Homestyle cooking: Broccoli and feta pasta salad with olives

Summer is the time for salads!  I feel as though I could live on just soup, sandwiches (including paninis), and salads (including various pasta/vegetable/greens) and be content.  Light, fresh, and creatively using vegetables....love all around.

I made this dish Saturday evening to share during a quaint summer get-together with a former co-worker friend and her husband.  It paired nicely with our grilled turkey burgers topped with cheese, fresh tomato, and fresh avocado.  This salad was also mighty delicious the morning after when the oils have soaked in a little more as well.  What can I say, I love leftovers the next day.

Cooking has so much creative freedom and exploration to it, that I love.  Plus, I find it rewarding to eat what you've worked for in the kitchen.  This broccoli and feta pasta salad recipe is slightly adapted from one of my favorite food sites, thekitchn.com and can be specifically located here.  

Broccoli and Feta Pasta Salad

(slightly adapted from thekitchn.com)

1 lb. tri-color pasta

1 medium head of broccoli (broken up into small-medium florets)

1 cup pitted kalamata olives (sliced relatively thin)

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

5-6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

8 oz. crumbled feta cheese

1/4 teaspoon dill

salt + pepper to taste 

Slice and rinse fresh broccoli.  Heat a large pot of water to boiling.  Cook pasta according to directions on pasta box. Drain and return to large bowl and toss with olive oil until coated.  If you have a pot for steaming broccoli, fill medium pot covering the bottom with 1-2 inches of water.  Place broccoli in top steaming pot over the boiling water and cover.  Check the broccoli periodically with a fork every 2-3 minutes for doneness.  When the fork pierces the broccoli easily, but not mushy, drain broccoli and mix with pasta.  

If you don't have a steamer, simply sautee the broccoli in a little olive oil in a pan on low-medium until done.  Slice up kalamata olives and mix with broccoli salad mixture.  Add the rest of ingredients and mix.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Let it sit in refrigerator for an hour or two to cool or overnight.  Last, but not least taste your summer creation and relax!