“We neither get better or worse as we get older, but more like ourselves.” ~ Robert Anthony
NOTE: I spend my Wednesdays Unplugged from appointments. It’s my day to stay home, enjoy cooking and welcome our kids and grandkids for dinner in the evening. We end our meal with quotes from the Norwegian ‘Quote Cup’ passed on to me from my grandmother. I share a quote and a recipe here each week, along with an update and photos of what has been going on in our lives. I love trying new recipes…and love getting recipes you would like to share!
John spent last weekend with his two brothers… just the three of them with no spouses, kids or grandkids. It’s been a long time since just the three of them were alone together. Our daughter explained it well when she said “the stooges united again”… each more and more like themselves!
RECIPE OF THE WEEK
When I saw this recipe by Justin Chapple called ‘the best pasta salad ever’ in Food & Wine magazine it caught my eye. Pasta with a simple dressing of buttermilk, vinegar and a little mayo, mixed the asparagus, peas and arugula was was perfect blend and not heavy like so many pasta salads. Our son liked it so much he asked if he could finish the bowl! I only made half of the original recipe, still plenty! A full recipe would be great for a potluck or large gathering. It kept very well. The recipe with a few modifications I made is below as I prepared it… just double it for a full recipe.
GREENS PASTA SALAD
- Kosher salt
- 1/2 pound conchiglie pasta
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup organic mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon tarragon vinegar
- 1/2 large garlic clove, minced
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Ice
- 1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1/4 pound baby arugula, thick stems discarded, coarsely chopped
Fill a large saucepan with water and bring to a boil, season generously with salt and a little oil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain well and transfer to a large bowl.
In a medium bowl, whisk the buttermilk with the mayonnaise, vinegar and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Toss half of the dressing with the warm pasta; let cool for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, fill the saucepan with water and return to a boil; season generously with salt. Set up an ice bath. Add the asparagus and peas to the boiling water and cook until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain and transfer vegetables to the ice bath to cool completely; drain well.
Stir the asparagus, peas and remaining dressing into the pasta. Season with salt and pepper, then fold in the arugula and serve.