Clean the Refrigerator Pasta Salad - Weekend Recipe

I call this Clean the Refrigerator Pasta Salad because you can put anything you have in the fridge into it.  Use whatever you have gotten at the farmers market or harvested from the garden to craft this tasty garden delight.

Clean the Refrigerator Pasta Salad

1 box penne or ziti (1 pound)

1/2 cup to 3/4 cup Greek yogurt
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup herbal vinegar (Chive blossom, tarragon, basil or other flavor)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Assorted fruits and vegetables and cheese, chopped

My suggestion – (But you can use anything you enjoy!)

      1 chopped scallion
      1 stalk celery
      1 sliced cucumber
      1 red onion, diced
      1 red pepper, diced
      1 carrot, cut fine

      a dozen cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

      1 small zucchini quartered and sliced (skin on)
      Fruit like a nectarine or a peach cut in 8ths or separated into sections
      Cheese like shredded mozzarella or cheddar

1/4 cup to 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil; season aggressively with salt. Drop in your pasta and cook for the amount of time specified on the side of the box. In the last 30 seconds or so, start tasting the pasta. If it’s totally cooked through but still somewhat firm, it’s ready (el dente). Strain into a colander and allow to cool. With a whisk, combine the yogurt, olive oil, balsamic and salt and pepper to taste. Thin with warm water to thin if needed. Once the pasta is cool. When the pasta has cooled for a few minutes in the colander but is still warm, shake out all the water and add the pasta to the bowl. Pour in some of the dressing and stir it all around, adding enough to coat the pasta and to make it flavorful. Use more dressing than you think you need because that dressing will also dress the vegetables. Now add all those chopped vegetables.  Stir those in and then add the herbs.  Chill and serve.

To find any recipe featured this month - use the search box and type: GardAug

To find any theme recipe from this year type: recipe2018

For 2018 the monthly recipe themes will be:

   January - Chicken Soup (ChickJan)

   February - Beef Stew (StewFeb)

   March - Jambalaya (JambMar)

   May - Ham and Shrimp Dishes (ShrHamMay)

   June - Bread recipes (BreadJun)

   July - Grilling (GrillJul)

   August- Garden Delights GardAug

   September - Salsa, Corn and Jelly 

   October - Squash Dishes 

   November - Pumpkin Recipes 

   December - Herbal Cocktails