Rest of the week was a mix of getting caught up in the garden, laundry, and relaxing. Weeding has been much neglected. On the upside, big weeds are easy to pull. Most of the time. There are a couple that really don't like to come out of the ground.
Both recipes below are great for using some garden produce, that CSA basket or a trip to the farmers market. Enjoy!
Mexican Chicken Pasta Salad (Ckng Lght BB)
This was really good! You can save significant time by prepping the chicken ahead of time or by using rotisserie. You can also cook the pasta ahead of time. If you don't, no prob. Prep the veggies while waiting for pasta water to boil and pasta to cook. Assemble and chill. Or not. Mine went straight from assembly to eating. Don't hesitate to add the green chilies. I found them to be mild enough that they added flavor, but no heat. Same with the Chili Powder, providing you have the mild kind that is. Corn chips or cornbread would make a nice side.
Cool, refreshing salad with a Mexican flavor. This can be served as a side dish or entree. (Prep time includes 1 hour refrigeration time)
Ingredients
8 oz penne pasta (2 cups uncooked)
2 cooked chicken breasts, diced (about 2 cups)
1 (8 3/4 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained (I used frozen and thawed it)
1 small zucchini, cut in half lengthwise, then sliced
1-2 stalk celery, sliced thin
1 medium sweet red pepper, sliced
1 medium
1 (4-7 ounce) can green chilies
2 cups lettuce, chopped
Dressing
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream or yogurt
2 Tbs ReaLime juice
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, rinse, and set aside.
2. Combine all vegetables in a large bowl.
3. Combine all dressing ingredients; stir thoroughly.
4. Pour dressing over salad; toss to coat.
5. Chill 1 hour, then serve.
Servings: 6
Note: Instead of mixing lettuce into salad, you can layer it on top to keep it from wilting.
Nicoise Salad (Whole Foods Co-op flyer)
This salad is great for it's simplicity and heartiness, perfect for these really warm days. If you do a bit of prep ahead of time, dinner is on the table even faster. There are plenty of variations on this, and different dressings and ingredients, but I liked this one. I did the dressing Option 1 first time I served it, and dressing Option 2 the second time. This does serve four exactly. Serve with some crusty bread to mop up the dressing at the end.
1 lb fresh salmon (or, 1 7oz pkg of vacuum packed tuna)pinch of salt, pepper and garlic powder for seasoning salmon
1 tbsp olive oil
3/4 lb red potatoes (or baby fingerling's)
3/4 lb green beans, trimmed
4 hard boiled eggs, peeled and quartered or sliced
1/2 cup pitted and sliced kalamata olives
1/2 lb fresh tomatoes, cut into wedges (I used grape or cherry tomatoes, quartered)
1 head of romaine lettuce or lettuce of choice
Dressing option 1:
2 cloves garlic, minced,
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp cider vinegar
zest of one lemon
4 tbsp fresh lemon juice
dash of Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste
Dressing option 2: I prefer Extra Virgin Olive oil and some kind of vinegar (red wine, white wine, white balsamic, a Riesling wine vinegar, etc) just drizzled over my salad. Nothing to mix.
1) If using salmon, season fish with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake or grill salmon at 350* until done (time will depend upon your filet). Set aside to cool and break into large pieces.
2) While salmon is cooking, boil potatoes in a large pot of salted water for 13-15 minutes or until just tender. Remove from water but save water. Bring back to a boil, add the green beans and cook for three minutes. Remove from heat, drain and immerse in cold water to cool. Drain and set aside.
3) Arrange large handful of lettuce on plate or in large bowls. Arrange remaining ingredients on top of lettuce. Serve with dressing.
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