Mediterranean Pasta Salad

It's been hotter than the dickens lately.  Ok, not really.  But when you live in a condo w/ no central air, anything over 75 degrees makes me a bit anxious.  We have a portable a/c in Kuen's room and we crank it down to 65 on "hot" days so when I get home, I open/shut the door as quickly as possible so I can keep as much cool air in this condo as I can.  

Ahhh, come to mama.

When I see Gabe lollygagging instead of slamming the door shut as quickly as possible, I always yell "close the door!" then he stops what he's doing (with the door OPEN) and looks as me with a quizzical , "huh?" every. damn. time.  Same thing happens when he does this w/ the fridge or freezer door.  Anger stroke.

I've gotten more used to it but I can't bear to turn the stove on for long periods of time and you can forget any kind of baking until September at the earliest.  Which is silly, considering how cookie season is in the summer.  Ok, nevermind.  Cookies are prettymuch always in season.

If you have some leftover pasta in your fridge, 'cooking' this pasta salad adds approximately ZERO degrees to your (already hot) kitchen.  I've also just done the cooking parts in the morning when things haven't gotten too hot yet and then I've prepped some things to make dinner come together even faster so I can get done w/ dinner and park myself in front of a fan as quickly as possible.

I was in such a hurry to shovel this in my mouth I took a blurry picture. Sue me.

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

makes 6 servings

2 c. grape tomatoes, halved
1 English (or hot house) cucumber, diced
1 red pepper, julienned 
1 c. kalamata olives, roughly chopped
6 oz. dry salami, thinly sliced
4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
8 oz. short cut pasta (1/2 lb)
1 green onion, sliced thinly (optional)

Greek Dressing

1/3 red wine vinegar
2/3 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic finely minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons sugar (updated)
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons of salt
1/2 teaspoon of onion powder

Cook pasta according to package instructions.  While the pasta cooks, cut and prepare tomatoes, cucumber, pepper, olives and salami and toss together in a large bowl.  Prepare dressing.  After draining the pasta, allow it to cool slightly before adding to the vegetables.  Dress the salad (I use about 1/3 to 1/2 a cup) stir to combine.  Mix in feta, salami and fold.  Garnish with green onions.  Taste and adjust seasoning or add more dressing.

This pasta salad can be made ahead of time and gets better as the flavors blend.  

The dressing is seriously good.  This recipe make more then you need so I love to use the dressing as a marinade or to pour over sliced tomatoes.

Listing a List of Lists #7

This beautiful salad inspired me.

Food I'm Loving:

Thai Steak Salad w/ sweet & spicy tahini dressing.  Wow.  And keeping w/ the Thai theme - this salad too.  

Bacon Jam.  I'm almost scared to look at the recipe for fear that I could/would actually make it.  Costco was actually selling Seattle's own Skillet version and picked some up before they decided to not carry it and I would never find it there again.  So great on sandwiches and we actually tried slathering on blueberry waffles the other day - pretty yum!  

Curried veggie and chickpea stew.  Made this yesterday and it made a HUGE batch.  Subbed chicken stock and kale instead of veggie stock and spinach, added orzo pasta - will be a great fall recipe.  It is so hearty and comforting, I skipped (but didn't even miss) the coconut milk.

I've been loving all the sockeye salmon recipes and we've been eating it all summer.  Was on sale at Costco for $6/lbs (!!) and I snagged a (huge) whole fish for under $30.  God bless the Pacific Northwest!

Shrimp 'n grits. It's so fancy, you already know.

Pecan Blondie Dunkers.  Kuen realized she actually likes pecans (and almonds) after her father's insistence that they were yucky and clouded her judgement.  She's since seen the light.  But I guess it goes both ways since apparently Kuen now likes to eat broccoli slathered w/ mayonnaise like her dad.  Gag.

Double chocolate pancakes for bfast?  I wish.  

Millionaire's Shortbread.  As if I really needed this recipe in my life.  Ok, no really, I do.

Apricot Buttermilk Pie - intriguing.  I'd like to try this so if anyone could pls volunteer to make one, I'd be happy to taste test.

Or someone else could volunteer for this blueberry custard pie.

Such a crowd pleaser..

