Meet the Contributors: Cole Gibsen

A good meal, just like a good book, has the power to transport you to another world. I remember that it was just  around the time I began to write KATANA that I also began collecting Japanese cookbooks. It wasn't enough for me to simply read about Japan so I could write about it, I also wanted to taste it. For me, food is just as an important element to a story as conflict and tension.

Don't believe me? If I said the word 'butterbeer' to you, what's the first thing you think of? I rest my case. :)

And that's why I wanted to start this blog. It's occurred to me that every meal has a story to tell and every story has a meal to share. And who are we kidding? I love books and I love food. Creating a blog that gives me an opportunity to discuss both was a no brainer. In the coming weeks, I've asked each Pots n' Pens contributor to introduce themselves and share one of their favorite recipes.

The recipe I'll be sharing with you is a favorite of mine because it's fast, I can use the basil and tomatoes that I grow at home, and it's a hit with both my husband and toddler. Last year, I created a character who was a vegetarian, so I trotted off to my local library and came home with a armful of vegetarian cookbooks to research foods and recipes that a vegetarian might eat. To say my husband was less than enthused is a gross understatement. But, after playing around with the recipes in the books and adding a few twists of my own, I now have a vegetarian recipe that my husband not only likes, but asks for.

TOMATO MOZZARELLA AND PESTO PASTA SALAD

First, gather your ingrediants:

1 package of speghetti
2 cups freshly packed basil
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cups olive oil
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash of pepper
1/2 cups Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes (more or less depending on how much you like cherry tomatoes)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 8 oz. package of mozzarella cheese pearls

(Poor unsuspecting basil plant that doesn't know what's coming.)

Next, boil a large pot of water and cook your speghetti per its package directions. You can use plain speghetti or flavored. Just for kicks I bought a package of spinach basil garlic linguine from a specialty olive oil store. Yum.

While your pasta is cooking, take your 2 cups of basil (withholding a few leaves for garnish) and dump it in a food processor. Since my food processor died on me, I had to resort to using my blender which worked really well. Add the garlic, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt and blend  until pureed. Next, add your Paremesan and pulse until blended. Viola, you have pesto! Double yum!

In a seperate bowl, cut the cherry tomatoes in half and add the vinegar, dash of pepper, 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Stir gently and gradually add in the mozzarella.

Now, go back to your cooking pasta. When it's finished scoop out 1/2 cup of the cooking water and keep it to the side. Drain your pasta and return it to the pot along with the 1/2 cup of cooking water. Next, add in the pesto and toss to coat.

Spoon your coated pasta into a serving bowl and top with the tomatoes and cheese. Garnish with basil.

Yummy. :)

I hope you'll enjoy this recipe as much as I have. Please stay the rest of the month to meet the rest of the contributors as they share their drool-worthy recipes.