Dill Pickle Pasta Salad

 

I guess Dill Pickle Pasta Salad is a hit on TikTok. I don't know anything about TikTok. But I now DO know about Dill Pickle Pasta Salad. It was on the potluck table at our church recently, courtesy of Lauren - one of my former Joyful Noise Children's Choir members. Now she's a mama herself and bringing tasty dishes to church potlucks. (Am I old, or what?!)

I like pasta salads in general. When I saw it on the buffet, I figured it would just be a tasty pasta salad. But this was not your usual pasta salad. The dill pickles packed a powerful puckery punch. After discovering who brought the salad, I asked for the recipe and then promptly tried it myself.

The recipe Lauren shared was from the Together As Family blog. I also did a little Googling, and there are lots of versions of recipes for Dill Pickle Pasta Salad. For my version, I used extra sharp Cheddar cheese. Together as Family suggested Colby Jack, but I think the stronger flavor of extra sharp Cheddar holds up better against the powerful pickle taste. I only had enough of the dill pickles for 1 cup (without a trip to the grocery store), so I used bread and butter pickles for the remainder. (That was a suggestion from another recipe.) You can use the combination that best suits your taste buds. We liked the touch of sweetness that the bread and butter pickles provided. 

The recipe said dill pickle slices or baby dill pickles could be used. I like the chopped whole baby dill pickles for more flavor and more crunch.  

If you try it, let me know what you think! 

Dill Pickle Pasta Salad

Adapted from Together As Family blog 

For salad

1 box (16 oz) rotini pasta 

1/3 cup dill pickle juice (from pickle jar)

2 cups chopped baby dill pickles 

1 block (8 oz) cubed extra sharp Cheddar cheese

1 small onion, finely chopped (opt.)

 

Creamy Dill Dressing

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

1/3 cup dill pickle juice 

2 tbsp. chopped fresh dill (or 1 tbsp. dried dill)

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper 

 

Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions.  When pasta is done cooking, drain pasta and rinse with cold water. Move rinsed pasta to a mixing bowl and pour 1/3 cup pickle juice over it. Stir to combine. Let sit while you prepare the rest.

 

Chop the dill pickles and cut cheese into small cubes. Finely chop the white onion, if desired. (You can use green onion for a milder onion taste.)

 

In a small bowl, combine all the dressing ingredients, mixing well.

 

Drain the pasta again that was sitting in the pickle juice. Add the pasta back to the mixing bowl. Add in the pickles, cheese and white onion. Stir to combine.  

 

Pour dressing over pasta salad; stir well. Salad can be eaten right away or, if you prefer a colder salad, refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours. 

 

Store leftovers in the refrigerator. However, after sitting, the pasta absorbs the dressing, making it less creamy.  

 

4th of July Picnic or Harvest Meal? Orzo Pasta Salad

Fourth of July gatherings may be few and far between in 2020, thanks to an unwelcome guest named Covid.

But even if you're just celebrating with family, I have an idea for a pasta salad with a little different twist that's sure to create "fireworks" in your mouth. OK, the fireworks will come from flavor - not heat - but you know what I mean!

Jill, Eric, Kinley and Brooke were here last weekend for harvest. I had some excellent help decorating and filling the bags for suppers.

We had a couple of suppertime picnics in the field, but our noon meals were at the dining room table since Randy was in fields close to the house.

When I saw the recipe for Orzo Pasta Salad, I thought it would be a good salad to serve with the Greek Meatballs recipe Jill had shared with me earlier. (By the way, I made extra meatballs and used them for meatball subs for supper in the field last evening: Planned leftovers.)

If your garden is already producing cucumbers, tomatoes and fresh herbs, you're in luck. And if your zucchini is as prolific as Randy's plants, you could add a little zucchini to the veggie mix - just for a new way to use up a little bit of that garden crop that seems to multiply behind your back. Or visit your grocery store produce section or the local farmer's market for your fresh veggies.

Instead of the usual pasta twist or elbow, the base of this salad is orzo pasta. With add-ins like toasted almonds and feta cheese and a tangy olive oil-lemon dressing, it's a satisfying summer salad to add to your table - whether it's 4th of July, a harvest meal or just a regular old day.

The recipe may look complicated, but you can do much of it ahead of time. And we're enjoying the leftovers, too, so if you don't use it in one sitting, that's OK. However, you may need to add a little drizzle of olive oil and another squeeze of lemon since pasta has the tendency to absorb liquid as it sits.

If you try it, let me know what you think!

