Slow Roasted Tomato Pasta Salad Recipe

Even though it's still only early summer, I've been making pasta salads pretty frequently. I love them as a side dish for summer dinners, or as a main meal when meats are added to them. And they are great and easy to transport for picnics or dinners at the beach.

What makes this pasta salad one of my favorites is that it's made with oven roasted tomatoes. I slow roast the tomatoes at a low temperature for a couple of hours, and the flavor is so intensified and delicious. They can be stored in olive oil in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. I also add them to spaghetti, salads and pizza. The time spent to roast them is well worth it, especially when you consider how expensive they are at the grocery store.

I made this pasta salad for the 4th of July, and it was a big hit with friends and family. It's super easy to put together, and can be made ahead of time too.

Here's how I slow roast tomatoes:

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Wash, dry, and slice in-half two pounds of Roma tomatoes.
Lay the tomatoes cut-side down on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and a tiny bit of granulated sugar.
Roast for 2 - 21/2  hours, or until tomatoes are lightly dried and slightly darkened. Store in the fridge in a jar with olive oil.

Recipe for Slow Roasted Tomato Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

3/4 pound colored rotini pasta, cooked and rinsed with cold water
1 cup oven roasted tomatoes, roughly chopped
1/2 cup Italian dressing
2 tablespoons dried Italian herbs
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

In a large bowl, whisk together the Italian dressing, Italian herbs, and pepper. Add the pasta and tomatoes, and stir to combine. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, and give it another stir.
Serve or refrigerate.

Makes 6 servings.

Laura's Top 5 Foods to Try this Summer

I am one of those people who LOVE to try new things! New foods are always on my radar. Nothing fancy or exotic but regular every day food that you can find at the grocery store. This summer I have found 5 foods that I had not tried but now love.

Newman's Own Limeade is delicious! We love the lemonade version of this brand and selected the Lime version for a nice summer treat. We have made them into popsicle too. Plus all of their profits go to charity.

I enjoy Nature Valley granola bars for snacks and lunches so I thought it would be fun to try their Breakfast Biscuits. I love anything with Lemon in it so I selected the Lemon Poppy Seed version. I will have to say these are delicious! I enjoyed them with my morning coffee.

I am a huge fan of Honey Bunches of Oats. My favorite one is the one with almonds. I enjoy cereal for dessert too. I wanted to try something new so I selected the Fruit Blends banana and blueberries. I really enjoyed the sweet flavor combo, the blueberry granola clusters are great.

I have read great things about the benefits of Aloe and have been wanting to try some. I found Vivaloe at my local store and have tried 4 varieties so far. My favorite is the Coconut Aloe. It contains aloe and coconut water. The chunks of aloe are amazingly delicious! A nice treat in the summer heat.

My favorite of all the foods I have tried has to be the Outshine Fruit and Veggie Bar Tangerine Carrot. They have carrot, pumpkin, pear, tangerine and apple. They have been a summer saver for us in the 100 degree plus weather. We even take them to the park to enjoy.

What new food items have you discovered this Summer?

Southwestern Pasta Salad Recipe

I adore pasta salads, especially in the summertime. They are so versatile, and can be eaten as a main dish, or as a side. And they are usually pretty easy to put together, and most travel well for a picnic at the beach, or a barbeque at someone's house.

This Southwestern Pasta Salad has a nice spicy kick to it, and you can heat it up even more with the addition of some red pepper flakes. The black beans and tomatoes give it a healthy boost.

I've been trying to incorporate black beans into my recipes lately because of their great nutritional value. I do actually like the taste of them too, so I've included them in tacos, soups, and green salads.

But back to this yummy pasta salad. My family and I ate it for dinner out on the deck with steaks that my-son-in-law grilled. It was perfect with them, and there was enough left over for my lunch the next day. It will make about six portions for a side dish.

Recipe for Southwestern Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

3/4 pound rotini colored pasta, cooked and rinsed so that it is cool
1 can (15oz.) black beans
1 can (10 ounces) RoTel diced tomatoes and green chilies
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons lime juice
3 tablespoons taco seasoning
1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

In a large bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, taco seasoning, and black pepper.
Add the cooled pasta, black beans, tomatoes, and corn. Mix together well, making sure everything is incorporated. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least two hours, so that the flavors can blend together nicely.

Makes about 6 side dish servings.