If you’re looking for an easy way to turn plain rice into something a little more special, this Sun-Dried Tomato Rice is a new favorite around here. Jasmine rice cooks with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, oregano, and a little salt, then gets finished with butter and black pepper for a simple side dish that has so much flavor.

The sun-dried tomatoes add a savory, slightly sweet flavor to the rice, while the garlic and oregano give it that Mediterranean inspired taste without making the recipe complicated.

Best of all, it’s easy enough for a weeknight dinner. Serve it alongside roasted chicken, grilled chicken, or chicken meatballs for a meal that feels like you put in much more effort than you actually did.

Why You’ll Love This Sun Dried Tomato Rice

There are plenty of ways to make rice, but adding a few flavorful ingredients while it cooks makes such a difference.

First, the sun dried tomatoes add flavor as the rice cooks. The garlic and oregano season everything from the beginning, so the rice isn’t bland underneath.

Then, once the rice is cooked, butter is stirred in while the rice is hot. That little finishing step gives the rice a richer flavor and makes the texture especially nice.

Finally, a little freshly ground black pepper brings everything together.

It’s simple, but the combination works so well.

What You Need

• Jasmine rice: Jasmine rice has a naturally fragrant flavor and cooks up beautifully for this recipe.
• Sun dried tomatoes: Use sun dried tomatoes packed in oil. The tomatoes and some of their flavorful oil add a lot of flavor to the rice.
• Garlic: Fresh garlic gives the rice a savory base.
• Oregano: Dried oregano is an easy way to add Mediterranean flavor.
• Salt: Adds seasoning to the rice as it cooks.
• Butter: Stirred in after cooking for a rich, flavorful finish.
• Black pepper: Add it at the end to taste.
• Water: The rice cooks with water and the sun-dried tomatoes.

What to Serve With Sun Dried Tomato Rice

This rice is especially good with chicken.

I love serving it with chicken meatballs because the rice adds a flavorful side without competing with the main dish.

It also works well with:

• Roasted Sour Cream Chicken
• Roasted chicken (roast one or pick up a rotisserie chicken)
• Cast Iron chicken breasts
• Mediterranean chicken thighs
• Lemon Pepper chicken
• Grilled vegetables

You could also make this part of an easy Mediterranean inspired dinner with chicken, vegetables, and this rice on the side.

I put in whole garlic, instead of sliced or minced. I wanted the sun-dried tomato to be the star of this dish and while I still wanted that delicious garlic flavor I didn’t want the garlic to be the first thing you tasted. Adding whole garlic was perfect.

Tips for Making the Best Sun Dried Tomato Rice

Use jasmine rice. The fragrant flavor of jasmine rice works particularly well with the sun dried tomatoes and oregano.

Don’t skip the butter. Adding it after the rice cooks gives the finished rice a richer flavor and silky texture.

Let the rice rest. A few minutes of resting time helps the rice finish steaming and makes it easier to fluff.

Taste before serving. Depending on the sun-dried tomatoes you use, you may want to add a little more salt or black pepper at the end.

Use the flavorful oil. If your sun-dried tomatoes are packed in oil, that oil has plenty of flavor. Include some of it with the tomatoes when adding them to the rice. Or heat some oil with the sun-dried tomatoes so the flavor permeates the oil.

A New Favorite Rice Recipe

I love recipes like this because they don’t require a long list of ingredients to make dinner taste homemade.

Plain jasmine rice becomes something completely different with sun dried tomatoes, garlic, and oregano. Then the butter and black pepper finish it off.

The best part is how versatile it is. Make a batch for a weeknight chicken dinner, add it to a meal prep container, or serve it when you want an easy side dish that has more personality than plain rice.

Once you try this version, you may find yourself looking for excuses to make it again.

How to cook chicken for the week, make as much or as little as you need. Multiply this rice recipe for more servings.

This dish is also great with chicken meatballs

This sun dried tomato rice recipe makes great leftovers and freezes well too.

