Perfect For A Hot Summer Night

This recipe was inspired by food writer, chef and recipe developer Susie Middleton, who blogs at sixburnersue.com. I made a few changes. Susie added spinach to the salad, which would add gorgeous color and nutrition. Alas, I did not have any.

GREEK PASTA SALAD WITH FETA, OLIVES, ARTICHOKES, TOMATOES & PEPPERONCINI

The Ingredients.

1/4 cup/60ml mild extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon white balsamic vinegar

Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 small red onion, cut in very thin slices

One can chick peas, rinsed and drained

One 14-ounce/400-g can quartered artichoke hearts, well-drained and cut

8 ounces small grape tomatoes, halved

Pitted black olives and green Spanish olives

4 ounces/115 g good-quality, creamy feta cheese, crumbled

2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano (I had to use dried oregano)

8 ounces/225 g dried gemelli or other curly pasta (had to use rotini pasta)

1/3 cup/35 g chopped toasted walnuts

Sliced pepperocini, drained

The Directions.

1. Whisk or stir together olive oil, vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and several grinds of pepper. Add onion, chick peas, artichokes, grape tomatoes, olives, feta, and toss well. Let mixture sit for 15 to 20 minutes.

2. Cook pasta until al dente. Drain well in a colander but do not rinse. Transfer warm pasta to mixing bowl with the dressing and vegetables and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add the toasted walnuts and the pepperoncini and toss well. (The feta will loosen up and coat the pasta.) Taste and season with more salt and pepper, if desired. (You can also let the tossed pasta sit for a few minutes, stir again, and taste.)

Something new ...

I've read that Moroccan cuisine, a mixture of European and African cooking, is the last of the great undiscovered cuisines. It's definitely a style of cooking I'm not familiar with. Located in Northwest Africa, with Mediterranean and Atlantic coastlines, Morocco is a land steeped in mystery and adventure, a place where the sun is warm and the people are enigmatic. To me it is a far away place where the exotic cities of Tangier, Marrakesh and Casablanca beckon with the lure of a camel ride across the desert or snake charmers in a crowded market.

Included in Moroccan cooking are the tasty dishes of the workers and peasants. In their daily meals, little meat is used. Grains and vegetables are combined with numerous herbs and spices to produce savory and satisfying fare. The herbs used: chervil, garlic, fresh coriander leaves, mint and parsley are blended with these spices: aniseed, cayenne, cinnamon, cumin, ginger, paprika, pepper, saffron, turmeric and ras el-hanout (a blend of spices) to produce mouth-watering dishes. To give these non-meat creations even more zest, onions, olives, pickled lemons, almonds and sesame seeds are utilized extensively.

Soups are the mainstay of the Moroccan people and at times their only meal of the day. They're based mostly on chickpeas and lentils. Infused with herbs and spices, they become delightful creations.

I just got this easy recipe from my Gather friend, Shan. As soon as I saw it, I knew I had to make it. I think next time, I'll add cumin and sweet paprika, but it was delicious just the way it is here. The cinnamon gave it a new and interesting flavor that I loved with the bite of the cayenne.

MOROCCAN CHICKPEA SOUP
4 cups chicken broth (or use vegetable)
2 cups cooked chickpeas (I used 2 cans of chick peas, rinsed and drained)
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can artichokes, drained and chopped
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t basil
1/2 t oregano
1/4 t cayenne
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste (I didn't add any salt)
Couple handfuls fresh baby spinach
Bring everything to a simmer in large soup pot over medium low heat. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Stir in spinach and cook another 5 minutes or so.
Serve with pita bread.

A great recipe for Hot Artichoke Dip ...

Seems like everyone in these parts makes a variation of this dip but this golden-crusted recipe of my sister-in-law's is my personal favorite. It's perfect in every way!
SUPER YUMMY HOT ARTICHOKE DIP
2-8 oz. cans artichokes, well drained
(squeeze out all moisture with paper towels) and chop
1 cup mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated or finely shredded Parmesan cheese
Add garlic powder to mayonnaise. Stir in artichokes. Combine cheeses and add. Bake at 350* for 30 minutes. Serve with crackers.

My very first blog post ...

Greetings and welcome to my brand new blog, AUNTSHOE!

For some unknoiwn reason, I've always wanted a blog of my own ... I guess I think I have a lot to say. I love to collect and share recipes and I enjoy sharing my poems. As my son says, this is probably one of the only poetry/recipe blogs around. Someday, I'd love to publish a book of my poetry. And I'd also like to publish a cookbook. Maybe I'll figure out a way to combine them! Thanks for stopping by and checking out my blog. Hope you will return often ... 

Next time I make this recipe, I'll sprinkle the top with fresh chopped parsley to make it look pretty! Even some dried parsley added to the bread crumbs would jazz up the appearance. This was so tasty ... wish I had remembered to take a photo! 

FETTUCCINE WITH ARTICHOKES AND CANNELLINI 

Ingredients: 

3/4# fettuccine 

1/4 cup plus 1 tsp. olive oil 

2 cloves garlic, chopped 

1 - 15.6 oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed 

1 - 13.75 oz. can artichokes, quartered and drained 

Kosher salt and black pepper 

Red chili pepper flakes, plus additional for sprinkling on top 

1 slice white bread, toasted (or prepared bread crumbs) 

1 tsp. dried oregano 

Parmesan cheese to sprinkle over the top 

Directions: 

1) Cook pasta. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water. Drain pasta and return to pot. 

2) Heat 1/2 cup olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add beans, artichokes, 3/4 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper and red pepper flakes. Cook 3-4 minutes until heated through. 

3) Pulse bread in food processor until coarse crumbs form (or use prepared Italian bread crumbs, as I did). Add oregano and remaining tsp. olive oil and combine well. 

 4) Toss pasta with artichoke mixture and reserved pasta water. Sprinkle with bread crumbs.