Caprese Pasta Salad When It's Too Hot to Cook

What's Going on Today: Heatwave continues: slow stroll to morning Farmer's Market, quick stop at Arts and Crafts show on town green.

Naptime Goals: Set garlic, olive oil and basil to marinate for salad. Pre-chop mozzarella and tomatoes.

Tonight's Menu: BBQ chicken, Caprese Pasta Salad, Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies.

Parenting Lesson of the Day: I love whomever invented the concept of sidewalk chalk.

It's been wayyyy too hot hot hot to turn on the oven this week. During summer days like this I don't steer clear of cooking altogether, I just choose dishes that don't require long hours cooking with high heat. After all, years of experience have taught me that there will be plenty of days in January when I am layering on wool socks and braising short ribs while freezing containers of ragu! On Saturday we were having our neighbors over for dinner and I decided to make my favorite caprese pasta salad. A delicious simple salad that is almost a complete no-cook affair, it is packed with a fresh summer flavor that can't be beat.

I first read this recipe years ago in the The New York Times and have been making it ever since. I've always been a fan of the traditional caprese salad (who isn't?) and it seemed only right and natural that pasta be added to give it more heft, transforming it from an appetizer to a side dish or main course. I've served it as both. My only tip for you is to make sure you squirrel away a bowl or two for lunch the next day before you present the dish to your guests, there won't be any left by the end of the meal.

The only heavy duty cooking required to make this salad is boiling the rigatoni at the end. Otherwise, the rest of the assembly can be accomplished at the lazy pace I generally prefer for summer cooking. I started assembling the salad at naptime by setting the garlic, olive oil and basil in a big bowl to marinate while I pre-chopped my mozzarella and tomatoes for later. Then I spent the rest of naptime setting the chicken in the marinade and working at my computer. After my daughter woke up she helped me dump the tomatoes into the bowl and give it another stir. I then abandoned the project for a second time, opting for a (sweltering) trip to the playground. All that was required that evening was boiling the pasta, tossing it with the garlic olive oil, cheese and tomatoes and the salad was ready. Paired with the grilled chicken, a citrusy green salad and some amazing strawberry margheritas (brought by my awesome neighbor) we all managed to enjoy a terrific, and cool, dinner on a hot summer night.

Caprese Pasta Salad

adapted from The New York Times 2007

5 large cloves of garlic, very finely chopped

1/2 c. good quality olive oil

10-12 fresh basil leaves

6 large, ripe tomatoes, chopped

1 lb. fresh mozzarella, cubed

1 lb. rigatoni or penne

Kosher salt

1. Mix together the garlic, olive oil and basil leaves in a large bowl. Set aside and allow to marinate for up to several hours. 

2. Two hours before serving stir the tomatoes into the marinade. Leave on the counter for later.

3. Right before serving, boil the rigatoni in salted water according to package directions. Drain the pasta and immediately add to the bowl with the tomato mixture. Scatter the mozzarella on top of the pasta and toss first so that the mozzarella melts a little and coats the pasta. Then, stir up the tomato and olive oil mixture from the bottom and toss well. Add a pinch or two of Kosher salt to taste. Serve.

Naptime Notes:

Naptime Variations and Ideas: This salad tastes best when made with the freshest possible tomatoes you can find. If you want more spice and heat try adding a few cranks of cracked pepper to give it a boost.

Naptime Stopwatch: This salad takes approximately 20 minutes to make in total. This time is spread out over the course of an entire afternoon.

Naptime Reviews: This is a crowd pleaser and my daughter likes it, too. Always serve extra bread for sopping up the sauce.

Scallops and Pasta for Memorial Day: Webisode #26

What's Going on Today: Returning from Martha's Vineyard with a pile of laundry and an overtired kid.

Naptime Goals: Sort through mail, laundry and fridge. Make grocery list. 

Tonight's Menu: Meatballs for Choir Boys from the freezer, Salad, Wine.

