A couple weeks ago I really wanted pasta salad and decided to see what I could come up with using only ingredients I already had in order to use them up. This pasta salad was my creation and it's very flavorful and tasty.
1 lb. tri-color rotini pasta
sea salt
olive oil
1/2 red pepper, finely chopped
1 bunch green onions, finely chopped
1 or 2 tomatos, chopped
1/2 lb. or so cheddar cheese, cut in small cubes
Dressing
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar (I add 1 - 2 tbls. extra since I like it vinegary)
1 tbls. dijon mustard
1 tsp. sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. dried basil
Cook the pasta according to directions, adding sea salt and olive oil to pasta water once boiling. Drain pasta and cool at least 1/2 hour. In a large measuring cup, add all dressing ingredients and whisk until blended. Pour half over pasta and stir. Assemble and chop vegetables and cheese and then add to pasta along with the remaining dressing. The salad is good served immediately, but it is even better if you make it the night before serving, or at least a few hours in advance. Enjoy!
Friday, June 26, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
"French" Stew with Crusty Sourdough Bread
When I created this in my head while wandering the grocery store I decided to call it French stew. I really don't think it is in any way French...but it is a delicious beef stew that we enjoyed the first night by ourselves and then again the next night with my sister and her family.
1 pkg. beef stew meat (I think it was about a pound or so)
1/2 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally
4 medium red potatoes, chopped in bite-sized pieces
2 16oz. cans diced tomatoes with sweet onion and roasted garlic
1 28 oz. can tomato sauce
1 16 oz. can beef broth
3-4 tablespoons garlic herb olive oil (I used a specialty one we got at the farmer's market)
2 tablespoons steak seasoning
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon onion salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Heat a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat and add 1-2 tablespoons olive oil and stew meat. Add 1 tablespoon steak seasoning and brown meat on all sides. Remove from pot and add the rest of the olive oil and the onions and saute for about 5 minutes or until softened. Add carrots and potatoes and the rest of the steak seasoning. Stir to combine and saute for another 5 minutes or so. Add the meat back into the pot along with the beef broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape up the bits at the bottom of the pot. Next add the rest of the ingredients - tomatoes, tomato sauce, thyme, onion salt and black pepper. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low and stir occasionally for at least 45 minutes to an hour. I served it with sourdough bread which I had cut horizontally, brushed with the garlic herb olive oil and cracked black pepper and cooked at 400 degrees for about 15-20 minutes. It was absolutely delicious...enjoy! :)
1 pkg. beef stew meat (I think it was about a pound or so)
1/2 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally
4 medium red potatoes, chopped in bite-sized pieces
2 16oz. cans diced tomatoes with sweet onion and roasted garlic
1 28 oz. can tomato sauce
1 16 oz. can beef broth
3-4 tablespoons garlic herb olive oil (I used a specialty one we got at the farmer's market)
2 tablespoons steak seasoning
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon onion salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Heat a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat and add 1-2 tablespoons olive oil and stew meat. Add 1 tablespoon steak seasoning and brown meat on all sides. Remove from pot and add the rest of the olive oil and the onions and saute for about 5 minutes or until softened. Add carrots and potatoes and the rest of the steak seasoning. Stir to combine and saute for another 5 minutes or so. Add the meat back into the pot along with the beef broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape up the bits at the bottom of the pot. Next add the rest of the ingredients - tomatoes, tomato sauce, thyme, onion salt and black pepper. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low and stir occasionally for at least 45 minutes to an hour. I served it with sourdough bread which I had cut horizontally, brushed with the garlic herb olive oil and cracked black pepper and cooked at 400 degrees for about 15-20 minutes. It was absolutely delicious...enjoy! :)
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