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Menu Plan for Spring I: Week 10, Tuesday

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 

Total 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.

 Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cup (4.2oz, 125gr) pasta, rigatoni, penne
• 8oz (240gr) sausages, any flavor - Italian, Bratwurst, Duck with Olives
• 1 3/4 cup (15oz, 450gr) chickpeas, garbanzo beans
• 3oz (9gr) feta cheese
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, 3oz (90gr)
• 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

 Instructions:

• 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. 
• 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. 
• Vinaigrette:
• Put all ingredients in small bowl and whisk well to combine.
• 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: 30 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 Cut cherry tomatoes in half Crumble feta      Wait for the water to boil

Cook pasta Cook sausages Snip chives Remove marjoram leaves from stem, snip Open, drain chickpeas Sauté peppers Add tomatoes, chickpeas, heat through, set aside Drain pasta, put into salad bowl Add vegetables, vinaigrette to pasta, toss Remove sausages, slice, add to pasta Add feta, herbs, toss gently to combine Serve

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By Katie Zeller

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