Greek Pasta Salad

With summer upon us, it is time for salads. Here's a Mediterranean twist to a pasta salad...quickly assembled and very tasty.


Pasta Salad:

• 3 cups / 8 ounces of sea shell pasta *
• 1/4 cup basil pesto
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/2 English cucumber, chopped
• 1-2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese (or shredded Parmesan)
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• black olives (optional)

1. In large pot of boiling, salted water, cook pasta according to directions on package. Drain. Rinse under cold running water and drain well. Allow pasta to cool.
2. Combine pesto and sour cream in small bowl.
3. Place pasta in large salad bowl, together with cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, cheese, pine nuts and olives.
4. Add dressing and toss to coat.
5. Four main dish servings.

* Use your preferred pasta...bow-ties or spirals work fine as well.

Old-fashioned Strawberry Shortcake

We are enjoying local strawberries...fresh from the fields...these days.  Though strawberries taste good any which way...there's nothing quite like a serving of old-fashioned strawberry shortcake.  This recipe is more like a sweet biscuit more than a cake...and came from my friend, Marlene...some three decades ago.

•  1 quart strawberries / 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 pint whipping cream / 2 Tbsp sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup milk

1. Wash and slice strawberries. Add about 1/4 cup sugar to sliced berries and set aside for at least 15 minutes.
2. Whip cream at medium speed until soft peaks are formed...adding 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
3. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
4. Cut in butter to make coarse crumbs.
5. Combine milk and egg and add to dry ingredients. 
6. Stir with a fork or spoon...just until moistened.
7. Pat batter into greased eight inch round pan.
8. Bake at 425° F for about 15-20 minutes.
9. Allow to cool on wire rack.
10. Cut cake into wedges.
11. Split each wedge in half horizontally filling with strawberries and whipped cream...and topping with more of the same.