A number of my extended family members flew in this week for my cousins wedding up in New Hampshire. Leah and Tray hosted a cookout at their apartment on Wednesday evening, welcoming Aunts, Uncles and cousins to Boston and kicking off the family celebrations. They served up a feast of marinated grilled shrimp, chicken and corn on the cob preceded by number of appetizers including fresh made guacamole and my antipasto salad. 
The Italian Pasta Salad proves a simple and satisfying summertime side dish. 
The authentic antipasti ingredients purchased at Salumeria Italiana made all the difference!! Living in the tourist infused mecca that is Boston's Little Italy does have its perks.
Ingredients
-1 box of rotini pasta
-2 green peppers, chopped
-1 package cherry tomato, halved
-1 cup black olives, pitted and halved
-1 can of cannellini beans
-1/2 lb fresh mozzarella cheese, chopped
-1/4 lb salami slices quartered
-olive oil, to taste-balsamic vinegar, to taste
-salt & pepper, to taste
Pitting olives is quite a project!
The cured salami from Salumeria Italian is some of the best I've ever tasted.
I bought extra of certain ingredients which made some excellent salami & mozzarella sandwiches for our road trip to NH - not to mention I have been eating them by the slice regularly.
1. Cook the pasta to al dente tenderness - about 8 minutes. Drain well and cool completely.
2. Toss with peppers, olives, beans, tomato, mozzarella and salami.
3. Stir in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper as desired.
4. Chill for approximately one hour before serving.
Antipasto Salad is an excellent compliment to grilled foods or even a quick and easy weeknight meal on its own, not to mention an ideal way to feed a crowd!
I have soooo many wedding pictures to sort through and a family dinner in the North End still to recap! It has all been such a whirlwind, a non stop party, and truly a blessing to spend time with family I see once or twice a year if that.
It is back to the grind today, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. I'm looking forward to some relaxing weeknights at home at least in the beginning of the week. Summer lunch series has been a miss but it's not gone forever! Between the July 4th holiday week (Monday off, not Friday) and traveling out of town for the wedding, it has been on a two week hiatus but will return this Friday for sure!
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In Jacó, Costa Rica our friends were excited to take us to the Taco Bar. Designed to feel like a jungle hut with lush green palms and rope swing seats, it apparently does not fly under the radar as evidenced by the tour bus that pulled up right behind us. However, there were definitely some local families filling the swings too. Fish tacos are their specialty, choose from snapper, dorado (mahi mahi) or tuna in addition to the traditional options of shrimp, chicken or beef. Prepared to order with the seasoning blends of your choice - choose spicy or mild and then pick from cilantro or shaved coconut, for example. Then, go to town at the unlimited toppings and salad bar! The pico de gallo, pesto rotini and fingerling potato salads were very fresh and flavorful. There is an array of rice, beans, local salsas, hot sauces, sautéed onions and whole jalapenos to name what feels like a few. Their fruit smoothies and and frozen lemongrass drinks are top notch. I had a refreshing and not-too-sweet papaya banana smoothie. You get a lot of food for not a lot of money, which is typical of anywhere we ate in Jacó. I was impressed.
With happy hearts, full stomachs and without a care in the world, it was off to the beach.
The Italian Pasta Salad proves a simple and satisfying summertime side dish. 
I bought extra of certain ingredients which made some excellent salami & mozzarella sandwiches for our road trip to NH - not to mention I have been eating them by the slice regularly.
I have soooo many wedding pictures to sort through and a family dinner in the North End still to recap! It has all been such a whirlwind, a non stop party, and truly a blessing to spend time with family I see once or twice a year if that.
