$35 Vegetarian Pesto Pasta Salad

I have to admit, I usually don't cook my own lunches these days. It's not because I'm lazy (haha) or anything, but because I work with my Mom, and she brings me all the treats I can handle everyday. Called me spoiled if you will, but I'm the one eating a hot, organic, vegetarian meal - for free - every day at the office :-p

As you can imagine, problems arise when she's out of the office for travel or conferences or church stuff... and I become a helpless, whiny and hungry little boy. I've called the secretary at her home (she was still in bed) to beg her to stop at the grocery store to pick up food for me on her way in... I've ransacked the meager offerings of the office mini-fridge... I even started keeping all my rejected protein bars in my desk drawer, just in case I'm so starving that I drop my objections to chalky supplement bars.

This week, though, my mother is jetting off to Sedona, AZ for some hiking and spiritual renewal. She gave me enough warning to prepare a menu for myself, and to hit the local super market in time to prepare a delicious and well-balanced lunch course for the next week. As is my specialty, I decided to make a one-pot meal that I could package and eat for the entire duration of her travels. The following is what I came up with...

Inflation-Adjusted Ingredients

1 Package Buitoni Mixed Tortellini - $8.99
1 Package Barrilla Rotini dry pasta - $1.99
1 Package Buitoni Pesto Sauce - $6.99
1 Block, Gouda Cheese - $8.99
1 Medium Vidalia Onion - $.70
1 Bag, Baby Carrots - $1.99
1 Box Boca Breakfast Links - $4.99

Being the laziest of houseboys, I chose to assemble all of these pre-packaged items into my make-ahead lunch for the week. Other good additions to this mix would be crisp Broccoli, sweet String Beans from your garden, and fresh Basil, or other home-grown herbage.

The Preparation

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. While you're waiting, dice the Onion, Carrots and Cheese into chunky bits and pieces of about equal size. Dump those delicious diced ingredients into a large mixing bowl.

Boil your pasta according the package directions (you may need to add the dry pasta first, then the fresh stuff after a couple minutes). Once cooked, drain the noodley goodness and rinse under very cold water for about 80 seconds.

Prepare the Boca sausage links according to the package, dice these also and add them to your mixing bowl.

Add the Pesto Sauce to the ingredients in the mixing bowl. Dump your strained, cooled and drip-dried pasta onto the mixture and stir everything with a stiff spoon.

And that's it! Everything's easier when you do it the Lazy Houseboy way! Either serve this lukewarm delicacy immediately, or package in individual servings like I did and bring it with you for lunch, either as a main course or a tasty side dish. It's great cold or warm and will keep refrigerated for a week or more.