Champagne Tomato Salads

The tangy sweet Champagne Tomatoes have become a staple in my house. I've made them three times now and I keep finding new ways to eat/use them. I loved these salads so much that I didn't share more than a few bites with the rest of my family. (Not that anyone else in my house was too upset about not having salad for their lunches. The boys in this house rarely clamor for salads.) I made the garden salad two days in a row and then I made the pasta salad and ate it for lunch for the next three days. I really really liked it. Can you tell? I just made a second batch of the pasta salad and I'm pretty sure I'll be eating it all weekend. I love the ease of a light pasta salad in the warmer months.

Champagne Tomato Garden Salad
Yield: 6 servings as a side salad, 2 servings as a main dish
(printable garden salad recipe)

1 lb champagne marinated tomatoes
7 ounces or about 1 small head of butter lettuce
1/2 cup black olives, quartered or roughly chopped (I used about 24 olives)
1/4 - 1/2 cup shredded Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese

When you are ready to make the salad, combine the lettuce, olives and tomatoes in a large bowl. Leave most of the liquid from the tomatoes in the original dish. The tomatoes will have plenty of liquid on them to flavor the lettuce. (The type of tomato that you use will determine how much liquid is in your mixture. Don't worry about it if there is a good bit of the marinade left behind.) Toss to coat the lettuce with the tomato juices. Sprinkle with cheese and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Champagne Tomato Basil Pasta Salad
Yield: 6 servings
(pasta salad recipe)
1/2 lb elbow pasta, I used a brown rice version
1 lb champagne marinated tomatoes, plus all remaining marinade
1/2 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
10 basil leaves, sliced very thinly
Optional: black olives or your choice for favorite olives

Bring a pot of water to a boil, add a tablespoon of salt and then the pasta. Cook the pasta to the tenderness you prefer and then drain and rinse well with cold water until the pasta is cool. Combine all of the above ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably a day or so. Stir again before serving. Enjoy!