Sun-Dried Tomato and Artichoke Pasta Salad

I brought this in to my work to contribute to our monthly pot-luck-cookout-feast-extravaganza (which is definitely competing for the spot as my most favorite thing about my job)... and. it. was. so. good.  It mayyy be because I'm partial to sun-dried tomatoes.  And fresh mozzarella.  And basil.  Or any combination thereof.  But I have to say, I did get rave reviews from all the ladies at work, many of whom are phenomenal cooks, so it was high praise indeed.  And the combination of flavors and textures was lovely, especially after it sat overnight in the fridge and the sun-dried tomato oil got to coat all the pasta and other ingredients.  I will definitely definitely absolutely make this again, for anyone who will try it.



To go with this new-favorite pasta salad, we used our grill to smoke a turkey!

That's Zach and Dawn, valiantly braving the Georgia heat to monitor the bird inside the Char-Griller Kamado grill you see pictured.  I have been the one to wear that apron before, and I have to say it's a lot of fun.  I want to get a grill one of these days - maybe when I have a house of my own.  But man oh man, did that turkey taste good.  The smoked flavor combined with the seasonings Dawn used?  One of the best lunches I've ever had.  And that's not even mentioning the corn, mashed potatoes, shrimp casserole, green beans, cranberry bread, and cake that we had.  That's one thing I can say about my coworkers: they know how to cook, as I mentioned earlier.  I've even gotten some recipes from them.  Fortunate for me, eh?!  They also know how to eat, and I can say with confidence that I've nearly reached professional status on that one.

Sun-Dried Tomato and Artichoke Pasta Salad
(Adapted from Sun-Dried Tomato, Artchoke, and Fresh Basil Pasta Salad)

1 16-oz. box of rotini pasta
1 8-oz. jar of julienne cut sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil, slightly drained
1 12-oz. jar of marinated artichoke heart quarters, drained
1 2.25-oz. can sliced black olives
about 12 oz. mozzarella cheese, cut into small cubes
1 bunch fresh basil, chopped
5 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain and rinse with cold water.

In a large bowl (or in my case, tupperware container), combine pasta, sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, olives, mozzarella, and basil.  Stir to combine.  Add red wine vinegar, olive oil, and salt.  Mix well to coat pasta with oil and vinegar.  Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

After removing from the refrigerator, the pasta will have absorbed some of the oil.  If the salad needs to be moistened, drizzle a small amount of olive oil onto the salad and mix in.

Enjoy!