Fresh Tomato & Bell Pepper Pasta Salad

Happy Nom Nom Monday!  Today I made a pasta salad using some of the fresh pickin's from our garden.  Cold pasta salads are perfect for lunch or dinner in the summer.  I could eat it everyday.  

I used some green grape tomatoes, riesentraube tomatoes, a couple black cherry tomatoes, and the peppers are technically purple beauties.  I couldn't wait until the peppers got purple, they've been tempting me for days, weeks on end.  Then I looked to our herb garden, and decided the lemon basil was the way to go.  I based my recipe off of this Lemon Pasta Salad with Tomatoes and Feta I found on yummly.  

Ingredients:

- 7 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil

- 2.5 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice

- 3 tablespoons of dijon mustard

- 2 garlic cloves (where were out, what! so I substituted with garlic salt)

- 12 ounces of bow-tie pasta

- 2 cups cherry tomatoes

- 1 1/2 cups bell peppers

- 1 1/2 feta cheese

- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese

- 1/4 cup white onion

- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon basil

Directions:

I began by boiling water, and cooking the pasta.  While that was happening I chopped all of the my cherry tomatoes, peppers, and onion up.  I also tore my basil into small bits and mixed that in.  Next I mixed together the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, and garlic salt together in a medium bowl.  When the pasta was done I mixed the pasta and veggies together, then I poured the sauce over them, and mixed throughly.  Finishing with the cheeses.  Now truthfully I didn't have that much cheese, I used what was left in a half used feta tub, and about a tablespoon of freshly grated parmesan cheese.  I threw some black pepper on for seasoning, and called it lovely!  

It was tasty.  Even my hubby who usually doesn't go for cold pasta salads had seconds of this one.  I think the only thing that could have made it better was if I had more cheese, and fresh garlic.  

I love eating pasta salads the next day.  The flavors have a chance to really culminate and become alive together.  I already have this packed up for work tomorrow.  Hope ya'll are having a wonderful Nom Nom Monday, and happy DIYing, chris!

Zucchini Bake with Feta and Fresh Thyme

We were recently given a few giant zucchini, and I trolled the internet looking for some fun recipes.  I came up with this Zucchini Bake with Feta and Thyme from Kalyn's Kitchen.  We had most of the ingredients in the house, so I had to give this one a try for tonight's dinner.

Ingredients:

- 8 cups zucchini

- 1 tablespoon of garlic

- 2 tablespoons of fresh thyme

- 1 tablespoon of olive oil

- 2 eggs

- 1 cup crumbled feta

- 2 tablespoons of freshly grated parmesan cheese

- 1/3 cup sour cream

- 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions:

Heat the oven to 375ºF.  My mom helped me out, and chopped up all the zucchini after washing it off.  We used about eight cups, and threw in a yellow squash to add some variety to the mix.  

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan.  Add the garlic and fresh thyme to the pan, keep the heat on medium, and be sure not to burn the garlic.  It cooks up fast, so keep your eyes on the pan.  

Toss in the zucchini and cook for about four minutes, or until they are just softening up. 

While the zucchini is cooking mix together the eggs, feta, parmesan cheese, sour cream, and lemon juice.  

When the zucchini is ready layer half into an oven safe 2 quart dish.  Then add a layer of the egg-cheese mixture.  Spoon the rest of the zucchini on top, and cover with the rest of the creamy mixture.  

Add a handful of feta and parmesan cheese to the top with some freshly ground black pepper, and pop into the oven for 40 - 45 minutes.  

I served it with some ham, and a creamy tomato pasta dish.  It was tasty.  A great way to cook zucchini, and so easy too.  But maybe I'm biassed since I think anything with cheese is good.  Hope you're having a great Nom Nom Monday, and happy DIYing, chris!