Mediterranean-ish Pasta Salad

This is what I like about pasta salads: they’re easy to make and adapt to your tastes, they can be prepared ahead of time, and they are a relatively inexpensive yet filling dish to serve at a party, shower or other such function where you want to feed people without spending too much money. This is what I don’t like about pasta salads: just about everything else.

Maybe this is because when I think of pasta salad I immediately picture a bland mixture of tri-color pasta, broccoli, and black olives drenched in overly sweet Italian dressing, but even as I type that I realize that even the most artisan cold pasta creations from Tony Caputo’s don’t really do it for me. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll eat pasta salad (I’ll eat just about anything, really) but it’s never something I go out of my way to procure. I guess at the end of the day I just prefer my pasta served hot (preferably drenched in some kind of tomato cream sauce) and my salads to consist primarily of vegetables.

But like most of my deeply held convictions, I eventually came across an exception to my apathy toward pasta salad. It came in the form of a Mediterranean style pasta salad that my older sister created for a family dinner, and which I have susequently adapted and made for a handful of bridal showers, book club gatherings, etc. In my opinion, what sets this pasta salad apart is the homemade Italian dressing and the way it mingles with the oil of the sun-dried tomatoes and artichoke hearts to create a complex blend of flavors; the high ratio of other ingredients to the pasta (of course, if you like more pasta you can always change this aspect of the recipe, but I prefer more of the other stuff); and the use of whole wheat pasta, which lends a nutty depth to the dish. If there were ever a reason to reconsider my culinary opinions, this pasta salad is it.

Elena's Pasta Salad

When I made this pasta salad for a book club last week, I had every intention of measuring out the ingredients and writing everything down, since people often ask for the recipe and I’m tired of responding with, “well, you just kind of throw a bunch of stuff together…” But life happened and I did end up just throwing everything together in a hurry, like always. So just use these measurements as very loose guidelines and go with whatever ratio looks right to you. As mentioned above, I like to have an equal amount of pasta and non-pasta ingredients, but do whatever you like.

Also, some of the ingredients in this salad might sound fancy but they are actually a Costco shopper’s dream because they stay good for years. I bought big jars of artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes, and kalamata olives at Costco for a good price and now they just sit in the back of my fridge until I need them.

1 pound whole wheat spiral pasta
About 1 cup artichoke hearts marinated in oil (not canned), quartered
About ¾ cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
About ½ cup sundried tomatoes, sliced
About 8 oz. fresh mozzarella, cut into bite-sized cubes
About ¾ cup diced tomatoes (I had some baby heirloom tomatoes on hand, so I just used those cut in half)
1 ripe avocado, diced
About ½ cup Italian Dressing (recipe follows)

1) Cook pasta according to package directions and allow to cool to room temperature.
2) Once pasta is cool, place in a bowl with remaining ingredients and stir to combine. If making a day ahead, wait to stir in avocado and dressing until just before serving. Keep refrigerated.

Italian Dressing (via food.com)
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon grated parmesan cheese

Combine all ingredients in a bottle. Shake to blend. Allow flavors to blend about an hour or so, Will even be more flavorful the following day. Be sure to refrigerate any leftovers.

Mac and cheese, two ways

A couple of summers ago I lived in Sitka, Alaska. My culinary memories of this time mostly revolve around the delicious seafood that was in abundant supply there (if you haven’t eaten salmon or halibut within an hour of it being caught, then I would recommend adding that experience to your bucket list), but the other food that I associate with that time in my life is mac and cheese.

For some reason my roommates and I all developed quite the blue box fetish that summer. Perhaps it can be attributed to the fact that the summer in Sitka was the coldest and rainiest we’d ever experienced and mac and cheese was the cheapest and quickest form of comfort food, or maybe this phenomenon was just a result of it being available in bulk at the otherwise understocked grocery stores. Whatever the cause, the point is you could usually find one of the inhabitants of our apartment preparing a box of Kraft macaroni and cheese on any given day.

I usually reserved my weekly mac and cheese meal for Sunday afternoons after church. I would come home, change into some comfy sweatpants, and whip up some chemically altered cheese and noodles. In this process I discovered that I like my mac and cheese creamy. As in swimming in cheesy sauce. This means that when I prepared it from a box I would usually add more milk and sometimes a little more butter to achieve that consistency. It also means that for years I never had a homemade version of macaroni and cheese that I truly loved.

See, most homemade versions of mac and cheese that I’ve come across are of the baked variety, meaning they are made by making a roux and adding milk, cheese and seasonings to it, then stirring the cooked noodles in and baking the whole shebang in the oven. This approach has never really done it for me, as the outcome tends to be a firmer, more casserole-type dish. And even though some recipes recommend just eating the pasta and sauce before baking if you like a more creamy approach, I find that somehow there is a floury taste that carries over from the roux.

