Confetti Orzo

I made some confetti orzo today. I just call this recipe Confetti Orzo because I chop all of the vegetables into teeny tiny pieces.

Ingredients:

8 ounces orzo

1 orange bell pepper, finely diced

1 yellow bell pepper, finely diced

1 red bell pepper, finely diced

2 tablespoons capers

1/2 cup olives, pitted and finely diced

1/2 cup cucumber, finely diced

1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Dressing:

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Boil the orzo according to the package directions.

Add the bell peppers, capers, olives and cucumber to a large bowl.

Add the drained pasta to the veggie bowl.

After the orzo has cooled a little add the feta cheese.

Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Drizzle into the pasta salad and toss to combine. Refrigerate for a few hours for the flavors to blend.

Confetti Orzo Salad

I often make this fresh and delicious Orzo Salad all spring and summer. Each time I make the salad I throw in a different batch of vegetables.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups uncooked orzo

1/4 cup olives, chopped

1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped

1 red bell pepper,  finely chopped

1 green bell pepper, finely chopped

1 yellow bell pepper, finely chopped

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

Add the orzo to a pot of boiling water and boil until tender - about 10 minutes. While the orzo is boiling chop all of the vegetables.

I find chopping the vegetables mildly therapeutic. Put the chopped veggies into a large bowl. Whisk the lemon juice, lemon zest, honey, garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil in a small bowl.

Drain the cooked orzo and add it to the bowl with the vegetables. Pour the dressing over the salad and gently stir. This is a light and refreshing salad that is perfect for BBQ's!

Mini Pasta Salad jars for After the Tennis Match

Today I made some little pasta salad jars for after the tennis match. I bought some little 4-ounce jars at Target. I filled them with some homemade pasta salad. Every time I make pasta salad I change the recipe a little.

With this pasta salad I added some sliced olives, chopped cucumber and some chopped grape tomatoes.

Once the jars were filled I added the lids and decorated the lids with some yellow scrapbook paper.

This pasta salad is the perfect little snack along with a sandwich for an after the match lunch. 

Baseball Food For Opening Day

I made two types of croissant sandwiches - chicken salad and turkey with cheese. In the baseball bowl is an orzo salad (click on pasta salad under labels and scroll down to the recipe).

I also made fruit skewers and a fruit tart. These recipes are also under labels under fruit kabobs and fruit tarts.

In the baseball bucket at the end of the Opening Day buffet is filled with baggies of ruffles tied with ribbon.

And that is our Opening Day Food! Oh no! I forgot to show you the baseball cookies.

I made these using a sugar cookie recipe - frosted them with melted white chocolate and piped on the red laces - super easy! I make these cookies every year - if you click on the baseball label and scroll down - it will show you the cookies step by step.

I hope your team wins! We are rooting for the Angels! This also would be a great tailgate picnic!

Confetti Orzo with Fresh Vegetables

This is a wonderful dish to bring to a picnic or BBQ especially since it is not mayonnaise based.  It can be served cold or at room temperature. It is also a very pretty dish - cut the veggies into really small pieces.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups orzo, cooked and drained
1/2 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 cup grape tomatoes, cut into quarters
1 cup bell peppers, finely chopped (red, green and yellow)
1/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped*

Directions:

Cook orzo for 10 -12 minutes in boiling water.

Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and pepper.

Toss the dressing, cooked orzo and all of the finely chopped vegetables.

*If you don't have basil - use parsley. Be creative. I would love it if you left a comment or signed up to be a follower!

Fresh Vegetable Pasta Salad

This is a great salad to serve for a light lunch or side dish at an evening BBQ.  Today we had the pasta salad for lunch. And there is a ton leftover!

12 ounces of spaghetti, broken in half and cooked according to the package directions
5 Roma tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
4 stalks of celery, finely diced
1 cucumber, finely chopped
1 small head of broccoli, cut into very small florets
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped Italian parsley
1 cup of small mozzarella balls, cut into quarters
1/2 jar Salad Supreme
3/4 cup olive oil

While the pasta is boiling, chop all of the vegetables and start adding them into a large bowl. Then strain and add the pasta and toss with the vegetables. Once the pasta has been tossed with the vegetables add the Salad Supreme and olive oil and toss again.