Orzo Pasta Salad

Adapted from Carlsbad Cravings blog

ORZO 

16 oz. uncooked orzo pasta

 2 tablespoon olive oil 

1 tablespoon unsalted butter 

4 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth 

1/4 cup lemon juice 

1/4 tsp EACH salt and pepper 

1/2 onion, chopped

SALAD 

2 ears grilled corn, cut off the cob (grilling optional but recommended) 

1 English cucumber, sliced and cubed

2 cups (1 pint) cherry tomatoes, halved 

1 15 oz. can garbanzo (chickpeas) beans, drained and rinsed 

1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved 

1/2 cup sliced almonds 

1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped 

1/2 cup feta cheese

DRESSING 

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil 

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 

1 tablespoon lemon juice 

1 TBS EACH fresh dill parsley and oregano OR 1 tsp EACH dried 

1 teaspoon sugar 

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 

1/2 tsp EACH garlic powder, salt 

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Make dressing, whisking together all the ingredients in a small bowl or by adding to a lidded jar and shaking. Refrigerate until ready to use.

In a large nonstick skillet, melt butter with olive oil over medium-low heat. Once melted, increase heat to medium-high and add orzo and onions. Sauté for 3-5 minutes, until onions are soft. Stir in chicken broth, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Simmer until orzo is al dente, 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently the last couple minutes of cooking so it doesn’t burn. Transfer to a large bowl to cool in the refrigerator while you finish chopping your veggies. Add all of the salad ingredients to the orzo followed by the dressing. Toss to coat. Taste and season with additional lemon juice or salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Make-Ahead Notes:

• Vegetables:  Can be chopped 24 hours in advance and stored in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator or added directly to the orzo pasta without the dressing.
• Orzo:  Can be made 48 hours in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
• Dressing:  Can be made 72 hours in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

If you want to make it ahead, toss all the salad ingredients together with only HALF of the dressing. Cover and refrigerate.  When you are ready to serve, toss with desired amount of remaining dressing.

If you use all of the dressing initially, your pasta may soak up all the dressing and will taste dry. You can "revive" it with a drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Notes:

• My local grocery store doesn't carry many fresh herbs, and we don't grow them in our garden. I substituted a sprinkle of dried basil leaves. (If you use dried, DON'T use 1/2 cup. I really just used a sprinkle. There's a lot of flavor in the other ingredients.) I know the fresh would be better, but this was tasty, too! At this time of year, perhaps you can find some at a farmer's market or ask a generous gardening neighbor.
• I also can't get English cucumbers here, and our garden cucumbers aren't ready yet. Since the cucumber I had bought had large seeds, I scraped out the seed portion and chopped up the rest.
• I also didn't have corn on the cob, so I just used frozen corn. It didn't caramelize like fresh corn would, but it still added another texture to the finished dish. 
• I did not use Kalamata olives (or any other olives). I served olives on the side for Randy and Eric. (There aren't many things I don't like, but olives are one of the few.)
• If your garden zucchini are as prolific as ours, you could also add some chopped fresh zucchini to the veggies used in the directions. 
• The original recipe called for sliced almonds. I only had slivered, so we browned them in a little butter until they were toasty. I also served the almonds on the side for the non-nut eaters in the group. 
• You can use water and some chicken bouillon granules instead of the canned or boxed chicken broth. That's what I usually use. 

• There are lots of additional recipe notes on Carlsbad Cravings, if you're interested in even more details from the recipe originator: https://carlsbadcravings.com/orzo-pasta-salad/  

 Here's another pasta salad that we enjoy for harvest: https://kimscountyline.blogspot.com/2011/08/macimum-taste.html  (Sorry the photo's not better. This was early in my blogging days.)

Memorial Day Picnic Potluck: Mandarin Pasta Spinach Salad

Gate at Iuka Cemetery (Pratt County)

Memorial Day weekend just isn't the same as it was back when I was a kid. Yes, we still do the annual cemetery tour with my parents, putting flowers on loved ones' graves.

Look closely to see the rainbow in the clouds over Randy's parents' graves at Stafford - 2016

But back when I was a little girl, we sometimes gathered at Lemon Park in Pratt for a picnic before our car caravan to the cemeteries. My Great Aunt Helen and Great Uncle Mike and their family would often meet us there. As a child, I loved getting together, eating homemade favorites and playing on the playground equipment until it was time to go and place flowers on graves of ancestors, some of whom I remembered and some who had died long before I was born.

Jill helping decorate graves in 1988 - Age 2 1/2

At the time, I was blissfully unaware that preparing a picnic meal while also getting flowers ready for Decoration Day was more work for Moms and Grandmas. These days, we usually let a local pizza parlor do the cooking for us. And that's OK, too. But, if you have a picnic or a potluck to attend this Memorial Day weekend, this Mandarin Pasta Salad could be a contender.

True confessions: I think I saw this recipe on Facebook and printed it out a year ago. Sometimes I've wanted to make it, and I didn't have cilantro ... or spinach ... or some other vital ingredient. But this time the stars (and the pantry and fridge) aligned, and it was go-time.

