Spicy Pasta Salad with Smoked Gouda, Tomatoes, and Basil

Hello everyone! :) I had a post for the recipe done about a month ago and when I went to post it, bam, nothing. The blog froze. At the time, I didn't have the time to do it again, so here I am! :) This is a unique salad that uses ingredients i've never cooked with or used before, so I was excited to try it. I know this is going to surprise you all, but I got this recipe from The Pioneer Woman. Since it's garden vegetable season, this may be a new recipe for you to use for those fresh garden tomatoes and basil.

Enjoy!

::Spicy Pasta Salad with Smoked Gouda, Tomatoes, and Basil::

12 ounces, weight Mostaccioli

1/2 cup Mayonnaise

1/4 cup Whole Milk

4 Tablespoons White Vinegar

1-1/2 teaspoon Adobo Sauce From Chipotle Peppers (or One Minced Chipotle Pepper)

1/2 teaspoon Salt

Ground Black Pepper To Taste

10 ounces, weight Grape Tomatoes, Halved Lengthwise

1/2 pound Smoked Gouda Cheese, Cut Into Small Cubes

24 whole Basil Leaves (chiffonade)

(This is optional, but i added just a bit of garlic salt and onion salt) :)

Cook pasta until done. Drain and rinse in cold water until no longer hot. Set aside.

Mix mayonnaise, milk, vinegar, salt, pepper, and adobo in a small bowl.

In a large bowl, stir together pasta, dressing, halved tomatoes, and cubed Gouda. Taste for seasonings, adding more salt and pepper if needed, and even an extra teaspoons or two of vinegar if necessary. Stir in basil at the end. Refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving.

Could find Mostaccioli when I was at Wal Mart, so the penne rigate was the closest looking item I could find. Who knows, maybe its just another name for mostacciloli?!

For the dressing...mayonaise of course.

Whole milk...

Distilled, white vinegar.

Chilpotle peppers in the suace...yum!

Ready for a little heat!

Adding the sauce.

And some salt.

Along with some pepper.

I also added a little garlic and onion salt...just a little! :)

Slice the tomatoes.

Chiffonade pretty much means to cut into strips.

I just made a little pile of the basil and then sliced

Onto the smoked gouda! Adds a good flavor!

Cut into chunks.

Mix those ingredients together...

Like so.

Then add the pasta.

And dressing! Yum!

The dressing will thicken a little as it sits in the fridge.

Enjoy!

::Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies::

 There is nothing like a good, homemade cookie. They kind of bring back that kid in you with thoughts of helping your mom or grandma (or whomever else) mix up the cookie dough, stealing some cookie dough to eat (when you didn't care that raw eggs were in there...oh wait, I still don't!), and anxiously peering through the oven window watching them bake. I was once told that for every time you open the oven door to "peek," you have to add another minute on to the baking time. Nothing beats a classic chocolate chip cookie, but at the same time I wanted to try a different recipe for a semi-traditional cookie. What else better to try than a chocolate chip oatmeal cookie recipe? I got this recipe off of Tasty Kitchen where it was submitted by monstermama. This recipe was rated 5/5 oven mitts (oven mitts = stars) and after reading the reviews I knew I had to make them. They were delicious; crunchy, soft, and chewy all in one. The recipe calls for a little unique ingredient of cinnamon, which adds wonderful flavor. Not too much, but enough that you can tell. Enjoy!

::Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies::

Recipe from: monstermama (Tasty Kitchen)

2 sticks butter

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

3 cups quick oats

1 cup chocolate chips or butterscotch chips (I used choc. chips)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat together butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs, vanilla and beat well. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; add to egg mixture and mix well. Stir in the oats and chocolate/butterscotch chips and mix in. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minuets until golden. Cool about 1 minute before moving to a wire rack.

My picture..that was suppose to be the first one, of all the ingredients, wouldn't show up. So, what else better to start with than butter? :)

Then the sugars.

Beat until creamy.

Then add the eggs....

Vanilla (I use Watkins in all my baking and cakes).

Beat together.

Now for the dry ingredients.

Whisk all together.

Like that.

Then add to the egg/sugar mixture.

Once combined. Stir in the oats.

And then the chocolate chips (or butterscotch, or both).

Picture above of the oatmeal mixed in.

The with the chocolate chips!

Don't forget my favorite...parchment paper!

You can use a rounded tablespoon to make each cookie even.

Ready for the oven!

Or, you can use a cookie scoop/ice cream scoop!

All baked up!

Ready to eat...with some milk possibly?

Enjoy!

::Rhubarb Upside Down Cake::

Hey everyone! It has been a long time between posts that's forsure! One of my favorite things about summer is how awesome the fruit is, including that rhubarb is in season! There is something about rhubarb that I love, it's a little tart but sweet at the same time. Which for me has the same effect of the salty and sweet combo...got to love it! Speaking of rhubarb, this recipe is one that I have grown up with and reminds me of being at the lake and of one of my aunt's...who always would make this and I would be so excited when she did! I got this recipe out of the O.L.O.P.H. cookbook that my grandpa gave me. It is very easy to make and delicious as well! Enjoy!

::Rhubarb Upside Down Cake::

1 box white or yellow cake mix

4 cups rhubarb, chopped

1 cup sugar

1 pt whipping cream

Follow cake directions and put in greased 9x13" pan. Top with the rest of the ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Store in refrigerator.

Mix up the cake according to the directions and pour into a greased 9x13" pan.

The chopped up rhubarb.

Sprinkle over the prepared cake mix.

Then sprinkle the sugar over the rhubarb.

Like so...

Close up!

Then the cream...

Pour over the sugar.

Ready for the oven! The weird part about this is...the rhubarb, sugar, and cream work their way to the bottom to form a "custardy/rhubarb" layer.... as you'll kind of see in the next pic.

The finished product. Who knew all the goodness was on the bottom?!

I served this with whipped cream.

Enjoy!