Shazzers Warm Pasta Salad, from

Shazzers Warm Pasta Salad

1 packet of small shelled pasta
20 leaves of fresh basil torn into small pieces
2 tomatoes cut into approx 1cm size pieces (ie small) Or use cherry tomatoes x8 and cut each into 1/4's
2 spring onions sliced into small pieces
1 ball of mozzarella cheese torn into small pieces
1/2 tsp salt and 1tsp cracked black pepper for seasoning

Cook pasta first in salted water.
Drain pasta but leave around 2tbsp of cooking water in the pot with the pasta. (Keep the pasta in the cooking pot when you add the other ingredients)
Add all other ingredients being careful to spread out the mozzarella as it will want to clump together.
Very gently stir and reheat the salad for 30 seconds on the stove the cheese will melt and the basil will wilt. Be gentle as it has a tendency to want to all form one big ball.

Pseudo Chicken Parmigiana, and idea from Kimberly

Wheat rotini went in the bottom of the pan. On top of that, I poured some of the tomato sauce I'd made the other day. Then I put in a layer of Morningstar chicken patties. A layer of mozzarella topped it all off, and then I baked it until it was brown and yummalicious.

Margarhita Pizza, an idea from Kimberly

I made a simple sauce from the *tomatoes with safflower oil and salt that turned out super yummy and sweet. That went onto a pre-baked wheat boboli crust and then I just put some thin slices of mozzarella and some feta crumbles. I baked it all until it was crunchy and brown, and it was oh, so good. It might have deserved a tastier crust, but it was OK. I have never made a crust that I like, so I just settle for Boboli.

*poster's note: 2 pounds of cherry tomatoes!

Tomato Salad, from Jenifer

Tomato salad:
Tomato (We have some from the garden, but cherry tomatoes work well as well), chopped
Fresh chives, chopped
fresh garlic, minced
olive oil
Homemade Ital. Seasoning
fresh ground salt and pepper

~ dry chopped tomatoes and place them in a bowl.
~Add garlic and chives
~season them with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and toss.
~drizzle with olive oil. toss
~chill

~slice mozzarella ball
~dust with just a tiny amount of salt and garlic powder

~slice open roll
~layer mozzarella
~spoon tomato on top
~serve immediately


For my balsamic vinaigrette I use olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard (sometimes brown sugar) fresh minced garlic and salt/pepper to taste. I shake it up in a jar or whisk it in a bowl to combine.