Pasta
salad is a summer dish, just made for picnics, backyards, decks and
patios where friends gather to enjoy sunlight and fresh air. It can
be as simple as a elbow macaroni with mayonnaise, or as complicated
as you can think of.
It
provides endless possibilities for new flavor combinations and
ingredients.
Since
this weekend is traditionally the kick off of summer, what could
bring to mind the sunny days ahead than something Hawaiian?
To
make your pasta salad unique, try this:
Grab
a bowl, it doesn't matter what kind, peel a garlic clove, cut it in
half, and rub the cut side of each half all over the inside surface
of the bowl. Now use that bowl to hold your pasta. In this case
garlic will not be an ingredient, or even a “spice”, but rather
like a warm summer breeze that awakes your mind with a flavor you can
not taste!
Ingredients:
8
oz. Rotini or bow tie pasta
1
14oz can pineapple tidbits in juice
1
red pepper, diced
2
cups diced ham
1
green onion thinly sliced
¼
cup lower fat mayonnaise
1
5oz. container of non fat plain Greek style yogurt
1
Tbs mustard
1/3
cup of the reserved pineapple juice
1
tsp honey
¼
tsp garlic powder
pepper
to taste
======================
Directions:
Put
the water on to heat for the pasta. While that gets to a boil, do
your cutting.
Cutting
your green onion, cut the “root” end off, then leave about 4
inches and cut off the dark green ends – not worth keeping. Slice
this very thin.
Cut
the top and bottom off of the green pepper. Make a cut down the side
and lay it out in a long strip. This makes dicing much easier.
When
cutting the ham steaks, first run the tip of the knife all around the
outside to trim off the “skin”. While this part is perfectly
eatable and good tasting, you don't want to run across this in a
pasta salad.
Cover
these and set in refrigerator while the pasta cooks.
Cook
pasta to package directions, run under cold water.
Drain
and reserve the juice from pineapple.
Mix
together the Mayonnaise, yogurt, mustard, honey, and garlic powder.
Whisk this together well adding the reserved juice a tablespoon at a
time until a thick consistency is reached, cover and put in
refrigerator.
Mix
and cover the pasta with the ham, pineapple, and green onion.
Let
both chill separately for at least 2 hours for flavors to blend.
Do
not mix in the dressing until ready to serve as the pasta will soak
it all up.
This
will store in refrigerator, even mixed together for about
5 days.
If you can keep any left that long!
When
ready to serve, even if you wait until you are at the picnic table,
mix it well and maybe sprinkle the top with dried cranberries for a
wonderful touch of color and sweetness.
Do
you remember “The Cowsills”?
“mate
the way the Indians do” ?
Serving
my Master year in and year out!
socialslave
To
satisfy and restore.
To
nourish, support and maintain.
To
gratify, spoil, comfort and please,
to
nurture, assist, and sustain
…..I
cook!
Please
buy slave's cookbook:
The
Little Black Book of Indiscreet Recipes by Dan White
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F315Y4I/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_vAT4sb0934RTM
via @amazon
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