Farfalle Pasta Salad with Sweet Peas and Dill

This pasta salad is the perfect accompaniment to any and every summer meal.  It is different from the pasta salads you see everywhere and has a huge addicting quality making people want to have more and more. This is my sister's recipe and I have absolutely fallen in love with it.  I always hope for leftovers because I can never get enough!  Even though we tend to have it for family parties as a side dish, this would make a wonderful light dinner as is or with some grilled chicken or tuna tossed in.  Seriously, so, so, so good!  You will LOVE it, trust me.


Farfalle Pasta Salad with Sweet Peas and Dill

1 (16-oz) box Farfalle Pasta (any thick noodle would work well, but these bow ties look so pretty!)
1 cup sweet peas
1-1.5 cups)  mayo
dijon mustard
lots of fresh dill, chopped
kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to directions on box.  Allow to cool.  Combine the peas with the pasta and add enough mayo to coat, but not so much to make it to be super saucy.  This isn't a sloppy, saucy, mayo-rich salad, just enough for great flavor and to evenly coat.  Add a good squeeze of dijon, about 2 tablespoons or so and stir. Add a ton of chopped dill, and season to taste with salt and a bit of ground black pepper and stir to throughly combine. Allow to chill before serving.

This recipe is featured on This and That and  http://www.foodiefriendsfriday.com Linky Party

Greek Pasta Salad with a Roasted Tomato Vinaigrette

I love a nice chilled pasta salad for a summer lunch and they are obviously the perfect side dish for any picnic or BBQ.  But I am not always all that crazy about those that are doused in mayo.  Talk about wasted calories! I would much rather have an extra glass of sangria then mayo-laden pasta salad.  This is a lovely alternative. Totally guilt free and absolutely bursting with flavor.  I used my sister's Roasted Tomato Salad Dressing and it went perfect with the feta and olives.  So yummy!  And actually I felt that the salad tasted even better the next day after all of the flavors got to hang out with each other a bit.  If I was making this for a party, I would definitely put it together the night before.

print this recipe

Greek Pasta Salad with a Roasted Tomato Vinaigrette 

For the vinaigrette:
Roasted Tomato Dressing
Container of cherry or grape tomatoes
Small red onion (I used 3 chopped green onions, since that is what I had on hand.  Any onion would work really)
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1 1/2-2 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
Salt & freshly ground black Pepper

Preheat oven to 400.  Empty and entire container of tomatoes on a baking pan. Drizzle the tomatoes with olive oil, salt & pepper. Roast in the oven until they start to split, about 15 min. While roasting, mince a small red onion & put in large bowl. Take roasted tomatoes and juice from the pan and put in bowl with the onions. Mash the tomatoes with potato masher or fork. Stir in dijon mustard and balsamic vinegar. In a slow steady stream, stir in olive oil while stirring with a whisk or a fork.  Stir until well blended, add salt & pepper to taste.

For the pasta salad:
1/2 box cavatappi pasta, cooked according to directions on box (or another ridged pasta; penne, fusilli or gremili would be nice)
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 english cucumber, sliced into rings and then cut into fourths
1 can black olives, sliced into rings
1 block feta, crumbled
a bunch of fresh parsley, chopped

Cook pasta to al-dente, according to directions printed on the box.  Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.  Set aside to allow to cool down.  This is a good time to make up your vinaigrette.  Once your vinaigrette is made, combine all ingredients for the salad in a large bowl.  Pour dressing on top and mix well.  Chill for at least 2 hours to allow flavors to combine.

I have a hard time waiting to eat this yumminess, but I have to admit it tastes best chilled.

You could definitely add cooked chicken or shrimp to make this more of main course.  It would be delicious!

