Footloose and Fancy Free- Pasta with Tomatoes & Feta

Why haven't I been eating tomatoes & basil all summer long? I realize that my previous post is also a tomato and basil recipe, so it might appear that my meals haven't been all that deficient. But they have been woefully lacking in this combo, one of the best pairings of summer flavors if you ask me. I'd been thinking about making this for a while, but kept putting it off because the original recipe included shredded chicken and I didn't want to buy any. Then I knocked myself upside the head and said, "Hey dummy, the chicken isn't best part of the meal- it's the awesome combo of tomatoes and basil with the salty feta!" So I chucked the chicken out the window and made some dinner. And honestly, it's made all the easier and slightly healthier for not having to mess with the shredded chicken. I diced my tomatoes and basil, and juiced my lemon, while the water boiled and pasta cooked. Then I was ready to go! Dinner in 15 minutes- that's truly delicious.

Pasta with Tomatoes and Basil
Variation on an Everyday Food recipe; Serves 2

Coarse salt and ground pepper
6 oz. ditalini, or other short tubular pasta
1 tablespoons olive oil
1.5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup (2 oz.) crumbled feta cheese
2 large plum tomatoes, cut into 1/4" chunks
1/2 cup torn fresh basil leaves

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente, according to package directions. Drain; rinse well under cold water.
• Transfer to a large bowl; toss with oil, lemon juice, feta, tomatoes, and basil; season generously with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

My notes: This is a halved recipe so there were two portions for our dinner. I love when recipes can be easily adjusted to fit our two-person household. I'm definitely going to be making this recipe more often, especially since I've started growing my own basil.

Cooking By The Seat of My Pants- Fast Ghetto Bruschetta

Last night was going to be really easy. I had some laundry to do, a few other tasks on my agenda, but dinner was going to be a snap. I was going to make Caprese Sandwiches, and I had picked up some yummy baked chips at the store this weekend to go with them. Pick some basil, slice a baguette, slice some tomatoes, slice some mozzarella, assemble, done. And that's precisely what I went about doing when I got home. Basil picked, baguette and tomatoes sliced, it came time for the mozzarella. Well, that's when I realized that I guess I'd had that ball of fresh mozzarella in the refrigerator for longer than I had thought. The "Use By" date was more than a month in the past. But, it looked alright, and had been in the refrigerator the entire time. I opened the package and the smell did not offend. I cut a slice, and the texture seemed a little weird. I took a bite and first impression was fine, but the after taste bowled me over. Mozzarella ball into the trash, I was stuck with already sliced bread and tomatoes and some basil. Immediately I figured bruschetta would be a good option, but it couldn't be my only option. First off, I'd never made bruschetta before. Second off, I didn't have enough tomatoes to top 8 slices of baguette. I did some pantry and refrigerator searching and came up with some olive-oil packet tuna, Parmesan cheese, cheddar cheese, and red onion. I went to work and this dinner actually turned out to be really yummy. This is one of those really simple dinners that gives me hope that we won't starve to death when I start school in a month.

Fast Ghetto Bruschetta
Recipe by, uh, me; Serves 2

1 baguette, quartered crosswise, sliced lengthwise
2 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
Olive oil
1 6 oz. can olive-oil packed tuna, drained
2 tablespoons red onion, minced
Mayonnaise
Dijon mustard
Parmesan cheese, grated
Cheddar cheese, shredded (optional)
Coarse salt
Fresh ground black pepper

• Brush your sliced baguette with olive oil and place cut side down on a grill, griddle, or grill pan over medium heat to toast.
• Meanwhile, in a bowl combine tomatoes and basil; drizzle lightly with olive oil and toss. Season with salt and pepper, add Parmesan to taste, toss again.
• In another bowl combine tuna, red onion, and add mayonnaise and Dijon mustard to taste.
• Once your bread is toasted top slices with tomato mixture and tuna mixture. Top tuna slices with cheddar cheese, if you are so inclined.

My notes: You could also pop your tuna toasts under the broiler to get your cheddar cheese melted, but I was in a hurry to eat because I had laundry ready for folding. Everything in this "recipe" is more or less to taste. Crazy about basil? Add more. My husband loves Parmesan, so I put plenty in. I also added a dash of garlic powder to my tuna mixture, that's one of those personal preference sort of things. Work with what you like and have on hand.