Sunday: hamburgers with pimento cheese; tomato and cucumber salad
Monday: Pasta salad (recipe below)
Tuesday: Green gazpacho and small steaks
Wednesday: Pasta salad again
Thursday: tacos with lemony kale salad
Friday: driving to an out-of-town wedding
I love Mollie Katzen's Marinated Pasta Salad from The Enchanted Broccoli Forest:
1 lb. orecchiette pasta (or other chunky pasta. Don't use the regular mini-shells, they don''t stand up too well)
6 T. olive oil
4 T. red wine vinegar
1.5 t. salt
4-6 garlic cloves, minced
1 to 2 cups finely minced red onion
.5 cup grated parmesan
2 bell peppers, any colors, minced
1 big cucumber, peeled, seeded, and minced
a big handful of minced fresh basil
a big handful of minced fresh parsley
Fresh black pepper
Yummy additions: cherry tomatoes, olives, toasted pine nuts, cubes of fresh mozzerella, garden-fresh peas
Cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and put in a large bowl.
Combine the oil, vinegar, salt, garlic, onion, and parmesan. Add to the pasta, mix well, and allow to cool.
Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Serve immediately or chill.
(Side note: these amounts make a "double batch" as compared to the original recipe in the book. This version makes a nice big batch, suitable for a week's worth of lunches or for taking to a picnic)
