Sin-sational Pasta Salad, and Yay for Rain! (9/30/2009)

Ah, yes. Hooray for a rainy day! I love, love, love fall in Utah. Too bad it only lasts for about a week…
My tummy is still a tad sensitive from the other night, so I actually just snacked on toast all day. What did the other two people I live with eat all day? Don’t know, don’t care.Here is the pasta salad recipe I was talking about the other day. It is so good, and at the bottom –incase you don’t already know how- I typed up directions on roasting a bell pepper for yourself. Bon Appetite!

Sensational Pasta Salad

For the Yogurt-Herb Sauce you will need:
-1 cup fresh spinach leaves
-1/2 cup plain yogurt
-1/2 cup feta, crumbled
-1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
-3 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
-2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves
-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
-1 teaspoon honey
-salt and pepper to taste
-1/4 cup olive oil

Combine all ingredients but olive oil in the food processor. While mixing, drizzle in olive oil until smooth. Set aside.

For the Pasta you will need:
-2 and ½ cups dry penne pasta
-1 cup roasted red bell pepper cut into strips (about 2 large bell peppers)
-1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
-yogurt herb sauce (above)

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Toss drained pasta with bell pepper, olives and sauce. Store in refrigerator.
Note: TO ROAST A BELL PEPPER-
Turn on your broiler. Pop in the bell peppers and allow to blacken, rotating until entire pepper is charred (may take about 12 minutes total). Prepare paper towels by dampening them in water. Cover charred bell peppers with the moist paper towels for about 10 minutes. This allows the pepper to steam and cool, which will make the skin easier to remove.

Roasting bell peppers will make your house smell better than any candle ever could!