Saturday, August 3, 2013

Ditalini Pasta Salad with Lemon, Green Beans and Tomatoes

We have been "World Travelers" the past few weeks. We have been to Memphis, TN, Sheboygan, WI and DISNEY WORLD! My parents built a house down in Memphis while my dad works down there for a few years and Tammy, Giuliana, Karen (my Mother-In-Law), Dan (my Father-In-Law), Travis (my Brother) and Lauren (his Friend/Co-Worker) all went down to visit. We all had a great time and while we were down there we all cooked together (whenever we were not eating out.) At about 4 Points Plus per 1 cup serving this is a GREAT side dish! For this meal we made the Sausages with the Honey Mustard Slaw and a recipe I adapted from Skinny Taste. There was really only 2 changes:

  1. She used asparagus and that is a flavor I do not enjoy so I replaced them with green beans
  2. The store we were at in Memphis did not have pearl couscous so I substituted ditalini
You will see pictures of some of my family I on this post as many of them helped because the only thing I enjoy more than cooking for a crowd is cooking with a crowd. :-)

Ingredients

6 oz Ditalini Pasta
3/4 lb Green Beans, Trimmed to 1 Inch Pieces
1-1/2 c Grape Tomatoes, Quartered
1/4 c Red Onion, Minced
1-1/2 Lemons, Juiced
1 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 T Fresh Parsley, Minced
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Directions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the green beans cook about three minutes to cooked but still crisp.
  2. Remove from pot of water and place green beans in an ice bath.
  3. Cook the Ditalini in the same water until desired doneness.
  4. Drain the Ditalini and place into a bowl and add green beans to same bowl..
  5. Add Tomatoes, Onion, Lemon Juice, Olive Oil, and Parsley to the bowl and mix well.
  6. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  7. Enjoy immediately.

 Travis was really proud to show himself starting up the grill.
 Lauren quartering the tomatoes.
 Expertly quartered tomatoes by Lauren.
 Mom B cutting the green beans into perfect pieces before blanching.
 Boiling the water isn't that a beautiful stove!?
 Mom R mincing the parsley. See how careful she is?
 Travis cutting the sausages.
 Apparently cutting the sausages was hard work!
 This is the final product for the pasta salad.
 The sausages expertly grilled by Travis Dad R and Dad B.
 Travis modeling a perfect plate!
 Dad B, Dad R, Mom B and Tammy all following Travis' lead.
 Tammy Showing how to open a bun.
I swear my parents house is not crooked just the photographer. :-)

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