It won't be the last time. Both Randy and I gave it good reviews. I served it as a side dish with grilled steak, but it would be tasty with grilled chicken, shrimp or salmon, too.

If you wanted to use fresh strawberries, blueberries and/or grapes instead of (or in combination with) mandarin oranges for even more spring-like freshness, I'm sure it would be yummy. The dressing could be used on a variety of salad greens.

 

Whether you're having a picnic at a park, camping out this Memorial Day weekend or are heating up the grill at home, this recipe would add a tasty side dish to your celebration ... or just an everyday meal. It may also make an appearance during harvest this year at our house.

If you try it, let me know what you think!

Mandarin Pasta Spinach Salad

with Teriyaki Dressing

Adapted from Creme de la Crumb blog

12 oz. box bowtie pasta
4 cups spinach leaves (or spring mix)
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup cashews
1 11-oz. can mandarin oranges, drained
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped

Dressing
1/3 cup teriyaki sauce
1/3 cup rice wine or apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tbsp. sugar
1/2 cup oil

Cook pasta according to package directions to al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water. While pasta is cooking, combine dressing ingredients in a jar. Shake well to combine.

In a large serving bowl, combine cooked pasta, the chopped cilantro and the dressing. Just before serving, add all other ingredients. Toss and serve.

Notes:

• Use a thicker teriyaki sauce. Kikkoman's Teriyaki Sauce and Glaze works well, as does Panda Express's Orange Sauce. I've tried and liked them both with this recipe.
• A 50-50 green mix was on sale at my local grocery store. It included baby spinach, baby lettuce, baby greens and radicchio. It worked well in this recipe. 
• I served the salad with grilled steak, but it would also be good with grilled chicken, salmon or shrimp. 
• We had leftovers. Even though the nuts and the greens weren't as crisp after sitting in the dressing, it was still tasty. You could add more nuts and greens for a little more crunch before serving the "re-runs!"

Steak and Orzo Salad

I should probably say this is a lunch-sized plate, not a dinner plate, but the photo doesn't offer that perspective.

It's now Dairy Month, but why don't we backtrack to Beef Month for just a moment, OK? It was just a few days ago in May. And, technically, the feta cheese in this recipe would qualify for a nod to Dairy Month, so we're good, right?

I saw this recipe in the Summer 2015 issue of the Kansas Farm Bureau's Kansas Living Magazine, and I knew I wanted to give it a try. We weren't disappointed.

Perfectly grilled medium rare slices of seasoned sirloin steak are perched on top of orzo pasta combined with colorful grape tomatoes, chopped green onion and feta cheese in a light vinaigrette. The original recipe called for soy nuts. I didn't have time to make a run to Glenn's Bulk Foods, where I might have been able to purchase them (though I'm not sure about that). But, since Randy isn't the biggest nut fan (not counting me, of course - ha), I just deleted the nuts. Leaving out salted nuts makes the addition of some salt a must to this recipe, though. I did throw a few shelled and salted pistachios on my serving of leftover salad, which was delicious.

This made a lot, so we've enjoyed it as leftovers, too. The recipe says to keep 1/3 cup of the vinaigrette separate to be able to add later. Even though pasta salad often absorbs moisture, we haven't added any additional dressing as we've eaten the leftovers.

Dairy Month or Beef Month or any old month ... This recipe is a keeper!

Orzo Pasta Salad 

with Grilled Steak

From Kansas Farm Bureau's 

Country Living magazine, Summer 2015

1 1/2 to 2 lbs. beef steak, seasoned and grilled to desired doneness
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 tbsp. honey
1 tsp. chicken base paste (I used a bouillon powder)
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 lb. orzo pasta
Additional chicken broth, base or bouillon
2 cups red and/or yellow teardrop or grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup feta crumbles (can be plain and/or sun-dried tomato feta)
1/2 cup minced fresh basil or 1/2 tsp. dried basil
1 cup sliced green onions
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup soy nuts (opt.)

Cook orzo pasta according to package directions, using chicken broth (or water flavored with paste or bouillon instead of water). While orzo is cooking, prepare dressing by combining vinegar, lemon juice, honey and chicken base pasta. Whisk in olive oil. (If fresh basil isn't available, add the dried basil to the dressing)

When orzo is cooked, drain completely, then place into large serving bowl. Toss with tomatoes, feta, basil and green onions.  Add all but 1/3 cup of dressing and toss to coat. Stir in soy nuts (if desired) and serve immediately with steak, which has been grilled to desired temperature and cut into strips across the grain.

Keep remainder of dressing on hand in the refrigerator for serving with salad at a later time. (Pasta absorbs moisture, so additional dressing may need to be added; however, we didn't find that to be the case with this salad.)

Note:  Soy nuts are not something I can get at my grocery store, so I did not use them. I did use some salted pistachios on some leftover salad, and that was tasty.