Fresh Tomato Basil & Pasta

I have not had time to run to the grocery store and my dinners have turned into peanut butter and jam on toast. Tonight I found myself in the same predicament until my roommate said, "Please eat the heirloom tomatoes from my garden!" She has fresh basil growing out there too. I knew I had some whole wheat pasta in the fridge. Sweet! A super simple, fresh healthy meal. Please note, that fresh basil and in season tomatoes are what makes this meal so delicious, so make sure to use the real stuff!

Ingredients: (Serves 1)
1 serving of pasta
1 heirloom tomato
1/2 handful of basil leaves
olive oil
garlic salt
pepper
Parmesan cheese

Directions: While pasta is boiling, chop up tomato and basil. Once pasta is done, drain and toss with a Tbsp. of olive oil. Toss with fresh grated Parmesan cheese. Mix in chopped tomato and basil and season with garlic salt and pepper.

Ginger Soy Salmon and Pasta

My boyfriend sent this picture to my phone Friday and said, "This is what we're having for dinner." Have I mentioned how amazing he is in the kitchen? He filleted up this salmon and created a masterpiece. I'm a lucky gal.

Ginger, soy and salmon...I'm only familiar with that combo when eating sushi. My boyfriend however, was going to make a pasta dish. When he sent me this picture I definitely was not thinking pasta, so I was intrigued and couldn't wait to taste the results. OH MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS...this is a recipe you MUST try. If you have someone to impress, I promise this will knock their socks off! (And it's easy!)

Ingredients: Serves 2

• 1 Salmon fillet
• Mastaccioli pasta (or other penne variety)
• 1/4 C soy sauce
• 1 Small head of broccoli
• 2 tsp fresh diced ginger (add more or less based on your liking of ginger)
• 2 cloves diced garlic
• 4 Tbsp Butter
• 1 Lemon
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• (optional) Spoonful of sliced pink jarred pickled ginger--this adds great color to the dish!

Directions:
Prepare pasta (enough for 2). When pasta is half cooked add the broccoli spears and cook until tender. Drain and set aside.
Cube salmon fillet and pan fry with the diced ginger and garlic in hot, oiled pan. Set aside.

Melt butter and pour half into each serving bowl. Add half the soy sauce to each serving bowl.

Slice the pink jarred ginger and also add to the bowls.

Add the pasta, broccoli and salmon to each bowl and mix thoroughly.
Slice lemon in half and squeeze half over each bowl
Add salt and pepper to taste.

Picnic Perfect

It's perfect picnic weather right now in Seattle which gives me a great excuse to gather a hodgepodge of different foods and mix and match. I wanted to make a pasta salad...but not just any plain Jane pasta salad; I wanted to make something that people would say, "WOW, what is in that"!? I personally feel there are two ingredients that always make a meal seem fancy shmancy. Sun dried tomatoes and/or basil pesto. So I used both.

Sun Dried Tomato, Basil Pesto Pasta Salad
Ingredients:
Bag of Penne Pasta
1 Cup of fresh or jarred pesto
1 1/2 C frozen peas
2 Tbsp Mayo
1/4 C slivered Sun Dried Tomatoes (or less...just preference)
1/4 C quartered artichoke hearts
Parmesan (optional)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:
Boil pasta and drain
Mix frozen peas and pasta in large mixing bowl
Mix mayo into pesto, add sun dried tomatoes then mix into peas and pasta
Gently mix in artichoke quarters, add salt pepper to taste.
Refrigerate about 20 minutes and add parmesan before serving.

While the pasta was cooling I sliced some sharp cheddar and Monterrey jack cheese. I also slivered up some prosciutto and bagged those things up to add to crackers.

Finally I bagged up some hummus, red grapes, seltzer water, plastic ware and I'm off!!