Asparagus has been my veggie of choice this year. I've been cooking with it a lot and trying to find new ways of preparing it other than steamed. During the final moments of preparation for Sophia's family birthday party I decided there needed to be pasta salad on the menu. I literally looked in the fridge took out what I thought would make a good pasta salad and tossed it in a bowl. Guess what? It was awesome! I made enough feed double the number of guests in attendance, but it wasn't a problem because Lila had something good to eat the following week for lunch.
Ingredients
1 lb. dry penne pasta
1 bunch Asparagus
1 cup marinaded sun dried tomatoes - California Sun-Dry Tomatoes in Herbs is my favorite
14 oz. can of artichoke hearts
1 bunch fresh basil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup Newman's Own Olive Oil and Vinegar Dressing
Salt & pepper to taste.
Directions
- Cook penne pasta according to the package directions and drain.
- Cut asparagus into bit size pieces.
- Slice sun dried tomatoes.
- Quarter artichoke hearts
- Chop basil.
- Combine pasta, asparagus, sun dried tomatoes, artichokes and basil in a large bowl and toss with the salad dressing.
- Toss with grated parmesan before serving.
- Refrigerate for at least an hour to allow the flavors to marry.
Servings
Serves 10 to 15 as a side dish
A Broken Oven Tip
Change the recipe up a bit by adding grilled chicken and substitute the parm for fresh mozzerella cheese. Swapping out the dressing for a flavorful pesto is good too.
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