I found my mac and cheese salvation in Alton Brown’s stovetop recipe. This approach produces that creamy texture I love without using ultra-processed ingredients. It’s also super easy and is my favorite way to make mac and cheese. However, I live with a husband whose macaroni and cheese preferences differ significantly from mine in that he actually likes the baked stuff, preferably with crushed ritz crackers sprinkled on top (what the?) So for dinner one night I kept his preferences in mind by making some baked mac and cheese from a recipe that came highly recommended. He loved it, and, while I didn’t really care for it all that much, I can safely blame that on my personal preferences and not any flaws in the recipe. So here are both recipes for your consideration:

Baked Macaroni and Cheese (adapted from the Ivory Favorites cookbook)

I honestly think I would like this recipe if the sauce amounts were doubled. But then the butter and cheese amounts are doubled too so that kind of becomes a hard pill to swallow. Yet chances are that if you’re eating mac and cheese you’re in an indulgent mood in the first place so perhaps there’s no need to worry about it.

1 pound macaroni ( I used spiral pasta instead)
1/4 cup butter
4 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Dash of hot sauce (I like siracha)
3 cups grated Cheddar cheese (medium or sharp)
~1/2 cup crushed Ritz crackers (optional)

1) Cook macaroni in boiling, salted water according to package directions and drain.
2) In large saucepan, melt butter. Add flour and stir. Pour in milk and cook, stirring constantly, until thick.
3) Add salt, pepper, and dry mustard, and then add 2 1/2 cups of cheese and stir until cheese is melted. Remove from heat and add cooked macaroni and mix together.
4) Pour into buttered 9" x 13" square baking pan, sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheese on top (and Ritz cracker crumbs, if using). Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese (from Alton Brown via foodnetwork.com)
1/2 pound elbow macaroni
4 tablespoons butter
2 eggs
6 ounces evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh black pepper
3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
10 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded (I prefer medium)

1) In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente and drain. Return to the pot and melt in the butter. Toss to coat.
2) Whisk together the eggs, milk, hot sauce, salt, pepper, and mustard. Stir into the pasta and add the cheese. Over low heat continue to stir for 3 minutes or until creamy.

Curried Lentil Soup

Two soup recipe posts in one week? It must be January. But while the broccoli cheddar soup I told you about on Monday is more of a rich indulgence, this lentil one lies on the opposite end of the soup spectrum. I guess the word I can best use to describe it is "wholesome."

I've actually had lentil soup on the brain for the past couple of months and have even gone so far as to bookmark about five or so recipes with every intention of making them. But for some reason it wasn't until I read Molly Wizenburg's column in the December issue of Bon Appetit that I finally got around to it. Maybe I ended up making this version because her description of the soup was so mouthwatering, or maybe it was just because I had all the ingredients on hand. Either way, I'm glad I did it because this soup lived up to every letter of Molly's beautiful description. I think it's going to become a winter staple around these parts.

Curried Lentil Soup (from bonappetit.com)

One quick note about this recipe: use a curry powder you like. I used the generic yellow stuff simply marked "curry powder" because I had it sitting in my cupboard, then added some cumin and cayenne pepper to give it more kick, but I really wish I had used something with a little more smoky depth to it. It would have made this soup even better.


(Image via bonappetit.com)

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, chopped, divided
2 tablespoons (or more) curry powder
1 cup French green lentils (I found mine in the bulk section of Whole Foods)
4 1/4 cups (or more) water, divided
1 15- to 16-ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained, rinsed
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 lemon, cut into 6 wedges

1) Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion and carrot; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until onion is translucent, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes.
2) Add half of chopped garlic; stir until vegetables are soft but not brown, about 4 minutes longer.
3) Add 2 tablespoons curry powder; stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.
4) Add lentils and 4 cups water. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
5) Increase heat and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.
6) Meanwhile, puree chickpeas, lemon juice, 1/4 cup water, remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and remaining garlic in processor.
7) Add chickpea puree and butter to lentil soup. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and additional curry powder, if desired. Add water by 1/4 cupfuls to thin to desired consistency.

Broccoli and Cheddar Chowder

Doesn’t that name sound a helluva lot more appetizing than just plain old broccoli cheese? Actually the real name of this soup, found in The Gourmet Cookbook, is Broccoli, Red Pepper, and Cheddar Chowder. But I left out the red pepper because A) I didn’t really like the sound of it in this soup and B) red peppers aren’t in season right now and therefore too expensive for a gal on a budget.

Without the red pepper, though, this recipe is essentially Gourmet’s take on classic broccoli cheese soup, a dish that I’ve always had mixed feelings about. At its best, broccoli cheese soup is the epitome of winter comfort food—creamy and rich but chock full of wholesome little broccoli chunks. At its worst, it’s a thick, velveeta-filled sludge of mushy vegetables.

