fusilli with herbed ricotta and grape tomatoes*

67 degrees people!! My car told me that it was 67 degrees when I left work tonight! SPRING IS...coming?? Or here? I don't really know but I am stoked (I think this is the first time I have actually said the word "stoked"..).

I have officially decided the yummy treats we are going to be making for our big St. Patty's day celebration! We are doing smoothies for all of the employees that day and I am going to be making a treat to serve with the smoothies, and then we are going to make another treat for all of the kids! I was going to do the same for both, but that would be no fun - plus I couldn't pick only one. Also, it would just make my day that much easier - and I always seem to choose the more difficult route and I wouldn't want to break that streak now.

Also, this weekend the husband, puppy and I are going to my brother-in-laws cabin in the Uintahs (ok, I just googled the word "Uintah" because I don't know if there is an H in there, and it shows up both ways so there you have it...no one knows!) and I get to cook a couple of meals and bring some snacking items! So next week will surely be full of some delicious goodies. I still have to catch up with lots of recipes we have already made. Man, there is just not enough time in the day.

This recipe I served with blackened chicken and garlic bread for dinner tonight. I had to add some salt and pepper because it didn't have enough taste for my liking, but it was pretty good. I think you can serve it either hot or cold. For dinner we served it cold, but it would be yummy topped with some chicken strips and served hot as a main dish.

Fusilli with Herbed Ricotta and Grape Tomatoes
from Good Housekeeping

Salt
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 Tbsp. fresh oregano leaves, chopped
1/4 cup (plus additional for serving) grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
12 oz. fusilli or corkscrew pasta (I used ragiotorri)
1 pint grape tomatoes

Heat large covered saucepot of salted water to boiling on high. Meanwhile, in small bowl, combine ricotta, oregano, 1/4 cup Romano, and half of basil.

Add pasta to boiling water and cook as label directs, adding tomatoes when 3 minutes of cooking time remains.

Reserve 1/4 cup pasta cooking water. Drain pasta and tomatoes; return to pot. Add reserved cooking water to ricotta mixture; stir into pasta and tomatoes. Toss with remaining basil. Serve with additional cheese if you like.

This salad would be very good with more vegetables, too. Especially if served cold. Olives maybe? I LOVE olives, if you haven't noticed yet. Well, only black olives. I don't get adventurous and try all those other strange random olives. But every picture I have of a salad or a side salad there are olives in it, I am pretty sure. Those things are just so stinking good! When in doubt, add an olive. That is my philosophy :)

-alyssa*