Whole-Wheat Pasta Salad with Walnuts & Feta Cheese (p137) and Toasted Pita & Herb Salad (p142)

This pasta salad was soooo delicious! My husband & I both loved it! All of the ingredients mingled together so well. I used penne pasta, & EVOO for the dressing. The serving size is 2 cups which is a lot, & since this pasta is so filling you can probably cut the calorie report in half. Because this pasta salad isn’t creamy, it would probably be perfect for a picnic, BBQ, or any other hot outside event. Next time we have a potluck, I volunteer to bring this pasta salad!

For the herb salad I used spinach instead of romaine, doubled the scallions, & omitted the mint. You can probably use regular tomatoes instead of grape tomatoes; I did. The recipe says to chop the herbs, but I would suggest that you chop them finely. Also, depending on how much crunch you like, you probably don’t need as many pita “croutons.”

Maple-Mustard Chicken Thighs (p212) & Smashed Potatoes with Sour Cream & Chives (p262)

Another night this week I made the Maple-Mustard Chicken Thighs & the Smashed Potatoes with Sour Cream & Chives. These potatoes were nowhere close to the PW’s mashed potatoes but were still pretty good & definitely a healthier choice. I did omit the chives, just because I didn’t have any, otherwise I would have added it. The chicken was unique. It wasn’t bad at all it just had a very unique flavor. I think my favorite part of the chicken was the few required ingredients & the 2-minute prep time.

Salmon with Sweet & Spicy Rub (p227) & Tomatoes with Green Goddess Dressing (p123)

To wrap-up the summer I made the Salmon with Sweet & Spicy Rub & the Tomatoes with Green Goddess Dressing. For the salmon I baked it instead of grilling because my husband wasn’t home (I don’t grill without him close by; I’m too dangerous with a grill). I think baking it was fine, but I bet it would have been a million times better on the grill. Despite the name, we didn’t think it was all that spicy; next time I will probably add a lot more spice to it. Typically, I hesitate to cook fish because of the fishy taste & smell, but that wasn’t an issue with this dish. For the tomato salad I used spinach instead of romaine. Side bar- I think I must to have been the last person on earth to learn about Green Goddess salad dressing, but it was really good! I doubled the recipe for salads throughout the week and omitted the Tarragon. I think the recipe just called for way too much. This was an awesome summer meal; I wish I had made it sooner.

Tabbouleh ~ page 140

I had never made tabbouleh before, just eaten it a few times at my mom's house. It was super fast to throw together, and very light and healthy. The bulgur wheat was in the health food section of the grocery store and was even on sale pretty cheap. It is like couscous in that you just pour boiling water over it and let it sit. The only change I made was to add a touch more lemon juice, and about 3 cloves of fresh minced garlic. I will be making this again. The husband really liked it, but the kids not so much. So I will just make it for the adults next time. I served with homemade pimento cheese sandwiches which made for a very nice and light lunch. --Carissa

Basil Pesto p.144

I have received an A+ in basil growing this summer! This was my first major harvest and I suspect I will get several more. Anyone need basil??

I followed the recipe except for using 4 cups of basil instead of 3 - I had a LOT of fresh basil I needed to use up. I was able to make 4 batches and froze 3 of them for future use.

I didn't have new potatoes so didn't try her Pesto Potato Salad (but will another time). Just tossed the pesto with pasta and we thoroughly enjoyed!! Can't wait to have my frozen pesto this winter!

Green Bean and Walnut Salad

I made this with the Linguini with shrimp and veggies- wasn't the best combination, but separate they both tasted delicious! 

I steamed fresh green beans in my steamer and then tossed with the dressing.  Make exactly what she says, cause it goes a long way and is a very strong, but yummy, flavor. 

I think we will make these for a holiday party- a great healthy substitute for creamy green beans.