The dull tyranny of pasta and salad

Ah, my first prolonged silence. Faced with distractions like buying way too many new clothes that I don't need, intermittent balmy weather, and my cats engaged in Olympian vomiting efforts, it seems that I have abandoned the ol' blog for a few weeks now. If only I could come back with tales of crackling, delectable meats and sublime roasted vegetables... alas. I've only been able to muster the energy for pasta and, tonight, a salad, those friends of the uninspired cook.

The pasta dish is one that I've made a few times over the past couple of months, and very tasty it is, too. Leftovers for a few days and can be eaten cold without guilt (a major plus for me.) Here's the idea:

1/2 box spaghetti, linguine, or other 'long' variety - you could easily use penne or something like that if you so wish. I've been using De Cecco brand perciatelli, which is like a thick piece of spaghetti with a hollow middle. Fun?
1 small container Fage yogurt (I like the 2%)
Any greens, vegetables or meat you might like to add. I've added different mixes of spinach, chicken, arugula and parmesan with success. This is another good 'what's in the fridge?' dish. I can't think of very many ingredients that would be unwelcome here.

Cook pasta according to your tastes. When done, reserve 1/2 cup of cooking water and drain the rest.

In a serving bowl, empty the yogurt and add the reserved pasta water. Whisk with a fork until well incorporated. Add the pasta and toss to coat. Add other ingredients, if any, and serve.

Sometimes I like to throw a big dollop (~2 T) of sun-dried tomato paste to the yogurt mixture. That's good eatin'!

Tonight's salad features baby arugula (some pieces of which are not so baby, ahem, EARTHBOUND FARMS), roasted sweet potato cubes, goat cheese and some leftover rotisserie chicken, the beloved standby of my culinary fallow periods. Having whipped up the arugula/goat cheese/sweet potato combo before, I'm wagering on success, unless the chicken goes and fucks everything up. So bland a bird wouldn't dare.

In other food-related news, Dinero Fudge is currently whooping Pizza Ashby in the Name Of The Year's Dragonwagon Regional! Unbelievable!

The salad didn't taste as blurry as it looked.