Carolina in My Mind

This morning, I officially decided that I'm ready and excited to move to Chapel Hill.  I was getting ready for work, a little groggy from a night of going away festivities with my neighbors, and James Taylor's "Carolina in my Mind" came on the radio.  I found myself standing amongst a ton of boxes with tears filling my eyes.  I quickly was brought back to my college graduation day when the same song came on the radio as I was packing to leave UNC.  I really do get to be a Carolina student again!

Being that I am a lover of ritual, I deeply appreciated the neighborhood party that was thrown together last night.  It started out with yoga in the courtyard with Katie, the yoga instructor.  With our hands rested over our hearts, she asked my friends to send good thoughts my way for my new journey.  I could feel a warm feeling of deepest gratitude run through my body. 

After yoga, we celebrated the evening with lots of wine, beer, and delicious summer food.  I made a pasta salad that matched the hot and humid weather perfectly!

Bernard Street Pasta Salad
1 pound farfalle pasta
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow squash, sliced into 1/4-inch thick discs
1 zucchini squash, sliced into 1/4-inch thick discs
1 cup diced sun-dried tomatoes
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup fresh packed parsley leaves

Dressing:
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 garlic cloves, lightly crushed with the side of a knife blade, and quartered
1 teaspoon stone ground mustard
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Boil the pasta in salted water until al dente and drain well. Toss with ground black pepper and olive oil.  Cook zucchini and squash in a small amount of olive oil for 5 minutes over medium heat.

For the dressing, add the vinegar to a blender and replace the lid. Turn on the blender add, 1 at a time through the feed opening, garlic, mustard, oregano, basil, salt, and black pepper. Leaving the blender running, add the olive oil in a slow thin stream.

Toss together the pasta, yellow squash, zucchini, sun-dried tomatoes, basil and parsley with enough of the dressing to coat. Serve any additional dressing on the side.