I love how rice cooks in a Dutch oven, and it stays warm for a long time, making it easy to prep out the meal and still have time to maybe go outside and grill the chicken if needed, but it can be cooked in a grill pan on the stove or baked in the oven as well, so many options.

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How to Make Sun Dried Tomato Rice

This rice is so flavorful, you may never look at rice the same way again. The buttery garlic aroma alone will have everyone wandering into the kitchen, and this easy rice is the perfect side for so many meals.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword garlic, rice

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

rest time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Author Diane Schmidt – createdbydiane.com

Ingredients

• 2 cups jasmine rice
• 2 teaspoons oil I use avocado oil
• 3 cups water
• 1/4-1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes, diced I use sun-dried tomatoes in oil, or add 1-2 tablespoons of oil to them and microwave for 20 seconds to flavor the oil and release more flavor from sun-dried tomatoes.
• 1-2 whole garlic cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt I use coarse kosher salt. I prefer the taste over table salt.
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter
• garnish with fresh oregano leaves

Instructions

• In a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, add the oil and rice to the pan and stir to combine. Heat and stir for 1-2 minutes, until the rice begins turning white.
• Add water, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, oregano, and salt.
• Bring to a simmer, then turn on low heat, and cover with a lid.
• Set a timer for 15 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork. Place butter on top, add the lid for 5 more minutes.
• Add black pepper and oregano garnish
• This rice is great served with grilled or cooked chicken. It would be great with chicken meatballs as well.

Notes

If using a different variety of rice, use the rice-to-water portions on the package.

The post How to Make Sun Dried Tomato Rice first appeared on Created by Diane.

Let’s dive right in and make this quick easy meal.

It can be adjusted to make it your own with lots of flavor options.

Pasta with garlic and oil, sounds basic… but it tastes amazing!

let’s get to the add-ins:

• butter- oh yeah, you can never go wrong with butter, add as much as you’d like
• heavy cream a couple of tablespoons of tomato sauce, and viola!
• vegetables- add some asparagus, spinach, roasted Brussels sprouts, or mushrooms
• protein- choose your favorite, perfect to use up leftovers
• cheese- add some Romano cheese, parmesan, or your favorite cheese
• lemon- fresh lemon juice is always good!

Now onto the pasta… I love Angel Hair, it’s so thin and delicate. It cooks in just a couple of minutes, making it faster to get the meal on the table.

This has been my quick go-to meal for many years, since before I was married. I’d make it all the time, it took minutes to make and was easy to whip up, so I could eat after work, before heading out of the house again. I just love garlic and pasta, and of course, bring on the butter!

Delicious items to also add

• capers- bring on that delicious, tangy flavor
• pesto- add a couple of tablespoons… oh la la. Be sure to try this jalapeno pesto!
• crushed red pepper- yep, that’s for sure going on the top of my pasta (add more when you’re heating the oil for extra spicy flavor)
• add some dry oregano to the oil or hydrate it in the reserved pasta water before adding it
• fresh basil is so wonderful

Let’s talk about garlic for a minute:

This recipe is all about the best garlic flavor.

Fresh garlic is going to be the best for this recipe. It’ll offer the best flavor. My second choice is peeled whole garlic you find in the refrigerated section of the store and it’s a good option. But it really ends there. Jarred minced garlic has preservatives and it has an acidic flavor, I just do not care for. I like Gourmet Gardens Garlic paste in so many recipes but not here, this is the dish you’ll want to see slivers of garlic all golden and delicious peeking out of the pasta! Enough said!

And remember with the garlic measure as you wish… I like tons of garlic!

This recipe can be easily multiplied or reduced to make just the amount you need.

If you’re like me and love pasta… make extra pasta and store it in the fridge. Rinse the pasta with cold water, then place it in a bag or container.