I was intrigued by this particular recipe when I saw that it used potato to give the soup some body rather than just the standard roux or unholy amounts of cheese. I made it for dinner on a cold winter’s night when we were feeling indulgent and, to be totally honest, wasn’t overly impressed. The soup was good, it was just a little bit on the thin side and had an almost sour aftertaste to it that I couldn’t quite pinpoint.

But then a miraculous thing happened. When I heated up the leftover soup for lunch at work the next day, I noticed that not only had the consistency thickened up a bit, but the strange sour taste from the night before had disappeared completely and the flavor of the soup was incredible. So from now on, I’ll be making this soup the day before I plan to eat it. Kind of a pain but the best things in life, they say, are worth waiting for.

Broccoli and Cheddar Chowder (Adapted from The Gourmet Cookbook;also found here)

1 small head broccoli (1/2 pound)
1 large boiling potato (1/2 pound)
1 large onion, chopped
l large garlic clove, finely chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups (6 oz) sharp Cheddar, coarsely grated (I used mild)

1) Discard tough lower third of broccoli stem. Peel remaining stem and finely chop. Cut remaining broccoli into very small (1-inch) florets. Cook florets in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes.
2) Transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking, then drain. Reserve 3 cups cooking water for chowder.
3) Peel potato and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Cook potato, onion, broccoli stems, and garlic in butter in a 3- to 4-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 8 to 10 minutes.
4) Add cumin, salt, pepper, and mustard and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add flour and cook, stirring, 2 minutes.
5) Add reserved cooking water and simmer (partially covered), stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in cream and cheese and cook, stirring, until cheese is melted, then season with salt and pepper.
6) Purée about 2 cups of chowder in a blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids) and return to pot. Add florets and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 2 minutes.

Black Beans and Rice

I tend to be kind of obsessive when it comes to the things I like. Meaning that I’m the kind of person who, after Regina Spektor’s new album came out a couple of summers ago, listened to this song so many times on a road trip that Mike threatened to drop me off on the side of the freeway and leave me to the wolves if I pressed “repeat” one more time. It also means that I can eat the same thing for lunch day after day without getting sick of it.

I’ve never been much for the traditional packed lunch: a sandwich or frozen entree surrounded by odds and ends like yogurt, chips, fruit, etc. I like it best when my lunches consist of leftovers from last night’s dinner or some other form of “real food.” Not that this happens very often. Usually my mid-day meal is comprised of random stuff that I grab out of the fridge while running out the door to work. Lately I’ve been on quite the edamame kick (you can buy frozen individual bags at Costco), and for a while there when tomatoes were in season I would cut one into wedges, sprinkle with some sea salt, and call it lunch. Delicious, but not exactly filling.

Sometimes, though, I actually take initiative and plan my lunches in advance. For example, when I made this tzatziki, I kept it--along with some pita bread, grilled chicken, cucumbers, and tomatoes--in my fridge at work and ate it for lunch every day for a week. The beans and rice dish posted below was actually made with the intention of having it for dinner, but somehow we didn’t end up eating it that night* so it also turned into my week-long lunch. And boy has it been a good one. You wouldn’t think that something as simple as rice and beans would create a satisfying meal, but these beans are packed with flavor and, when you pair them with some cooked brown rice, you’re eating a complete protein that is cheap, filling, nutritious, and made with mostly pantry ingredients. Plus it ages well, actually getting more flavorful as I reheated it day after day. I will definitely be making this again. Or--more likely given my personality--again and again and again.

*By “somehow didn’t end up eating it”, I mean that our dinner that night consisted of pumpkin cinnamon rolls (recipe to be posted shortly). Don’t judge me.

Black Beans and Rice (adapted slightly from melskitchencafe.com)



1 tablespoon olive oil
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 white or yellow onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 (16-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon cumin
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4-5 cups hot, cooked brown rice

1) In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat.
2) Add the bell pepper, onion and garlic and saute, stirring often, for about 15 minutes, until all the vegetables are soft and tender.
3) Stir in the beans, tomatoes, chicken broth, thyme, bay leaf, oregano and water; bring to a boil. 4) Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes. If the mixture becomes too thick, add a tablespoon or two of hot water to thin to desired consistency.
5) Stir in the fresh cilantro and season with salt and pepper; discard the bay leaf. Serve over the hot rice.

Black Bean Burgers and "Fries"

As I’ve mentioned before, I was raised by vegetarian parents and didn’t eat meat until I was about twelve or so. I guess you could say that my adolescent rebellion took the form of chicken nuggets and, like most adolescent rebellions, was pretty short-lived. Turns out that my early tofu-filled years resulted in my not really having a strong hankering for meat. I love barbecue ribs and chicken wings, but more often than not I pick the seafood or veggie option if given a choice.

