Cold Italian Pasta Salad and Dressing Recipe

There is something comforting and addictive about vinegary pasta salads, and I find myself eating them at least once a week. Cold Italian-style pasta salad is my favorite, and if I see it on a menu, I order it; if I have the ingredients on hand, I make it; if it’s left out unattended on your dining table, I steal it.

Cold Italian pasta salad is an easy and refreshing dish at any time of the year, and it’s also a great recipe for entertaining friends. My version of Italian Pasta Salad can be prepared in advance, and transported and assembled on-site, making it a perfect choice for picnics or potlucks.

ITALIAN PASTA SALAD RECIPE

The Basics: These are the ingredients I always include in my Italian Pasta Salad recipe

1 cup of grape or cherry tomatoes – halved across the poles

1 hot-house (English) cucumber – halved, seeded and cut into ¼ inch half-moons

1 large red bell pepper – diced into ¼ inch cubes

1 head of romain lettuce – cut into ½ inch squares

1 can of black olives – rinsed, and halved across the poles

2 cups of dried fussili, macaroni, penne, or farfalle pasta – cooked al-dente, according to the package instructions

The Extras: These ingredients are also great as additions or substitutions to the above list

1 cup mozzarella or provolone cheese - diced into 1/4 inch cubes

1 cup sweet potato – boiled until soft, peeled, and diced into ½ inch cubes

1 cup broccoli flourettes

1 cup asparagus – blanched for 2 minutes in boiling water, and cut into 1 inch pieces

1 cup fresh corn

1 cup sweet onion – diced into 1/8 inch cubes

1 cup celery – diced into 1/8 inch cubes

1 cup sun-dried tomatoes – diced into ¼ inch cubes

HOMEMADE ITALIAN SALAD DRESSING RECIPE

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup apple cider vinegar (red wine vinegar is also good)

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion power

2 teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

METHOD – Make the Salad Dressing

Pretty much just combine all of the ingredients in large measuring cup, and whisk or stir with a fork until they have emulsified.

METHOD – Assemble the Salad

After prepping all of the ingredients as indicated above, either combine them all into a large bowl if you are eating the salad immediately, or store individually in plastic bags for later use.

Storing all of the ingredients in individual plastic bags or containers prior to assembly ensure the maximum freshness of the salad. If you are transporting the salad to a picnic or potluck, leave the ingredients in their separate containers and assemble at the event.

When you are ready to eat the salad, toss all of the ingredients together and pour the salad dressing on top.

Finish by fixing yo’self a big bowl of magic!

Slow Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

Slow roasted tomatillos provide a tasty variation to my standard salsa verde recipe. This tomatillo salsa has a deep, rich flavor, a creamy texture and a tangy bite that makes it perfect for dipping salty chips and smothering your favorite burro.

ROASTED TOMATILLO SALSA RECIPE

6 Tomatillos – split in half across the poles

1 Poblano chile – seeded and split in half

1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon of finely chopped garlic

1 tablespoon of dried oregano

1 teaspoon of salt

½ teaspoon of black pepper

1 cup vegetable stock

METHOD

Preheat your oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.

Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and place the tomatillos and poblano on the sheet. Carefully drizzle or brush the olive oil over the surface of the tomatillos and chile. Sprinkle the garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper over the tomatillos and chile, and place them in the oven.

Bake them for two to three hours until they have dried up a bit.

Combine all of the tomatillos, chile, and vegetable stock in the bowl of a food processor or blender, and puree until smooth.

Eat your roasted tomatillo salsa with a chip!

The slow roasted tomatillos also make great pizza toppings along with slow roasted tomatoes!

Big Ass Sandwich

Smoked turkey. Candied bacon. Steak. Caramelized onions. Fried eggs.
Every great sandwich has a great filling. Only one sandwich has them all!

I don’t mess around when it comes to making sandwiches, and a great sandwich recipe is useful to have in your arsenal if you need to bribe friends for a favor:

“If you come help me, I will make sandwiches!”

“Big ass sandwiches?”

“I only know how to make one size!”

“Done!”

After all, what could be better than having an assortment of your favorite things, snuggled neatly together, between two slices of crispy baguette? Nothing, amigos. And if you think of something, just add it to the sandwich.

In fact, this post is more of a guideline for sandwich making. Sure, if you copy this recipe exactly you will undoubtedly delight your mouth with a glorious explosion of flavor. But don’t limit yourself to the ingredients I’ve listed. Find your own Way of the sandwich with the flavors you crave.

BIG ASS SANDWICH RECIPE

2 eight-inch slices of toasted baguette

¼ pound ounces of sliced smoked turkey

¼ pound of sliced steak

2 slices of candied bacon

2 ounces of caramelized onions

2 fried eggs - salted and peppered

2 ounces of Colby-jack cheese

METHOD

1. Add the turkey to the baguette.

2. Layer the steak on the turkey.

3. Layer the bacon on the steak.

4. Place the eggs on the bacon.

6. Sprinkle the cheese on the eggs.

7. Top with the caramelized onions.

8. Slice in half and admire its majesty.

9. Take a big ol' bite!

Candied Bacon - Three Ways

What’s better than crispy, salty, bacon? SUGAR COATED, crispy, salty bacon! OMG! Candied bacon is the perfect way to remind your tongue that you guys are still best buds! I can pretty much eat this stuff all day long, which is why I make it rarely and sparingly. In my most recent bacon candying exploit, I experimented with three kinds of coating: white sugar, brown sugar, and teriyaki sauce. Although the white sugar yielded the best results, with the crispest texture, brown sugar had a deeper candy flavor, and the teriyaki sauce was also excellent. Try them all and decide which version you prefer!

CANDIED BACON RECIPE

10 strips of thick-cut bacon

1 tablespoon of sugar, brown sugar, or homemade teriyaki sauce (recipe found here).

METHOD

Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and lining a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Then, put two metal drying racks on cookie sheet, and place the bacon on the racks.

Sprinkle half of the sugar of your choice or the teriyaki sauce on the bacon, ensuring that each piece is evenly coated.

Bake for 25 minutes, remove from the oven, flip the bacon, and using the remaining sugar or sauce, coat the other side of each piece of bacon. Return to the oven for another 15-20 minutes – keeping an eye on it to make sure the bacon does not burn.

Consume with gusto!