Interesting to Me:

I recently had a horrible customer service experience with Lululemon.  They completely let me down when it came time to resolve my issue and IMHO, if you're going to charge the crazy ass prices they charge for workout clothes, they had better come through like a champ when a customer is justifiably unsatisfied.  Needless to say, I was underwhelmed.  I have been on the hunt for a replacement.  Hell hath no fury like a consumer scorn!  Luckily, I've found a pretty good replacement in Kate Hudson's Fabletics.  I've gotten a few pairs of capris and tanks which I'm already loving!  Bye bye forever, Lulu (jerks).

Best way to organize your fridge.  B, any thougths?  I have a notoriously cluttered and messy eclectic and well-stocked fridge.

I've kept my eggs on the counter for years now.  Yes, even in the summer and I'm still alive.

So excited this is happening next year.  I'll actually be able to see the Bellevue location from my office.  That means I'll also be able to see my office from Chick-fil-a when I walk over there for lunch every day.  Maybe I should just relocate my desk to Chick-fil-a.

Ice Bucket Challenge videos that made me laugh: Mitt Romney, Bill Gates, George W., Benedict Cumberbatch, this one is especially funny since it goes through several replays as well as a slow motion of W's.  I could watch Will Smith dump ice on his head all day.

I just love Jimmy Fallon.  I couldn't stop laughing when she's yelling at the step dad.  In the Taylor Swift one too.  This Jimmy Kimmel one is an oldie but goodie.

After a conversation w/ a friend at drinks a while ago, she encouraged me to take a test to find out my strengths.  Top strength according to this test was "learner".  Not strategy or empathy or deliberation..learner.  I'm not sure why I was disappointed but I started to think of it as me just being curious about all things I don't know about (which is prettymuch everything) in life.  One of my huge takeaways was that I needed to read more and I've found a very effective way to squeeze in more books by going the audiobook route.  I just pop one in and listen on my drive to/from work.  Best part?  It's free.  Download Overdrive app and check audiobooks out from your library - FO FREE and it makes my drive so much more pleasant.  

Currently listening to this book by Brene Brown and it makes me want to quit corporate America and study social sciences (it's my inner Carrie Anderson! xo).  So fascinating.  Finished Wally Lamb's We Are Water also and can I just say how effed up I think Wally Lamb is?  I had to fast forward through the Kent character's parts.  I only gave it 2 stars on Goodreads.  I haven't read his other (even more highly rated) book all the way through but I do remember really liking She's Come Undone which I read a thousand years ago.

Just for Fun:

Thanks, Sarah!!

Gabe and I celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary on 8/8.  I can't even believe I've known this guy for 8 years now.  What a crazy roller coaster ride it's been so far.  Love you, hon!  xoxo

Homemade Taco Seasoning

I don't remember which brand caused me to do a double take last time I read the ingredient list of the taco seasoning - but it clearly freaked me out enough to make me want to make my own.  Now I don't even think about buying those taco seasoning packets anymore.  

Or that one time I had all the ingredients to make tacos only to realize I had run out of the freaking taco seasoning packet - AH!  Then you realize the interwebs are full of wonderful information that can save your cooking plans and you can have those lovely tacos or burritos or whatever you were going to make out of taco-seasoned fill-in-the-blank.  Woo!

I've also taken to using this spice mix for other things like dressings, sprinkling on cut up veggies, etc. - super versatile.  The list of spices is a tad long so I get it if you'd rather save the time and buy one of those convenient little packets instead, but if you're like me - you buy a spice with the intention of using it in A (singular) recipe, then never end up using it again.  The jar moves with you to the next 3 homes and you're now looking at a spice that expired in 2004 (which, how was that a whole decade ago?!).  I may or may not be pulling inspiration from personal experience.  So this is also a good recipe to use up those spices you may not typically use in your normal repertoire (I'm talking to you, chili powder & cumin).

Homemade Taco Seasoning Recipe*

makes roughly 2-3 packets worth

Adapted loosely from this recipe

2 tablespoon chili powder (ancho or regular)
1 tablespoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Combine ingredients in a bowl, mix thoroughly.  Store in an airtight container in a cool/dry/dark place for up to 2 months.

I use about 1 to 1.5 tablespoons of this for about 1.5 lbs of ground meat when I'm doing taco meat.  

* this is a pretty mild blend heat wise - husband and daughter prefer it that way but no one says you can't throw more in if you prefer - I won't tell the cops. 
Another favorite is using this seasoning to make a salad dressing when I get sick of buffalo chicken salads (which happens prettymuch all the time).  Or I ripped off one of my favorite restaurants and use this on cut up veggies with a spritz of lime juice.  YUM!