Do you see what’s happening at this very moment?!

Fall is swiftly stealing our sun speckled days; there are tiny traces of the upcoming season silently replacing our precious Summer everywhere I look: Halloween costumes lurking on hangers, pumpkin beer dancing in dark bottles, heavy knit sweaters sitting on shelves promising warmth. I love the crisp days of Autumn and all the spiced pleasures it brings, but I’m just not ready!

 

I have no solution for us in combating the quickly approaching Fall. I have no secret to holding onto the rapidly receding days of Summer. I have zero answers on why men are such a pain in the ass sometimes or why my new bangs stick straight up in the air when it rains. Gah- these things can be frustrating!

 

 

I do have something. I have pasta. Pasta, in Summer’s favorite form- pasta salad. This spiced up version involves a seductive combination of Summer’s two favorite friends: bright basil and perky grape tomatoes. It also pairs up an unlikely duo: smoked gouda and a creamy chipotle pepper sauce. Together they add an amazing heat and smoothness.

This spicy pasta salad is one divine way to wrap your fists around what’s left of  Summer’s produce paradise and hold on with everything you’ve got!

 

Spicy Pasta Salad with Smoke Gouda, Tomatoes, and Basil – The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

• 12 ounces, weight Mostaccioli
• 1/2 cup Mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup Whole Milk
• 4 Tablespoons White Vinegar
• 1-1/2 teaspoon Adobo Sauce From Chipotle Peppers (or One Minced Chipotle Pepper)
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• Ground Black Pepper To Taste
• 10 ounces, weight Grape Tomatoes, Halved Lengthwise
• 1/2 pound Smoked Gouda Cheese, Cut Into Small Cubes
• 24 whole Basil Leaves (chiffonade)

Cook pasta until done. Drain and rinse in cold water until no longer hot. Set aside.

Mix mayonnaise, milk, vinegar, salt, pepper, and adobo in a small bowl.

In a large bowl, stir together pasta, dressing, halved tomatoes, and cubed Gouda. Taste for seasonings, adding more salt and pepper if needed, and even an extra teaspoons or two of vinegar if necessary. Stir in basil at the end. Refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving.