Blogging was light recently for two reasons. One was that blogger wouldn’t let us or just about anybody else see The Common Room for a while.
The second reason was much more pleasant. We’ve had some out of town company- folks we just love to be with, so we made the most of that time.
It isn’t very original of the Deputy Headmistress to point this out, but there is something special about fellowshipping over a shared meal. Dining together while enjoying convivial company and conversation is just one of the best things civilization has to offer.
I can’t share the conversation, because we wandered all over pleasant paths and byways, too many to recall. But I can share the recipe we had for lunch. I collected it from the website Meals For You, one of my favorites for ease of use, and for the shopping list it creates for me. Our adaptations in italics:
Artichoke Garbanzo Pasta Salad
This recipe serves 20 (meals for you will recalculate your recipes for you to make as many or as few servings as you desire)
Prep: 15 min, plus chilling time. (we didn’t bother with the chilling time)
* 2-1/2 lbs. canned artichoke hearts, chopped
* 3-1/4 lbs. canned garbanzo beans, drained
Next time we’ll use more artichoke hearts and fewer garbanzo beans (when I was a young bride I did not know that garbanzo beans and chickpeas were the same thing, and I wasted many hours at the grocery store searching for ‘chickpeas,’ when my store only carried garbanzo beans)
* 10 cups cooked pasta shells or spirals
* 6-2/3 cups fresh spinach leaves, chopped
* 3-1/4 large tomatoes, chopped
* 3-1/4 red bell peppers, chopped (we used a bag of frozen peppers, mixed)
* 3 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. olive or vegetable oil
* 3 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. lemon juice
* 3 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. water
* 1 Tbs. minced garlic
* 2-1/2 tsp. dried basil or oregano
* 3/4 tsp. black pepper
* 1/2 tsp. salt (optional)
* 3/4 cup plus 1 Tbs. feta cheese, grated (we omitted this)
Mix first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Blend next 7 ingredients in blender or food processor until smooth. Pour over salad and toss. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours. Top with feta cheese before serving.
We think this would be delicious with chopped ham, turky ham, chicken or tuna salad.
I topped mine with parmesan cheese. Swiss would have been tasty, too.
It was very popular.
The HeadGirl had Four Bowls Full.
Equuschick did not eat all her chickpeas, and she thinks I do not know.
Somebody else did not eat all her spinach, but I don’t know which of our young rascals it was.
I was too busy enjoying the conversation and comraderie to play food police.
This recipe reposted at The Common Kitchen