Homemade Pasta Day with The Girls

One of my most favorite things in the whole wide world is when I get together with my mom and my sister for an all day cooking/baking adventure.  There is nothing like the bonding that happens with a couple of women in the kitchen. We laugh, we share stories, we bounce each other's babies on our hips while stirring steaming pots with the other hand. We receive beautiful wisdom and cooking techniques from Mom, while sometimes showing her a new little thing or two along the way.  I always leave feeling happy, usually dusted in flour, and completely filled up with joy (and a full belly!)   I have been taking pictures (of course) of our many adventures and am going to start showing you a little glimpse into our mother/daughter/sister/friend days.

Today is our all day Pasta Adventure!  My mom has been making homemade pasta since she was young, but hadn't done it in ages.  She came across her old pasta machine and invited Bonnie and I over for  our first experience.  Oh my goodness- so fun!  I hope you enjoy our day :)

Thai Peanut Sauce, two versions

Ok, so remember the last time I made that wonderful Cold Udon Noodle Salad I used a doctored up version of a store bought Peanut Sauce. Well I promised you that the next time I made it I would provide a yummy homemade Thai Peanut Sauce to use instead. So what is even better then one option, but two?! The first one here, Version 1 is the sauce that I have created and the second, Version 2 is one that my sister Bonnie has made. They are both super yummy , and the best part is that they each use a different combination of ingredients. They each provide very similar results, but have their own unique flavor. It is always nice to have choices just incase you don't have coconut milk on hand or you are in the mood for a bit of honey...

Don't restrict yourself to using this only as a sauce for pasta.  These would also be great as a dip for chicken satay skewers, Fresh Vietnamese Spring Rolls, or even a spread for a yummy wrap.

Print this Recipe

Thai Peanut Sauce, Version 1
1 1/2 cups creamy or crunchy peanut butter
1/2 cup coconut milk
3 tablespoons warm water
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1-3 tablespoon hot chili sauce, like Sriracha (I used 3 tablespoons because I was in the mood for some good kick!)
3 cloves garlic, minced
chili flakes to taste

In a bowl, whisk all of the ingredients until smooth and creamy.


Thai Peanut Sauce, Version 2
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup chicken stock (or warm water)
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon chili flakes

Puree all ingredients in a blender for two minutes, or until smooth

Super Simple, Super Crispy Roast Chicken

So I am such a sucker for a good roast chicken. The juiciness of the meat, the way it makes the whole house smell like a home, and the best part- the crispy skin.  Yes I know it isn't the healthiest part of the bird and that you should peal it off the chicken before eating it, but I can't help it.  I love it way too much.  The thought of throwing away that wonderfully seasoned, crispy bit makes me cry a little inside.  If you feel guilty enjoying this wonderful part of the chicken, maybe you could skimp in other ways like have two vegetables instead of a potato or something.... it is worth it.  I promise.

So when my very talented sister, Bonnie raved about this Roasted Chicken recipe last week on facebook I knew I just had to give it a whirl.  The trick is to have no moisture in the pan, no moisture on the chicken, a very hot oven and heavily salted skin.  the result is an incredibly moist chicken with the crispest skin ever. Being that there are hardly any ingredients, this is a perfect dish to make after a busy day at work or after lots of playing outside on the weekend.

Now, as you know I hate to post recipes on here if I don't have a picture to back it up but alas I left my beloved camera at a friends house over the weekend.  Thankfully I will be picking it up today and the pictures will resume.  So instead I will post pictures of who inspired the dish instead.  You can all envision a beautiful roast chicken in your mind, right?!  This is more fun anyways :)  Love you B, and thanks for a great recipe!

Super Simple, Super Crispy Roast Chicken
recipe adapted slightly from epicurious.com
1 2-3 lb farm raised chicken, rinsed and patted completely dry
kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
2 teaspoons fresh minced thyme
one lemon sliced and about 5 garlic cloves (more or less depending on personal taste)
butter (optional)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Rinse and thoroughly pat dry, inside and out.  The less steam you have, the drier the heat will be in the oven resulting in a crispier crust.  Salt and pepper the inside cavity of the bird and stuff with the lemon slices and garlic cloves.  Truss the chicken (a fancy word for tying the drumsticks together to hold the bird in place while cooking).

