Summer has arrived!
It is officially July and the heat has arrived. Along with the heat we have seen many thunderstorms which means it has been a very wet couple of days. Still, I will take this weather over the swamp like conditions that we dealt with in DC. I apologize to our friends in DC that are currently enjoying the best that the Capital has to offer, remember it wont last forever hehe!
It is crazy to me that July is here and that summer is half way over, what am I doing with my life? I actually get excited about July because it is the month of my birthday and usually there are tons of events going on that there is never a dull moment. Already my calendar is filling up and I can’t wait!
You know how I love picnics? I mean you should know this already because I am fairly certain I have talked about it. Anyway, I love picnics and I love pasta salads. I think a picnic is only a picnic if there is a pasta salad. The neighborhood I grew up in had a Block Party every summer and I would get extremely excited whenever there was a pasta salad on the endless table of goodies.
Pasta salads and all salads really would make an appearance on our dinner table whenever it was hot outside. My mom would do her best to not turn on the oven so we would have cold cuts and salads instead of hot food. Since it has been blistering outside I decided to follow in mom’s footsteps and make a pasta salad for dinner. This Greek inspired version will make the perfect summer side and even main dish for your veg friends.
Ingredients
- 1/2 Box Cavatappi Pasta
- 1/2 Pint Cherry Tomatoes Diced
- 1/2 Medium Cucumber Diced
- 1/2 Red Onion Diced
- Feta Cheese
- Mustard Vinaigrette (see recipe below)
Mustard Vinaigrette
- 1 Teaspoon Capers
- 2 Whole Garlic Cloves
- 1 Teaspoon Dijon Mustard
- Dash of Oregano
- Salt and Pepper
- Juice of One Lemon
- Olive Oil
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to instructions. While pasta cooks soak red onions in water, this helps take away some of the sharpness of the red onions. Once pasta is cooked drain and set aside. In a medium bowl add your tomatoes, onions, cucumber and pasta. Toss gently and then apply vinaigrette. Sprinkle pasta with feta, the more the merrier, and serve. For an extra punch add fresh dill.
Instructions for Mustard Vinaigrette
- Combine all ingredients in a blender except for the olive oil. Pulse ingredients together until blended. Slowly add olive oil to the blender, adding enough to make a thick vinaigrette. Taste and adjust seasoning to your taste.
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