Parenting Lesson of the Day: There is nothing like a visit to the grandparents to tire kids out!

On Tuesday we returned from Memorial Day on Martha's Vineyard with a car full of laundry and sand. It was a great vacation. As you'll see above, our time away included amazing weather and mellow days. Our time was mostly spent browsing local art fairs and peaking into our favorite shops. These low-key activities were the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

This trip was our first family getaway since the move last month and we both seized the opportunity for a mental break. My husband caught up on novels and crossword puzzles while I caught up on cheesy iTunes movies. As for cooking, I mostly relied on old favorites. One day we cooked up some hot dogs, another we enjoyed some fresh scallops with pasta and, get this, our last night we even had a date night while my in-law's babysat. (Yeah!) 

I began looking forward to scallops with pasta the week before we even arrived on the Vineyard. It is one of my favorite simple dinners and I haven't made it in a bit since I haven't found a good fish store in CT yet. So, the minute my daughter went down for her nap I raced to The Net Result and picked up almost a pound of diver scallops for dinner. Then, instead of cooking them during the day, I waited until just before dinner and whipped up this simple and elegant meal. I hope that scallops come your way this summer and, if they do, here is one great way to enjoy them. 

Summer Scallops with Pasta

1 1lb. fresh diver scallops

1 1lb. Fettucini or any long strand pasta

3-4 T. unsalted butter

2 T. olive oil

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Pinch of Kosher salt
Serves 4

1. Rinse the scallops under warm water and pat dry with a paper towel.

2. Add olive oil and butter to a skillet over medium heat. Then, add the garlic and saute until lightly golden and softened.

3. Meanwhile, as the garlic is cooking, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add the pasta.

4. Once the garlic is soft and golden add the scallops to the pan and make sure there is a little space between each one. Saute until golden on one side - about 2-3 minutes - then turn each scallop over with a pair of tongs and cook the other side. When the scallops have cooked remove them to a plate covered with a paper towel.

5. Drain the pasta briefly and add it to the skillet in which the scallops where cooked. Twirl the pasta briefly to coat with the sauce. Divide amongst serving plates and top the pasta with scallops. Serve hot.

Naptime Notes:

Naptime Recipe Ideas: This dish would be beautifully enhanced by some fresh herbs. Parsley or basil would taste especially delicious.

Naptime Stopwatch: Preparing this meal takes about 20 minutes from start to finish.

Naptime Reviews: My daugher isn't a big scallop fan yet, but she loves the pasta!

Penne with Pumpkin & Pancetta

When I told my husband I was making Penne with Pumpkin & Pancetta for dinner last weekend, he reached for the take-out menus the second he thought I wasn't looking. Unsure of what I would be serving - I mean, who pairs pumpkin and pancetta! - he later admitted to hatching a back-up meal plan. Sure, I'll be the first to admit that I've cooked up my share of questionable fare. It would be naive to think that everything I made was perfect all the time, but with this dish I was sure I had a winner on my hands. He was clearly wary of this confidence, but I knew I was right.

I am lucky to be married to such an adventurous eater, but even he has his limits. After a long day at work and chasing after a toddler he wants to chow down on a filling meal, not tenderly pick at mystery food in an effort to please me. Also, I am in the throws of teaching a toddler how to enjoy good food, something that is no easy task. To make it all work for me I try to make delicious, but practical, meals. We eat hearty lasagnas, seasonal vegetables and sweet desserts, not hand-rolled sushi or caviar on toast. I like to put new twists on the basics to make them even better than before.

Napping with Clever Mommies

If you need advice on just about anything, ask a mother. Seriously, mothers are often the best resource when it comes to answering all sorts of practical questions like how to get a grass stain out of jeans, how to bring down a fever, and, of course, how to get your child to eat vegetables. I know lots of clever mommies these days, some I have met on the playground, and others I have known all my life. My friend Jenny is one of these clever moms. I first met her about ten years ago when she married one of my childhood friends and we have been friendly ever since. Jenny and I have a lot in common these days, most notably that we are both mothers of active and fun children.