In minutes you can make…

• scrambled egg and bacon pasta one of my all-time favorite breakfasts
• spaghetti soup– it has that total yummy factor
• lemon vodka pasta sauce
• Thai peanut noodles
• buttermilk pasta sauce
• chicken lo mein
• screwdriver pasta sauce
• and for dessert chocolate spaghetti

Need more pasta recipes check these out!

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Angel Hair and Garlic

Angel hair pasta with garlic… the perfect quick dinner with many flavor options. Getting dinner on the table just got a whole lot easier.

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword pasta,, sauce, vegetable

Prep Time 2 minutes minutes

Total Time 8 minutes minutes

Author Diane Schmidt – createdbydiane.com

Ingredients

• 1 lb angel hair pasta reserver 1 cup pasta water
• 8-10 cloves fresh garlic, sliced fresh is really best in this recipe, or whole peeled garlic is another options to buy
• 1/4 cup oil, avocado or light olive oil use more oil if needed
• 4 leaves fresh basil, sliced
• pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• pinch salt and pepper
• options: tomatoes, asparagus, mushrooms, cook in a the garlic and oil mixture before adding pasta
• 2 oz grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

Instructions

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water for the sauce.
• Heat a medium to large skillet or use the pot you cook the past in when pasta is finished.
• Heat oil and garlic over medium-high heat.
• Since angel hair sticks together so easily, I rinse it, but when I use other pasta varieties I don't find it necessary.
• Saute for 1-2 minutes, don't burn the garlic. Stir so the oil gets infused with all the garlic. Add any vegetables and cook until just tender.
• Place all items in the pot you cooked pasta in if not already in there.
• Stir and add the pasta water and coat the pasta well. Add additional oil if needed, and add butter if desired. If adding heavy cream, pesto or similar items add before or after adding pasta.
• Serve topped with grated cheese, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper.

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Why you’ll love this recipe: It’s full of flavor and a low-carb option to eating an Italian sub.

What you’ll need

You’ll need all the items you’d enjoy in a sub to make this chopped Italian sub salad.

This Italian chopped salad is full of lettuce, tomato, onion, salami, and provolone, and I had stuffed green olives (pickles would have been great, but I ate them all the night before).

A crispy crunchy salad full of Italian sub flavors, add all your favorites and make it just the way you’d order a sub. You’ll chop it all up and dive your fork right into it!

As you can see this salad only needs some simple ingredients, any style of lettuce will work. I used iceberg lettuce, which you typically find in sub sandwiches. you can chop it thick or shred it fine.

No onto the tomatoes… I used grape tomatoes, you can use Beefsteak tomatoes or slice up some grape tomatoes like I did.

Italian meats are next… I used salami, you can add some prosciutto, ham, capicola, Calabrese Salame, or pepperoni are all good choices.

Now onto the cheese… provolone is my go-to for Italian sandwiches, use what you like best.

Substitutions

Add:

pickles

pepperoncini

pickled red onions

roasted red peppers

banana peppers

black olives

or your favorite sub topping

Go ahead and grab everything you’d like…

and add it to your chopped Italian sub salad, and begin chopping.

How are you going to make this crazy good Italian chopped salad… you’ll need a delicious dressing.

I drizzle the salad with avocado oil (olive oil is another option or oil of your choosing) then add red wine vinegar, dry oregano, salt, and pepper.

Give the salad a toss and you’re all set to dig in. If you don’t want to make dressing just grab some sub dressing at the store. I can suggest Boars head dressing, or Beanos are nice options.

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Italian Chopped Salad

You'll love this crispy crunchy Italian Chopped Sub Salad it's full of all your favorite Italian sub items, tossed in the perfect dressing. Every bite is full of flavor.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 1 servings

Author Diane Schmidt – createdbydiane.com

Ingredients

• 2-4 cups iceburg lettuce chopped
• 6-8 grape tomatoes sliced, or other tomato variety
• 4-6 oz Italian meat I used salami
• 1-2 oz provolone cheese
• 2-4 tablespoons onion chopped (white or red onion)
• 6 green pimento stuffed olives sliced
• 1-2 tablespoons oil avocado oil (olive oil is another option or oil of your choosing)
• 2-4 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon dry oregano
• pinch coarse salt
• pinch coarse black pepper

Instructions

• In a medium to large salad bowl add the salad items.
• Drizzle on the dressing (mix the dressing in a jar or add the items over the salad.
• Toss the salad to mix the dressing completely and serve. If prepping this salad ahead of time add dressing right before serving.

