Cashew Pesto Radiatore Pasta Salad

Radiatore pasta look very similar to rotini shaped pasta but they're shorter, with a ruffled edge. Whenever I cook this particular shape of pasta, I know the dish will be devoured. There is just something about the shape of this pasta that kids love. And grown-ups who are like kids, like my Lulu, love it as well. 

We planned a last-minute picnic and I needed to come up with a quick and tasty dish that everyone could enjoy. Pasta salad is always a crowd pleaser and with the help of my sisters-in-law, I threw together the radiatore pasta with a cilantro lime cashew pesto sauce, with some roasted walnuts added for texture. To this, I incorporated vegetables, specifically broccoli, bell peppers, zucchini and sun-dried tomatoes. I had bought really cute perlini mozzarella balls and I added them to the dish, because who can say no to cheese?

For the non-vegetarians, there was some smoked salmon. I like smoked salmon in pasta salad because it works so well cold and is tastier than canned tuna or boiled chicken.

Spinach and Artichoke Croquette

A croquette is a moist filling that is breaded and then fried.  Potatoes, seafood and vegetables are popular varieties.  I wanted to make a healthy version today, so I stuffed mine with artichokes and spinach. I added some mozzarella as well because I love it when the croquettes are hot and stringy on the inside.

The name "croquette" is from the French verb croquer which means "to bite with a crisp crunch". You can serve it as an appetizer (they are kid-friendly) but you can also stuff a sandwich with several croquettes for added texture and consistency. I used an herb ciabatta bread. I'll post the recipes of the spreads I used and the rest of the elements for the sandwich tomorrow.