A Summer Favorite

A couple of years ago I was looking through one of my mom's magazines and found a new favorite pasta salad. The flavors come together so fresh and delicious that it is hard to resist.

Ingredients

• 3 large ripe tomatoes (about 1 1/2 lb), coarsely chopped (3 1/2 cups)
• 1/3 cup chopped red onion
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 12 oz fusilli pasta (or your favorite pasta) I love to use a whole wheat pasta. I really enjoy the extra flavor of wheat pasta and I feel like I'm being healthy, even if I'm serving this with juicy cheeseburgers.
  
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips Mmmmm...

Directions

1. Put tomatoes, onion, olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper and oregano in a large bowl; toss. Let stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes or until tomatos release their juices, tossing occasionally.
2. Cook pasta as package directs. Drain and add to bowl with tomatoes; lightly toss. Let come to room temperature. Add basil; toss. Serve or refrigerate up to 1 day.

This works out well because you can cook the pasta while the tomatoes release their juices and if I'm taking this somewhere I'll add the basil when we get to our destination. Honestly, I planted tomatoes and basil with this in mind. (Oh and margherita pizza...)