Notes

Salad dressing: I drizzle the salad with avocado oil (olive oil is another option or oil of your choosing) then add red wine vinegar, dry oregano, salt, and pepper. Or use purchased sub dressing if you prefer.

Substitutions: add pickles, pepperoncini, pickled red onions, roasted red peppers, banana peppers, black olives,

The post Italian Sub Chopped Salad first appeared on Created by Diane.

All the great flavors of a caprese in a warm toasted sandwich, add a drizzle of balsamic for added zing!

The flavors of a Caprese salad joined with grilled cheese–this sandwich is as close to perfection as it comes! The fresh flavors are over the top delicious.

Some days call for a simple dinner…

A simple go-to is sandwiches; Sandwiches require little energy from me after a long day of work. But just because you need or want something quick, doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice flavor or settle for basic. And this Caprese Grilled Cheese is a great example of simplicity that is bursting with flavor.

It offers all the comforts of a traditional grilled cheese sandwich, but it combines the flavors of basil, tomato, mozzarella cheese, and balsamic vinegar–all the great flavors from a Caprese salad. Put all of this between two pieces of sourdough bread, and oh my goodness, you have the ultimate and most delicious grilled cheese sandwich.

And unlike ordinary grilled cheese that can sometimes feel like a heavy meal, the fresh flavors of tomato and basil in this Caprese Grilled Cheese are light with refreshing flavor… And the balsamic, oh so yummy it adds that hint of sweetness and balances perfectly with the acidity of the tomato. 

And if you’re wanting something lighter, or you abstain from bread, you can simply try any one of my Caprese salad variations:

• Grilled Chicken Caprese Salad: A Caprese salad with the addition of spinach leaves and a creamy balsamic dressing–this is caprese salad kicked up a notch!
• Avocado Caprese Salad: A classic Caprese salad with the addition of cream avocados!
• Grilled Caprese Salad: Grilled romaine lettuce with all the flavors of a classic Caprese.
• Marinated Caprese: The original Caprese that started it all!

And there are loads more caprese salad variations to look at on my blog! Or for a great summer evening meal, try my Caprese Pasta Salad–it’s perfect for those warm evenings with a glass of white wine. 

And maybe you’re looking for other ways to elevate your sandwiches. I have loads of sandwich recipes, like my Grilled Eggplant and Mozzarella Sandwich with Lemon Artichoke Spread. Or my Chicken BLT Sandwich–whatever your tastes are, I’m sure you’ll find something to fall in love with!

Continue reading: Mozzarella Grilled Cheese

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Pico de gallo, also known as Salsa Fresca is so simple and delicious, it can be made in minutes. It relies on the flavor of fresh tomatoes, so pick those carefully and you will have a great tasting salsa. I use Roma tomatoes, they are thick and dense and have a great flavor, and minimal seeds.

Ingredients

• tomatoes
• onions
• peppers
• cilantro
• lime
• salt

This fresh tomato salsa has all the delicious fresh flavors you’d expect. With the great colors of the Mexican flag, this salsa will be perfect on top of all sorts of Mexican dishes.

As I mentioned I use Roma tomatoes, but you can use any ripe tomatoes you find, even grape tomatoes work well.

The longer this salsa sits the more the tomatoes will release juice, if you prefer your salsa to not be juicy at all. Salt the tomatoes and let them sit in a strainer so the juice will not sit in the tomatoes and salsa.

