This is another one that I based on a recipe from Judi Strauss, which I got from one of her Beachwood classes.

Ingredients:

• 1 can chopped tomatoes
  • Or real tomatoes if they’re in season
• 1 medium onion
  • Judi recommended sweet onions if you’re not cooking it; a yellow is fine for cooking
• 10 oz mushrooms,  sliced
• 2-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup corn (optional)
• 1/2 cup cooked chicken (optional)
• 1/4 cup vinegar
  • I used balsamic since that’s what I had, but the original called for 3 Tablespoons balsamic and 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • Could probably use a little less than this, my mixture ended up a tad soupy
• 2 Tablespoons (approx) of olive oil
  • Original called for a 1/2 cup, but I don’t think that much is necessary
• Herbs/spices to taste
  • I used dried basil, an Italian herb mix, pepper, a little salt, and a bit of cayenne pepper
  • The original recipe called for 1/4 cup fresh parsley
• Pasta
  • I like bowtie or rotini pasta for pasta salads

I cooked both the onion and the garlic, though you don’t have to. For the onion, I cooked it till it was still somewhat crisp but had lost some of its “bite.”

Mix together everything but the pasta, and let sit in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.

Cook the pasta, and serve with the mix. You can serve it with the pasta hot or cold, I think either is delicious. I also think it’s fine to store the pasta and the mix in the same container, if you’re fine with cold pasta.

The combination of flavors is really amazing!