Let's face it you can't be healthy with out eating green things - so man-up and eat your veggies!

Pasta Salad in a Jar

I made some pasta salad and put it into individual jars. I used yellow ribbon because I was bringing the pasta salad for lunch after the tennis match.

This is a really easy project and a great presentation.  Once you tie the ribbon around your jar - you can wedge a plastic fork (or a real fork) into the ribbon.

Oops! In my awesome photo (not!) I cut off the top of the fork - but you get the idea!

Once I get the pasta salad in the jars, tie the ribbon and wedge the fork.... I put the jars in a large shallow basket. Oh and I forgot to tell you - I punched a white 2" circle to lightly tape on the top of the jar.

I was going to write on the circle - the name of my tennis club and the words welcome to the club we were hosting. However, Father Time is not my friend and I had to get to my son's baseball game! I was too tired to write tags when I got home!

Pasta Salad recipe:

1 Box of Barilla tricolor pasta (boil according to directions)
6 Tablespoons of olive oil
2 Tablespoons of canola oil
2 Tablespoons of pesto
2 Tablespoons of capers
1/2 Tablespoon of salt
1 Tablespoon of pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1/3 cup finely chopped chives
1 red pepper, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 cup of diced mozzarella
1 cucumber, finely diced
3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and finely sliced
1/3 cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
1/3 cup fresh spinach leafs, finely chopped

While the pasta is boiling - I whisk the olive oil, canola oil, pesto, salt and pepper. Then I add the capers, and start washing and chopping the veggies and adding them to a huge bowl. Once I drain the pasta and I add it to the bowl of dressing and veggies - I take a few bites to make sure that the pasta has enough dressing. I know that many people use a prepared Italian salad dressing and that is perfectly fine.

My pasta salad is always very flavorful because of all the vegetables. But if I feel it needs a little extra dressing I might add a few tablespoons of Italian dressing.

Now you need to wait until the pasta salad has cooled for about 10 minutes before you start putting it into your sterilized jars. Then put the tops on! Tie a ribbon around your jar. Wedge your fork in the ribbon. And if you have the energy punch a circle an write on it "Happy Birthday Joe" or "Memorial Day 2011."

This recipe makes approximately 14-15 jars of pasta salad. The best thing about this recipe is that you can make four jars of pasta salad and keep the rest in a bowl in the fridge. Or you can double the recipe and make 30 jars of pasta salad.

Trust me when you bring these cute jars of pasta salad to the BBQ everyone will be amazed at your Martha Stewartness! You will be known as the Martha Stewart in your circle of family and friends.

Pasta Salad in a Jar

I made a wonderful pasta salad full of fresh vegetables and seasoned with a little olive oil, white wine vinegar,  salt and pepper.

The vegetables I added were finely chopped red, green and yellow bell peppers,  a cucumber, grape tomatoes, fresh chives and fresh basil. I used bow tie pasta.

Now I washed a bunch of jam jars and placed the pasta salad inside the jar about half way, then I added a layer of shredded rotisserie chicken and topped with another layer of pasta salad.

It is a picnic in a jar! I made these to serve at a tennis match. Since I decided to add a little "pink" to my October posts in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness - I decorated the jars with  pink paper,  ribbons and forks.

The top of the lid is blah and boring - so I added a little pink with a piece of pink paper!

Now isn't that better?

The I tied the jar with pink polka dot ribbon and wedged a fork inside the ribbon.

This is a great idea to bring to a potluck or BBQ and they are really easy to make!  The trick is to find a place that sells the jars. I bought my jars at ACE Hardware store.

Pasta Salad

This is a wonderful pasta salad that can be used as a side dish or light main course.  In fact I served it for lunch today.

Ingredients:

12 ounces of spaghetti, broken in half, cooked and drained
1 large tomato, chopped
1 cucumber, finely chopped
3 stalks of celery, finely chopped
1 bell pepper, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups of broccoli florets, chopped
1/2 red onion finely chopped
1 small can of sliced olives (optional)
1/2 jar Salad Supreme
8 ounces of Italian salad dressing

Mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl and let refrigerate overnight.

I like to wash and chop the vegetables while the pasta is boiling. Then I just throw everything in my bowl and toss. This only takes about 20 minutes from start to finish.