Now, onto the onions… white onions are great for this recipe.  If you don’t prefer the bite of the onion or if you cut into your onion and it’s really firey, dice and soak the onion in cold water for 10 minutes to remove some of the bite, sharp or burning flavor.

Now we’ll chat about the peppers… I use jalapenos and plenty of them I leave the seeds in, but you can remove the seeds if you don’t prefer the heat. As soon as you dice jalapenos you’ll usually know if they’re spicey, but give a small piece a taste before you add them to know how much you’ll prefer. 

Cilantro is really so delicious and absolutely nothing beats fresh cilantro. Add as much as you’d like I start with a cup of loosely packed leaves, then dice them. About a quarter to a half cup diced. 

Fresh lime juice is next, so slice the lime in half and juice it, use a reamer or a citrus press to release all the delicious citrusy juice.

Now, add the salt. I use coarse Kosher salt it has a great taste and if my preference in all cooking, table salt has an off flavor, sometimes metallic. Himalayan salt is also a great choice.

All this chopping reminded me to mention my new favorite knife, I just love it, it’s so thin and sharp and easily cuts everything so well and I’m able to dice smaller with very little effort as well as it’ll go through a sweet potato or thick dense item like butternut squash, spaghetti squash with ease.

It’s great served with chips or to pile on top of tacos or any Mexican dish, it’s great on…

• Mexican Eggs
• Black Bean Soup
• Pepper Jack Mac and Cheese
• taco salad
• carne asada fries
• corn soup
• Pork Taco Bowls

This easy pico de Gallo is sure to be your new go to item to make, there is never a time that chips and salsa aren’t a good idea… don’t you agree.

If you love salsa, be sure to check these out as well

• Restaurant Salsa
• Salsa Verde

Maybe you’ll want guac to go along with your chips and salsa, here is a great guacamole recipe and this one is over the top delicious with goat cheese and bacon.

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Pico de gallo

Simple flavors marinade together for the most perfect flavor for dipping chips, topping tacos, and can easily be pureed for a smooth sauce over your favorite Mexican

Course Appetizer, Dip, sauce

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 2 cups

Author Diane Schmidt - createdbydiane.com

Ingredients

• 5-6 ripe tomatoes I use Roma tomatoes (about 1 1/2-2 lbs)
• 1/2 white onion diced 1/2-3/4 cup
• 1-2 jalapenos diced 2 tablespoons-1/4 cup
• 1/3 cup loosely chopped cilantro small bunch
• 1 lime juiced (1-1 1/2 tablespoons)
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt or a little less table salt adjust according to taste

Instructions

• Dice all ingredients and mix well.
• refrigerate for an hour before serving so the lime juice has a chance to meld the flavors and bread down the tomatoes rendering additional juices.
• Taste before serving and add additional salt if needed.

Notes

The longer this salsa sits the more juice will release from the tomatoes if you like it "saucy" make it ahead of time and store it in the fridge until ready to serve.

The post Pico de gallo first appeared on Created by Diane.

 The salty sweet flavors of bacon mingled with the crisp and fresh taste of lettuce, and all the earthy fresh aromas a tomato offers an amazing flavor combination now enters this SAUCE…

And it’s these flavors that inspired me to throw them together in a pasta dish that is perfect for lunch, a picnic, or the perfect summer dinner on a hot day. I replaced the lettuce with Kale, but you could use spinach or another green easily.

All of this being said, I do get a lot of questions about bacon. Which type of bacon, precooked, crumbled, raw. I often select precooked bacon as it only takes a minute to heat up in the microwave and crisp well and it’s great for making the meal quickly. You can cook any bacon of your choice for this recipe. Take a look at my post on Baking Bacon in the oven here.

I love bacon and you can find more of my recipes with bacon below:

• Jalapeno Bacon Mac and Cheese my most requested recipe from my kids
• Maple Bacon Bourbon Chicken Legs Oh yea!
• Crack Chicken, a really fun hearty meal
• Cold BLT Pasta Salad with a homemade tomato mayo dressing
• BLT Cole Slaw perfect for a BBQ
• Baked Beans just about the BEST recipe ever, make on the stove, oven, or Instant Pot.

