All You Need Is Love...And a Little Pesto Pasta Salad.

Now that the weather is FINALLY cooperating with the summer months it is the perfect time for some summer love in the sun.  Picnics, barbecues and beers on the roof...ah, the wonderful feeling of friends and food in the beautiful sunshine!  Can anything beat that?  I don't think so!  Next time you are in need of a deliciously refreshing side dish to contribute look no further.  My pesto pasta salad is just the right companion for some barbecued chicken and margaritas.

When I make this salad I never measure the ingredients.  I just toss everything in so that it makes a colorful palette of purple, blue, green and white in the bowl and then dress it just enough to get all of the ingredients wet.  I start with two packages of Trader Joe's fresh pesto tortellini.  Boil the tortellini according to the directions on the package (about 5-8 minutes).  The pasta is done once it has expanded and they are all floating atop of the boiling water.  Drain and rinse with cold water to cool the pasta and stop the cooking process.  In a large bowl combine the pasta with crumbled feta, very finely diced red onion. chopped tomato and chopped arugula.  For the dressing combine 1 part olive oil, 1 part red wine vinegar, the juice of 1 lemon, salt and pepper.  Mix all ingredients and make sure that all of the salad is moistened by the dressing.  I also add some fresh oregano (you can also use dried, but put in a bit more than you would if using fresh as the taste is less potent) and some zest of the lemon used for the dressing.  If there are leftovers it keeps well in the fridge for about 3-4 days.

This salad would also be great with kalmata olives and cucumber...depending on how sassy you are feeling that day feel free to play with the ingredients.  It always seems to turn out tasting amazing no matter what!

Payday = Poke

What is the best place to vacation that doesn't require a passport????  I'll give you a hint...toasty white sand, beautiful ocean that is just as blue as the sky, hot chicks in grass skirts, whole roast pig, and (you guessed it) ahi poke!  For those of us who are not able to fly to Hawaii in a moments notice here is something we can do at home to help us get into the island mood!  Pull out those bright blue umbrella drinks, floral sarongs, and the raw fish.  Oh, yes, I said it!  What better way to enjoy that pina colada than with a delicious bowl of ahi poke?  The only downside to this incredibly simple to make dish is the cost.  Sashimi grade fish of any kind can be a bit pricey.  So clip those coupons and recycle those cans...it will all be worth it once that amazing bite of soy sauce soaked ahi melts in your mouth!

In a medium sized combine 1 1/2 - 2 lbs. of fresh sashimi grade ahi (make sure it is fresh and sashimi grade...otherwise the after effects won't be pretty by any means!) cubed, 1/2 - 1 c. of soy sauce depending on how soupy you like your poke, 3/4 c. chopped green onions, 2 tbs. of sesame oil, 1 tbs. sesame seeds, and 1 tbs. crushed red pepper flake (this can be omitted if the heat is too much for you) and mix well.  Let marinate in the refrigerator for at least two hours before serving.  I like to give it a mix every half hour or so to ensure that it marinates evenly.

Alright friends...the next time you are in the mood to hula, but can't quite make the 5 hour flight whip some of this up with a little macaroni salad and let the island come to you!