BLT Pasta Salad

I found this recipe in the June issue of Food Network Magazine.

You know, it was the one with the giant, mouth-watering photo of a burger on the cover? Mmmm...yeah, that one.

Anyway, I sat outside listening to my boys make truck noises in the sand box one lazy Sunday afternoon, and flipped through the magazine. I marked a couple of recipes to try but this one sounded really interesting to me.


As I read through the ingredient list, I knew that I could toss it together pretty easily. Then, I saw the calorie count and thought, WHAT THE HECK??? Yeah...the calorie count per serving was listed at 960 calories. I don't know, but I'm thinking (hoping) that was a typo.

After seeing that information, I felt as though I had been challenged to make a lightened up version of this salad. And that is precisely what I did. You can find the original recipe here, on the Food Network site. I only made half the recipe, since it would be only Marc and I eating it. My version, with my changes, is listed below.



BLT Pasta Salad
Adapted from Food Network Magazine

• 6 ounces corkscrew-shaped past, whole wheat
• 1/4 cup skim milk
  
• 3 slices bacon, cooked & chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
  
• grape tomatoes, sliced in half (as many as you want)
  
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup low fat mayonnaise
  
• 2 tbsp reduced fat sour cream
  
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives or scallion greens(forgot them!)
  
• chopped romaine hearts, 2 cups approximately
  

Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water as the label directs. Drain and toss with the milk in a large bowl; set aside.

Add oil to skillet and add the tomatoes, thyme and garlic to the pan and toss until warmed through; season with salt and pepper. Crumble the bacon into bite-size pieces; toss with the warmed tomato mixture. Once it's warmed, toss the tomato mixture with the pasta.

Mix the mayonnaise, sour cream and chives with the pasta until evenly combined. Season with salt and pepper. Add the lettuce; toss again to coat. Serve at room temperature.

The results...we really enjoyed this salad warm, right after I finished making it. It was very good and actually not a bit heavy. I loved the garlic and the thyme with the tomatoes. I went easy on the bacon, and I liked it just the way it was. But it wouldn't be a bad thing to add some more bacon, that's for sure. Enjoy.