Continue reading: Buttermilk BLT Pasta Sauce

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I love simple things. Especially when they’re flavor-packed and require few ingredients.

And Caprese Salad hits all those notes and more. 

Originally an Italian dish, as the food colors represent the Italian flag, this salad can be served all on its own as a light but nutritious and filling lunch or dinner, or it goes great with a warm and crusty baguette or just grab a fork and enjoy it for lunch.

Be sure to check out these other Caprese recipes you’re bound to find some new favorites.

• Avocado Caprese
• Grilled Chicken Caprese Salad
• Caprese Crostini
• Caprese with Balsamic Aioli– perfect for a party

One of my favorite ways to incorporate it is with a charcuterie board – it pairs amazingly with salami, prosciutto, and soppressata. Add a glass of your favorite red wine and you have a meal fit for a queen.

Continue reading: How to Make Marinated Caprese

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One of my favorite aspects of fall and winter are the large varieties of soups, stews, and bisques that can be made.

This creamy tomato basil bisque fits right in. I love soup because they leave a lot of room for creativity, and nothing is better after a long day than sitting down in your favorite comfy socks with a warm bowl of soup. 

This tomato basil bisque goes way beyond the tomato soup of your youth, this soup has texture and the flavor of butternut squash, which is rich and full with a hint of nutty flavor. And this isn’t a sweet soup, it can be spiced to meet whatever your taste buds require.

I like mine a little kicked up with some crushed red pepper, you could add some hot sauce. It can be served with fresh baked bread, like this French Bread recipe or if you like Rustic Artisan bread give the recipe in his post a try, it’s wonderful. 

Continue reading: How to Make Tomato Bisque

The post How to Make Tomato Bisque first appeared on Created by Diane.

I just love a good Caprese, 

and enjoying the same great flavors in a pasta salad is s true winner in my book!

I use the tiny mozzarella pearls in this dish, they go great with the large elbow noodles.

I’m a huge basil fan, it’s just about the ONE item I guarantee I can grow. This year I grew it from seed and have a ton of it, be sure to check out this, this, and this, if you’re a basil fan too. They are some of my all-time favorite recipes!

Let’s get started:

Get a large pot boiling with water and salt, then drop in the pasta – cook according to package directions – once finished drain well and run cold water over it to cool the pasta.

Place the pasta in a large bowl and use a tablespoon of oil and mix around so the pasta doesn’t stick to itself.

Next, slice your tomatoes in half lengthwise and place them in a bowl with your mozzarella and pasta.

Mix the ingredients around and set aside to move onto your dressing.

The dressing is a cinch! Using a small bowl mix together the ingredients, your vinegar will want to separate, this is normal, keep mixing until incorporated. Use an immersion blender to emulsify it if you prefer.

Finally, pour the dressing over the bowl with the pasta, and mix well, adding some sliced basil towards the end, incorporating it fully.

You’ll want to refrigerate this for at least an hour to give the ingredients a little bit of time to marry and get happy.

Once you’re ready to eat, season with salt and pepper and lightly drizzle balsamic over top of pasta just before serving, if desired.

A couple important notes:

This recipe is for 8oz of pasta, which is about half of a regular package. You can use the whole package, just be sure you double the ingredients.

This dish can be divided into jars for easy on the go eating, lunch, the beach or to pre-portion it out for the week. It’s a great travel anywhere food!

 The dressing can be made ahead of time – no refrigeration needed. Be aware that as it sits the vinegar will naturally separate from the oil. For this reason, keeping it in a ball jar for easy shaking can be advantageous.

Creativity is always welcome in the kitchen, and as such we have our Inquiring Minds section to help answer a few simple questions:

Is there a preferred mozzarella to use for this recipe?