Next you want to salt the chicken.  You want a very, very good amount of salt (about 1 tablespoon).  Salt and chicken go together wonderfully.  It helps keeps things moist and in this case will also make the skin beautifully browned and crisp.  The best way to do this is to "rain" the salt over the bird to evenly coat.  Season with pepper.

Place the chicken in a roasting pan and place it in the oven once it is fully up to temperature.  Now comes the easy part- leave it alone!  Do not bast it, do not add butter, do not pass go.  Normally I always rub butter on the skin before roasting so this was a very different technique for me.  In this case, the butter creates steam and we don't want that in recipe.  Bake it until done, about 50-60 minutes.  Remove from the oven and sprinkle with thyme.  Now you get to baste the chicken with the yummy juices. Remove to a cutting board to rest for 15 minutes.  After resting you can rub with a bit of butter if you so choose.

Remove the twine and carve the bird. As the recipe states, you will start off with a knife and fork but you will most definitely end up using your fingers!  This recipe was so easy and sooooo delicious!  A perfect idea for dinner tonight.

Neil (my brother-in-law) Bonnie, Me and Scott in the Outer Banks, NC

Fridays, Feasting With Friends- Featuring Bonnie Stenger

“One of the delights of life is eating with friends, second to that is talking about eating. And, for an unsurpassed double whammy, there is talking about eating while you are eating with friends.”

~Laurie Colwin 'Home Cooking'

Welcome to the very first segment of Fridays, Feasting with Friends.  Each and every Friday I will feature a different friend or family member, chat with them a bit in a little interview and then feature one of their favorite recipes that they wanted to share with us.  I thought that this would be a fun way to learn some new things about each other and in turn gain some great new recipes!

Bonnie Stenger

She is always the perfect hostess!

Even if I could have hand-picked my very own sister, I couldn't have done a better job then what I was already blessed with.  Bonnie is not only my sister but also my best friend, the one who makes me laugh the hardest, the one I can count on to lift me up- her glass is always half full, and I have to add, one darn good cook!!

What is your favorite thing to cook?
Pasta dishes. I like to try different sauces & pastas. I try and be creative because you really can add pasta with anything ie: elbow macaroni with chili, pad thai, fresh tomatoes, herbs with angel hair pasta, linguini & clam sauce...the list is endless.

How about your least favorite thing to cook?
Baking and the reason being is that I am more afraid of it than anything. I am learning and have come a long way. It's because you have to be precise when baking and that is what I have to get better at. I make great cinnamon rolls though!

What is your favorite local restaurant and what is one you are dying to try out?
Goodness, this question is hard...I'm a foodie and love so many different things at different restaurants that I wish I could take the best thing from each of them and make one GREAT restaurant but that would be impossible. So if I had to pick one it would probably be Dashin. I "love" sushi and it's the one thing I won't make at home because it's such a special treat to eat such artwork. I would rather have it made by the professionals. My husband, Neil took me there when we were first dating and I had never eaten sushi in my life- let alone ever saw what it looked like, but that was 15 1/2 yrs. ago. Dashin used to be in Westlake off Center Ridge Rd. (wish it was still there) but has since moved to Great Northern area. It's consistantly good and holds a special place in my heart as well.

There are not many places I am dying to try right now, maybe Michael Symon's 2 new restaurants The B Spot and Bar Symon.

You are hosting a dinner party, what are your top 5 Dinner Party Songs?
Hmm, this one has me thinking....Depends on the dinner party, the season, if it's outside or in, who's invited etc... I like to put some Bob Marley on in the background. If it's an outside bbq, I made a mix cd with fun island party songs that is always a good one to fall back on. It has all the good sing-a-long on it.