I made these burgers because I wanted a meatless alternative to hamburgers that wasn’t overly processed and filled with all kinds of crazy ingredients. Needless to say, these are not the thing to eat if you’re craving beef (because, obviously, they taste like beans), but if all you’re after is the burger experience (bun, patty, toppings) then give them a try. I’ve been surprised to see how many people have preferred this option when we’ve offered both the bean and beef varieties at barbecues this summer.

The beauty of this recipe is that it’s very adaptable to your personal tastes. Want spicy burgers? Add a diced jalapeno or chili powder to the equation. Don’t like garlic? Leave it out. I like the mix of spices listed below but if you don’t then feel free to change it up. I usually serve these burgers on Earth Grains thin buns, topped with a spread of either hummus or mayo and some fresh veggies (or sauteed onions and peppers are absolutely divine).

Black Bean Burgers (from food.com)


1 (30 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 onion, minced
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon sweet basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 eggs
salt and pepper to taste

1. Place black beans in a bowl and mash with a fork or potato masher until of desired consistency.
2. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
3. Divide into 6-8 equal portions and shape into patties.
4. Place patties on a medium-hot grill for several minutes per side.


Oven-Baked Fries
I hesitate even calling this a recipe because it is so simple, but here you go. You can use this same method for Sweet Potatoes as well.

2 medium-sized russet potatoes (or however many you need)
Scant tablespoon olive oil (or enough to lightly coat the potatoes)
Seasoning of your choice (I use Johnny’s seasoning salt).

1)Scrub potatoes well and cut into wedges, strips, whatever you want.
2) Toss potatoes in olive oil until thinly coated and place on a baking sheet. (you may be tempted to just toss the potatoes and oil on the baking sheet but I find that the potatoes get soggy if they have any excess oil on them).
3) Sprinkle liberally with seasoning and bake at 450 degress for 30-40 minutes, or until potatoes are tender on the inside and crispy on the outside.

Tex-Mex Stuffed Peppers

So I’m going to get a little opinionated here for a second: I think most people eat way too much meat. I’m not saying that we all need to be vegetarians and embrace tofu, but I think the notion that meat should make up the bulk of most meals is downright ridiculous. What’s more, this idea has led to a system of producing cheap meat that is entirely unsustainable and bad for our bodies, the environment, etc.

I am by no means ahead of the curve on this issue, and have really only thought about where my meat comes from in the past year or two, after reading this book and watching this film. Since then I have made an effort to only buy properly raised meat* and adopt Michael Pollan’s philosophy when incorporating it into meals: “eating a little meat isn’t going to kill you, though it might be better approached as a side dish than a main.”

The recipe that follows is perfect for a dinner made following that principle. These peppers are hearty and filling enough to be a meal in themselves, so any meat you serve with them would be a dinner footnote, not the main event. I’m not particularly fond of meat so I’m fine eating these peppers on their own with a salad on the side, but for people like my carnivorous husband a small piece of grilled steak or chicken would serve as a great accompaniment.

I got this recipe from my friend Stefanie, and the original version can be found on her blog here. I modified it both to make it meatless and use the ingredients I had on hand. I served these with some sliced avocado and salsa on top, as well as a little additional sour cream, but they are flavorful enough not to need that kind of embellishment. I guess I just like to gild the lily sometimes.

Tex-Mex Stuffed Bell Peppers
(Sorry, no picture this time. But seeing as the photos I post on here are usually quite ghetto I don't think you're missing much)

1 cup brown rice
½ small yellow or white onion, diced
Olive oil (about a tablespoon)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 ½ cups frozen corn, thawed
1 Tbs. Chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
½ cup sour cream (I only used a few tablespoons- just enough to bind the filling)
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
4 large bell peppers (preferably red, orange, or yellow)**, trimmed, seeded and cut in half, lengthwise
½ cup shredded Monterey jack cheese.

1) Cook rice according to package directions
2) Saute onion in olive oil over medium heat until transluscent, about 3 minutes.
3) Add dry seasonings, corn, beans, rice, and sour cream to the onions (I sprinkled a little of the cheese in, too). Heat through.
4) Remove pan from heat and add cilantro.
5) Stuff filling into pepper halves and arrange in a greased pan.
6) Sprinkle cheese on top and cover with foil.
7) Bake at 375 for about 30 minutes, or until peppers are soft and cheese is melted. Remove foil for last ten minutes of baking.

*A cost-effective way to buy quality meat is through local farms, like this one. They only sell in bulk though, so I am always looking for people to split these shares with. Let me know if you’re interested.
**Green peppers are actually just red bell peppers that have been picked earlier, so they are less sweet and more tough. I don’t really care for them in this recipe, but that might just be a matter of personal preference.