Fresh is always best! Most groceries carry it, it will be in a clear container with its whey liquid included. I prefer the pearls, they are small and don’t need to be cut and are a great size in this dish. If you can’t fresh mozzarella, use a few mozzarella sticks and slice them into small disk shapes.

Can I use a different shaped pasta?

Yes, everyone seems to have their favorite pasta shape, and some are designed to hold onto sauce but here it’s nice to use large elbows that are smooth so the dressing slides on the noodles but they aren’t going to over absorb it. So look for smoothly shaped pasta, some penne is smooth, while other penne have ridges, I prefer smooth for this recipe.

Can I replace the balsamic vinegar?

Balsamic has a unique taste, but theoretically, you could – it will alter the flavor a bit. You can substitute 1 tablespoon cider or red wine vinegar plus a pinch of sugar to substitute for 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar.

Dating back to post-World War I, traditional Caprese Salad has long been a staple of Italy. The story goes that a patriotic mason wanted to make a dish that was a tribute to his country, and this refreshing salad was born that visually incorporated the colors of Italy’s flag.

Fast forward 30 years and King Farouk, in the 1950s, asked for a light afternoon snack and was given a Caprese sandwich. And this food planted it’s foot firmly in food history and the Caprese salad became known as a staple of Capri food and culture.

And there are many ways to mix it up! King Farouk liked his sandwiches, and we’ll be mixing up this salad by adding pasta for a complete meal. It fits in seamlessly with many meals, such as Grilled Chicken Caprese.

Place the pasta salad in jars for easy on the go eating, lunch, the beach or to pre-portion it out for the week.

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Caprese Pasta Salad

this delicious tasting and easy to make Caprese pasta salad with balsamic dressing is a perfect cold dish to enjoy all year long.

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American, Italian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 7 minutes minutes

Total Time 17 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Author Diane Schmidt - createdbydiane.com

Ingredients

• 8 oz large elbow pasta or another pasta shape of similar size
• 4 oz mozzarella pearls
• 5 ox grape tomatoes
• 6 leaves fresh basil thinly sliced

dressing

• 3 tablespoon oil I use avocado oil, any oil will work as well like olive oil, vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar glaze it's thick balsamic, any balsamic vinegar will work
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

add more seasoning if desired or more dressing if the pasta absorbs it quicly

Instructions

• Cook pasta according to package directions (this recipe is for a 1/2 lb pasta double remaining ingredients if you plan on making it with a pound of pasta)
• Drain the pasta and run cold water to cool pasta.
• Next, add a tablespoon or so of oil so the pasta won't stick together.
• Slice the tomatoes in half lengthwise and place them in a bowl with the mozzarella and pasta.
• Mix the ingredients for the dressing together well, (or use an immersion blender to emulsify it, pour the dressing over the bowl with the pasta, and mix well.
• Add slide fresh basil
• Place the pasta salad in the fridge. Chill the pasta salad for at least an hour for the best flavor.
• Add additional salt and pepper to taste.
• Drizzle additional balsamic glaze over top before serving if desired.

The post How to Make Caprese Pasta Salad first appeared on Created by Diane.

Transforming a predictable pizza night into something elevated and new to appease taste buds and creativity all in one fell swoop, is this dish with melted mozzarella and aromatic garlic layered with the fresh burst of sliced tomatoes and oregano.

 And though it may look intimidating, part of its beauty is in its simplicity. You have the option to use store-bought refrigerated pie crust in place of the homemade one, though I encourage you to try my homemade pie crust, as it’s simple, fun, and has a great flavor and texture.

Popular in French cuisine, a Galette describes various types of flat, round or freeform crusty cakes. It can be served with savory fillings but is excellent as a dessert option like this Blueberry Galette. And whether savory or sweet, nothing tastes better for breakfast than leftover Galette! And if you’re a savory person, this makes an excellent breakfast.

Continue reading: Tomato Galette

The post Tomato Galette first appeared on Created by Diane.