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sausage chickpea salad
 Pasta Salad with Sausage and Chickpeas

Menu Plan for the week of June 7, 2013: Day 4 Recipes

Pasta Salad with Sausage and Chickpeas

Cooking time: 25 minutes for menu          Cooking schedule: see below for instructions

     Grilled sausages lend a nice flavor to Pasta Salads but you can fry them in a skillet if you prefer.  This salad can be served warm, room temperature or chilled.

Pasta Salad with Sausage and Chickpeas        Preparation and cooking time:  25 minutes
    Chickpeas and Feta add a Mediterranean touch to this salad.  You could as easily use grilled chicken breasts, or leave the meat out altogether for a vegetarian version.

1 1/4 cup bite-size pasta, rigatoni, penne, etc.
8oz (240gr) sausages, any flavor - Italian, Bratwurst, Duck with Olives,
15oz (450gr) chickpeas, garbanzo beans
3oz (90gr) feta cheese
1/2 cup (3oz, 90gr) cherry tomatoes
1/2 red or green bell pepper
2 tbs fresh snipped chives or garlic chives   substitute 1 tbs dried
2 tbs fresh snipped marjoram    substitute 2 tsp dried
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tbs olive oil
Vinaigrette:
2 tbs red wine vinegar
2 tsp Soy sauce
3 tbs salad olive oil
1 tsp ketchup

Cook pasta according to package instructions.  Drain.
Cut pepper into strips.  Cut cherry tomatoes in half.  Drain and rinse chickpeas.  Heat oil, vinegar and soy sauce in skillet.  Add pepper, sauté 5 minutes. Add chickpeas, tomatoes, and heat through.  Set aside.
Crumble feta.  Snip herbs. 
Make vinaigrette:  Put all ingredients in small bowl and whisk well to combine.
Cook sausages on barbecue grill or sauté in nonstick skillet, before doing peppers, etc., on stove until done.  Remove sausages and slice into 1 1/2" (4cm) lengths. 
To assemble:  Put drained pasta in large salad bowl.  Add vegetables and vinaigrette, and toss well to combine.   Add sausage to pasta along with feta and herbs. Toss gently and serve.

Cooking schedule: 25 minutes
Assemble all food, utensils and serving dishes
Utensils: measuring cups, spoons, knives,
whisk, scissors, medium skillet, small bowl, pot for
pasta, colander, tongs for salad, barbecue grill,
Put water on high heat for pasta
Turn on/light barbecue grill if using
Make vinaigrette
Cut pepper
Slice tomatoes
Cut feta
      Wait for the water to boil

Start to cook pasta
Start to cook sausages
Snip chives
Remove marjoram leaves from stem, snip
Cut cherry tomatoes in half
Open, drain chickpeas
Sauté peppers
Add tomatoes, chickpeas, sauté briefly
Drain pasta, put into salad bowl
Add vegetables, vinaigrette to pasta, toss
Remove sausages, slice and add to pasta
Add feta and herbs, toss gently to combine, serve!

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