Jenny's son is about one year older than my daughter and we joke that they are already boyfriend-girlfriend. Her son takes my daughter on romantic races in his Little Tykes car, taking care that her feet are securely perched on the dashboard so that she won't stub her toes. Then, post backyard grand-prix, they exchange strong hugs which slightly resemble football tackling moves. At meal time they sit together in pint-size chairs at a miniature table feeding each other bits of food off their trays. Last month, when we were at their house, Jenny's son fed my daughter some pasta with homemade tomato sauce and she went wild, acting like it was the best thing she had ever tasted. To confirm her notion I tasted it myself, she was right, it was delicious. Noting my daughter's glee over the tasty sauce I asked Jenny for her recipe. She was glad to share the basics of it, admitting she had never written it down since the ingredients change a little every time she makes it. Naturally, the lack of written notes did not deter me, in fact, I viewed it as the perfect Naptime Chef challenge.


Jenny devised her basic marinara recipe as a way to feed her son vegetables he would not eat in their raw state. I knew Jenny was smart, but upon hearing the basis of her recipe theory I realized that she is, actually, brilliant. Every other week Jenny makes a simple tomato sauce packed full of vegetables and freezes it in individual portions. Then, when mealtime arrives, she thaws the sauce and adds it to whatever pasta dish she is making. Taking her cue I quickly got to work, starting with a straightforward variety of vegetables I would like my daughter to consume: onion, garlic, red pepper, carrots and tomatoes. Making the sauce, following the instructions below, took a very short amount of time. When it was complete I poured individual portions into snack-size freezer bags and lined them up in my freezer. As expected, they froze beautifully and thawed well when it was time for dinner. Thankfully my daughter seemed to recall the taste of the sauce from her play-date, gobbling up a huge bowl of alphabet shaped pasta stirred with sauce and grated cheese. I immediately called Jenny to thank her for the great idea. She was thrilled to hear about my success in devising the recipe and agreed that it should be shared with all of you. So here it is, from one clever mommy to another.

Naptime's Kid-Friendly Tomato Sauce - inspired by our friend Jenny
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 28oz. cans crushed tomatoes
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
Note: It is perfectly fine to experiment with adding more vegetables, here are some suggestions I have tried: Celery, Chopped Spinach, Green Peppers. It is also fine to add more seasonings like fresh chopped Basil, or fresh Rosemary if you would like.


1. Heat oil in a heavy, deep pan. (I usually use my dutch oven.)
2. Add onion and garlic, cook until soft. About 10 minutes.
3. Add carrots and peppers, cook until soft. About 10 minutes.
4. Add canned tomatoes. Simmer the sauce for about 30 minutes, until it thickens slightly.
5. While the sauce is simmering taste it from time to time, adding salt and pepper if necessary.
6. When the sauce is thickened remove it from the heat and allow it to cool.
7. Pour the cooled sauce into a food processor and blend until totally smooth.
8. Pour into individual baggies, or however you want to divide up the individual portions, and freeze.
9. Thaw portions individually as needed.

Naptime Notes:
Naptime Recipe Props: This recipe is ideal because it is made from basic, healthy, ingredients and is infinitely flexible. As long as you stick to the basic base of tomatoes with onion and garlic you can add or subtract just about any vegetable you want. I recommend starting with the basic ingredients above, then add new vegetables with each new batch.
Naptime Stopwatch: This recipe took about an hour to make from start to finish. I find that thawing from the freezer takes about an hour as well.
Naptime Reviews: Obviously my daughter loves this sauce, and my husband and I do, too. I've started using it with lots of the pasta dishes I make, including my favorite basic lasagna recipe. Adjust the vegetables to suit your own tastes, I guarantee the family will love it.