Pasta Salad

5 Cups Cooked Short Pasta

3 Cups Cherry Tomatoes Halved

4 Green Onions, Chopped

8 Pitted Kalamata Olives, Chopped

2 Tablespoons Capers

1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Basil or Parsley

4 Slices Prosciutto, Finely Chopped

Salt & Pepper

1/3 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

3 Tablespoons White Wine Vinegar

1/2 Cup Olive Oil


Mix together all of the ingredients in a large bowl and toss to combine well. Serve at room temperature.

Chicken, Gorgonzola, Pear, And Walnut Salad

2 (5 Ounce) Bags Baby Mixed Greens

2 Poached Chicken Breasts, Chopped Into Pieces

2 Cups Candied Walnuts (See Recipe Below)

2 Large Ripe Pears

6 Green Onions, Chopped

4 Ounces Gorgonzola Cheese


Dressing:

1/4 Cup White Balsamic Vinegar

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper

3/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil


If roasting the pears, cut into wedges leaving skin on, and cutting out the core. Place on a baking sheet in a preheated 350 degree oven and cook about 15 minutes or until fork tender. Divide the salad greens onto four individual plates. Place the chicken, walnuts, pears, onions, and gorgonzola cheese on top of the greens.

To make the dressing, mix the vinegar in a bowl with salt and pepper until the salt dissolves. Then beat in the oil by droplets, whisking constantly. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Drizzle the dressing onto each plate and serve immediately.


Candied Walnuts:

2 Cups Whole Walnuts

1/2 Cup Sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the walnuts on a baking sheet and bake about 5 minutes. Sprinkle on the sugar and toss with the walnuts to coat. Add a teaspoon or two of water and toss again. Bake another 3 or 4 minutes until the walnuts are crisp and lightly browned. Coarsely chop and cool.

Cathy's Tomato-Bean Salad Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 4 large ripe tomatoes, sliced thick
• 1 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1 can (6 ounces) medium pitted ripe olives, drained and halved
• 1/2 cup Crisco® Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 5 to 6 large fresh basil leaves, snipped or 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• Salt to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions

• In a large salad bowl, layer beans, tomatoes, onion and olives. Combine all remaining ingredients; pour over vegetables.
• Cover and chill at least 3 hours or overnight. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Yield: 8 servings.

Diabetic Exchanges: One serving (without add salt) equals 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 2 fat; also, 178 calories, 333 mg sodium, 0 mg cholesterol, 19 gm carbohydrate, 4 gm protein, 10 gm fat.

Grilled Pasta Salad
from Vegetarian Resource Center - Boston, USA

• 1 1/2 cups balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup rice syrup
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh oregano
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh sage
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

• 2 large red onions sliced thick
• 3 zucchini, trimmed, cut lengthwise into thirds
• 3 Japanese eggplants, trimmed, cut lengthwise into thirds
• 2 large red bell peppers, seeded, cut into 1 inch wide strips

Marinate all the vegetables for at least one hour in mixture.
Grill this indoors or outdoors.
Cook 1 pound of pasta or less.

Take some crushed garlic, mix in some Balsamic Vinegar, Salt, Pepper, Grainy mustard, small amountt of olive oil

Toss with pasta that has been cooked.

When all the vegetables are grilled, cool for awhile and then chop them slightly and add to the salad.
Perhaps add some sliced black olives.

Tortellini Salad With Mozzarella, Tomatoes, and Fresh Basil - Good Eating Any Time!

Basil is one of the freshest smelling herbs. One sniff and you automatically think of Italian food. Though you have added the dried herb to recipes, you many not have tried the fresh. A few chopped leaves will turn an ordinary dish into an extraordinary one. What is its history?

According to the Basil Guide Website, the herb comes from the Greek language and means king. In Greek Orthodox Churches plants are kept near the alter for the "religious healing that the Greeks believe will take place," the article notes. Greek and British royalty added leaves to their bath water and the herb was also used for medicinal purposes. That may be why basil is known as the king of herbs.

Judith K. Mehl also gives a brief history of the herb in her article, "Basil: More than Your Basic Herb," published on the Learn 2 Grow Website. The herb has been cultivated for 5,000 years. There are 60 varieties, Mehl says, and "if it weren't for its distinctive smell," we would have to work hard to recognize them. The plants vary widely. Some are light green and others are a dark purplish green. When the plant blooms, it has small flowers of white, pink, lavender, or purple.

In her book, "A Matter of Taste," Sylvia Windle Humphrey describes basil as an herb that has trapped the clear warmth of the Mediterranean sunlight. Her cook book contains recipes for basil pesto (Pesto alla Genovese), lasagna made with this pesto, basil vinegar and soup. The soup is made with green beans, potatoes, carrots, zucchini, tomatoes, vermicelli, garlic and 15-20 leaves -- Mediterranean cuisine in a bowl.

You are in for a surprise if you have never tried this fresh herb. Start with Italian and Basil salad, which is so easy to make you do not need a recipe. Slice tomatoes and arrange them on a platter. Top them with slices of fresh Mozzarella. Scatter torn basil leaves over the top. Season with salt and pepper, drizzle a little olive oil over the salad, and you are done.

This recipe for Tortellini Salad with Mozzarella, Tomatoes and Fresh Basil builds on the Italian recipe. Pasta salad absorbs moisture and you may have to add more dressing to the salad if it has been refrigerated for hours or over night. Need to bring food to a pot luck supper or picnic? This dish is the one!

Ingredients

9-ounce package fresh, three-cheese tortellini

7-ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained and roughly chopped

2.25-ounce can sliced black olives, drained

1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped

1/2 cup chopped celery (1 stalk)

1 cup frozen petite peas, defrosted under hot water

3 large scallions, white and green parts, chopped

3 Roma tomatoes, chopped

1 cup cubed, low moisture, part skim Mozzarella cheese

2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

1/2 cup (or more) Light Northern Italian salad dressing with Romano cheese and basil

Method

Cook tortellini in boiling water just until tender. Do not overcook. Drain tortellini, rinse with cold water, and pour into a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients. Refrigerate for at least two hours to blend flavors. Makes 6-8 servings.