cold supper

Yesterday was the final day of a scorching heat wave that settled over Topeka and the entire Midwest.  The "heatdome" killed my appetite, and making dinner every night became a real chore.  I often had to remind myself that I'm nursing a baby, so skipping meals isn't a good idea.  My sister and her son and daughter are visiting for a few days, and her remarkable (almost-four-year-old!) son will eat anything.  I'm not kidding - the child will eat an entire tomato like an apple.  I love when he comes to visit because he clears out my veggie drawer.  This nice cold pasta dish was made with him in mind - chockful of chilly veggies and chicken and feta cheese.  We all enjoyed it and it made one of my favorite dinners:  the kind with no leftovers!!

Greek Pasta Salad
8 oz rigatoni
4 oz chicken breast
1 medium cucumber, chopped into bite-sized pieces
3 oz cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 oz feta, cut into quarter-inch cubes
2 T olive oil
1 T white wine vinegar
salt and pepper

Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente.  Meanwhile, pound the chicken breast thin or slice horizontally into two flatter pieces.  Season with salt and pepper and cook over medium heat in 1 T olive oil.  Combine tomatoes, cucumber, and feta in a large bowl.  Drain pasta and rinse in cold water.  Add the the bowl.  When chicken has cooked and cooled a bit, cut into small bite-sized chunks.  Add to the bowl.  Add 1 T olive oil and white wine vinegar, salt and pepper to taste.  Serves four on a hot evening with low appetities.  343 calories per serving.