What would you choose to be your last meal on earth?
Okay, hands down it would have to be lobster! Split in half, grilled with a garlic butter sauce poured over top, roasted potato, asparagus, a great garlic bread & my mom's chocolate mousse. I had this meal, minus the chocolate mousse, in Negril Jamaica at a roadside restaurant called Cloggies sitting outside on the beach under a thatched roof. I don't think it could have gotten better than that.

What are you currently reading?
A couple of things...The Power of a Positive Mom by Karol Ladd & Making Your Children Mind, Without Losing Yours by Dr. Kevin Lehman. Going to be picking up the book, Water for Elephants.

What is your favorite Kitchen Gadget?
I am lucky enough to have a mom who loves kitchen gadgets. Sooo because of that, she gets ones she likes for us as well as for herself. I can't name just one so here are a few of my favs: my gravey maker, my wine opener, egg separator, apple corer, pizza dough roller and not sure this is considered one but my dual egg maker (which makes hard, soft & poached eggs with ease!)

Do you have a signature go-to dish?
Chili or Brushetta Pasta (only in summer with garden tomatoes).

What is your favorite thing about Cleveland?
Being able to say I live within 15 miles of one of the Great Lakes (Lake Erie) & having the West Side Market so close. Not many other cities have a market like that.

Do you have a favorite meal from your childhood?
My mom's Thankgiving turkey dinner. NOBODY makes dressing (stuffing) like my mom's and every other dish that is involved with that meal...my dad's red cabbage, grandma's cranberry chutney, the turkey and the gravy just to name a few.

Top 3 Movies of all time?
Sorry, I only have 2: The Godfather I & II - best movies of all time.

Where do you do your grocery shopping?
This will probably disappoint a lot of folks but to be honest, my everyday grocery shopping is done at Super Walmart or Marc's. I would love to say I go to Trader Joe's, Heinen's or The West Side Market but I just don't. You can't beat the prices at Super Walmart or Marc's. That's not saying I don't frequent the other stores because I do, I just can't say I do most of my shopping there.

What is your favorite guilty pleasure when it comes to food?
Chips & dip. Best chip ever is Doritos my dad's chip dip recipe that I will never reveal but anyone who tastes it, can't get enough of it!

Do you have Culinary Resolutions that you would like to accomplish this year?
To become better at baking. Would love to learn how to make Babchi Bread (grandma's famous sweet bread) on my own without my mom's assistance.

Roasted Tomato Dressing
Container of cherry or grape tomatoes
Small red onion
Olive oil
Dijon Mustard
Balsamic Vinegar
Salt & Pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400

Empty and entire container of tomatoes on a baking pan.  Drizzle the tomatoes with olive oil, salt & pepper. Roast in the oven until they start to split, about 15 min.  While roasting, mince a small red onion & put in large bowl. Take roasted tomatoes and juice from the pan and put in bowl with the onions.  Mash the tomatoes with potato masher or fork. With a wisk, stir in olive oil, about half cup.  Then stir in dijon mustard about 1/4 cup. Drizzle in about 2 tbsps of balsamic vinegar.  Stir until well blended, add salt & pepper to taste.

Play around with it and add more or less of whatever you wish. I have even roasted a whole head of garlic along side the tomatoes and mashed that up with it...so good. You could add some herbs of your choice as well.  Put this on your favorite salad as the dressing, low fat for sure! I also like to use it as a sauce for pasta or a topping on some crusty bread like bruschetta for an appetizer. This is one of my "go to" recipes that can be used so many different ways.
Enjoy!

Thank you so much Bonnie for being my first guest on Fridays, Feasting with Friends! I always can count on you to be an excellent guinea pig, letting me test out new ideas, recipes and always my #1 fan.  Love you Bon!!  And I can attest to the absolute wonderfulness of this Roasted Tomato Dressing.  It is actually addictive it is so good.  Makes you want to eat more salads, just so you can use the dressing!  Which in my book is always an awesome thing!  Please be sure to come back next Friday, January 22nd, to read all about my amazing mom, Judy Trapp for segment two of Fridays, Feasting with Friends!