Saying Goodbye to Summer

As the days of summer are winding down so is my garden’s harvest. Instead of twenty tomatoes at a time there are only seven or eight small specimens. I have a few little green peppers growing and very tiny Romaine leaves that are too small to eat. My pumpkin plant is certifiably growing like crazy without a pumpkin specimen anywhere in sight, go figure. What I do have a lot of is green onions that I tried to grow into leeks. They aren’t cooperating very well with that idea, they are still quite tiny. To celebrate the last days of summer I threw together a pasta salad with some leftover chicken, tomatoes, green onions and bowtie pasta. I planned on throwing in some black olives too but didn't check the cupboard beforehand. They would be a great addition, slice a cup or so of them in halves and toss in. This is my entry for Andrea's Grow Your Own the "twice-a-month blogging event that celebrates the foods we grow or raise ourselves and the dishes we make using our homegrown products." Wiffy of Noob Cook is hosting this time around!



Chicken Bowtie Pasta Salad

8 oz Bowtie/Farfalle (like Barilla)
1 cup shredded, cooked chicken (or one can, drained)
1 cup diced tomatoes, deseeded
½ cup green onion, minced

Dressing:
½ cup mayo (I like Hellmann’s/ Best Foods)
1/3 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 and ½ teaspoons parsley
1 teaspoon dill weed
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon onion powder
Dash of garlic powder

1. Cook Farfalle according to package directions to al dente. Rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process. If not ready to dress, drizzle and toss with olive oil to prevent sticking.

2. Add all dressing ingredients to a medium size bowl and whisk until combined well.

3. In a large bowl place the pasta, chicken, tomatoes, and green onions. Pour dressing over top and toss gently until all the ingredients are evenly distributed and coated thoroughly.