introducing, my recipe of the evening:

WHEN-THE-CAT’S-AWAY-THE-MOUSE-WILL-PLAY PASTA SALAD

the hub would hate this pasta.  hence the name.  he’s out of town, so it’s chick flicks and girly food galore!!!

here are the delicious ingredients, inspired by my refrigerator, and a wonderful trip to the farmers market:

stir up a vinaigrette in the bottom of a big bowl, with red wine vinegar, olive oil, stone ground mustard, dill, oregano, salt and pepper, or whatever you like in a vinaigrette.  i had a dill salad dressing packet and added oregano to it.  anyway, i don’t think you can go wrong with this.  just don’t add too much vinegar and don’t skimp on the mustard!

add any and all vegetables you own.  at the time, i own: summer squash, tomatoes, leeks, celery, corn on the cob, cucumber, and i think that’s it.

then add some kind of yummy cubes of cheese.  i had dill havarti.  nummy num num.  then add medium pasta shells and tons of fresh basil.  OUTSTANDING!

pasta has quickly become the bridge that connects “italy” sarah with “kc” sarah.  before i went to italy, i made pasta once every month, and usually as a last-minute comfort food choice.  pasta with canned tomatoes, or just pasta with butter.  those are dishes a single girl has when she doesn’t want to slave much over a hot stove.  now that i’m married, i feel guilty if i don’t at least throw some sausage or shrimp in.  poor hub.

anyway, nowadays, post italy, i’m thinking of pasta a little differently.  it’s more like a show-stopping, decadent 2nd course, after antipasti or a salad.  how very italian of me.

but i need to learn how to make fresh pasta.  then i will be a real italian woman.  in a scottish/native american/and a mix of other nationalities ~ person’s body.