and add to oil when oil is hot.  Cook for 5-10 minutes until onions  are light golden brown.   Put tomatoes in food processor.  Pulse a few times until they are in small pieces.  Don't puree.  Pour into pan.  Add salt and chopped basil leaves.   Bring to a simmer.  Reduce heat to keep at a low simmer.  Simmer, stirring occasionally,  for 30 minutes or until reduced to thickness you like.  Can add garlic and/or green pepper with/or instead of onions.  Can also add oregano if desired.  Any tomato can be used, but simmer longer to reduce the higher water content.

Baked Basil Layered Zucchini

My mom was a pro at making dinner from what we had in the garden or frig.  This dish is one of my favorite zucchini dishes.  She didn't have a recipe for this one - she just threw it together, so I hope I have come close.  Our zucchini and tomatoes are coming on in the garden, so I just had to make this.

All you do is cut the zucchini and put in the bottom of a 9" x 13" pan, then add the onions and tomatoes.  Sprinkle generously with basil.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Then sprinkle the top with cheese (you could use cheddar too) and cooked bacon pieces.  I use the pre-cooked bacon because it is easy, but you can cook the bacon.  Just don't cook till crispy because it will cook more in the oven.  Use kitchen scissors and cut bacon into small pieces.  Cover with foil and cook in pre-heated oven at 400 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until zucchini is soft.  Take off foil for the last 10 minutes to crisp up the bacon.

There you go - a delicious vegetable side dish.  Enjoy!

  Baked Basil Layered Zucchini

          4 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise, then in 1/4" slices

          1/2 medium onion, sliced

          3-4 medium tomatoes, sliced

          basil, salt & pepper to taste

          8 slices bacon, partly cooked, cut into small pieces

          1 heaping cup mozzarella cheese (can also use cheddar or combination)

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.  Spread zucchini in bottom of 9" x 13" pan.  Layer onions then tomatoes on top.  Sprinkle generously with basil.  Add salt & pepper to taste.    Sprinkle with cheese and bacon pieces.  Cover with foil and bake for 30-35 minutes until zucchini is soft.  Check at 20 minutes to see if zucchini is almost cooked.  Uncover for last 10 minutes to crisp bacon.  Serves 8-10.