Foodie much?

Tonight I don't have a recipe for you, although I do have a ton to put up shortly I just have been too busy to do so.  I thought though my blog could use some fresh blood pumping through its veins.  I was checking my email this evening when I realized how much of a food nerd I am...  When you are on the mailing list of a store that sends out the fall collection of henkles cookware, you know that you have made it to those ranks...   Have no fear though since it is fun to be included in such an elite group.  Where something as simple as a beautifully crafted knife can get your heart pumping.  Getting the henkles fall catalogue for me was as exciting as a fashionista getting her monthly copy of vogue.  Anyways enough about my rant if you want to go check out the beauty that I just beheld the link is below;
http://content.yudu.com/A1u17c/FallGourmetGuideEngl/

Have a wonderful night or day wherever your timezone may land you and please come back soon and I will hopefully have something new to tantalize your eyes with :)

Enjoying Endless Summer

What's so great about a nice long Indian summer?  The fact that you can enjoy the summer foods for just a little bit longer.  My absolute favourite summer meal... Pasta salad.  The simplest meal that tastes even better the next day.  I have had many pasta salads in my time but I always come back to my sisters take on it.  Her secret to success?  Pickle juice.  That's it that's all just plain and simple pickle juice mixed into ranch dressing.  First you make your pasta we prefer bow ties (farfalle) or shells (conchiglie) so that they have lots of texture and edges to trap the dressing and smaller pieces of vegetables.  Then we put a whole bunch of cut up vegetables in a bowl, make sure they are cut smaller so there's no complaints from the peanut gallery.  Usually our list includes but is not exclusive to grated carrots, cucumber, onions, pickles (the most important part), tomatoes if you're eating it all the same day otherwise they get watery for the next day, snap peas and anything else that looks delicious in your fridge or may be going bad soon.  Then put the cooked, drained, rinsed pasta in the bowl and mix in your dressing of ranch with pickle juice over top.  The dressing is about the consistency of homemade coleslaw dressing for the right proportion.  This is about halfway between the the consistency of the dressing and water somewhere in there.  Place it in the fridge to chill.  Then the best part! Eating it.  If I am going to eat this salad the next day I always make a little bit extra dressing so i pour some over it right before I eat it and it is ahmazhing!

                             -My most recent pasta baby-