Today we hit the trifecta of made-up silly, fun, random, weird and wacky holidays and celebrations. Ding, ding, ding, bells and whistles going off on the "match the holidays" slot machine.
There are silly holidays specifically (most likely arbitrarily) assigned to today, April 6th, but as an added bonus, there are also celebrations that require more than a single day to do them justice, hence the weekly holidays.
Now there are categories that I completely understand would, could, and should require an entire week, maybe even a month or all year, like this week's National Bake Week. I could make that work.
Then there are those "celebrations" (and I use that term loosely) that I just don't get. At all. Those I can't imagine someone would even consider celebrating, like this week's Be Kind to Spiders Week and Bat Appreciation Week. Conversely, I can certainly follow the line of logic as to why International Pooper Scooper Week would fall at the same time (given, of course, you think it should fall at any time at all). Because even thinking of being kind to spiders ("hello, creepy crawly scary guy, how are you today? Care to keep me company while I eat my curds and whey?") or how I might show my appreciation to bats (wearing a neck exposed shirt and my hair up, I suppose) does make my intestines roil and my sphincter clench (not to get too graphic).
I can also see why, for those who are even more faint of heart (but in better control of their bowels), today would be also be Plan Your Epitaph Day.
Here lies Ms. Tornado
Beloved daughter, mother, sister, friend
Successful celebrator of National Baking Week
Met her untimely death attempting to appreciate bats and be kind to spiders
But, if you think about it, why would the first week of April be the time chosen for
those celebrations anyway? I mean bats? Spiders? Tombstones? Seriously? If you have
to celebrate them, everyone knows the last week of October is for that. Duh.
Don't worry though, April, the tomato's here to save the day.
Besides this week being Be
Kind to Spiders Week, Bat Appreciation Week, International Pooper Scooper Week, and National Bake Week AND today being Plan Your Epitaph Day, there is yet another celebration today, it's Fresh Tomato Day.
And for this particular celebration, this week is perfect timing. You may have seen that this new Tomato Feta Pasta craze that started, I think, on Tik Tok, and has taken off like a rocket and landed in many, many, many kitchens. This includes mine. Sort of. I've worked out my own version, added a few things, changed a few things, and this was the recipe I'd chosen to share today.
On Fresh Tomato Day. It's kismet.
Chicken & Asparagus Tomato Feta Pasta
The original version of the recipe calls for more tomatoes, more oil, less pasta, a block of feta, no protein or vegetables.
My version mixes chopped grape tomatoes with crumbled feta, way less oil, minced garlic and red pepper flakes for added flavor. I chose to add cooked chicken for protein (wrapped in foil and heated up in the same pan), fresh asparagus drizzled with Greek salad dressing roasts to al dente, also in the same pan, for quicker and easier clean up.
And I increased the pasta because . . . pasta.
No, I wasn't consulted on any of those other wackadoodle (that's a technical term) holidays, but it's possible that as a consolation prize of sorts, today may have been designated Fresh Tomato Day just for me.
Chicken and Asparagus Tomato Feta Pasta
©www.BakingInATornado.comIngredients:
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, chopped or shredded
1 small bunch asparagus, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 TBSP Greek salad dressing (can substitute Italian)
1 pint grape tomatoes
6 oz crumbled feta cheese
2 TBSP olive oil
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 - 1/4 tsp dried red pepper flakes (according to your preferred heat level)
1# penne pasta
Directions:
*Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Lightly grease an 10 X 15 baking pan.
*Wrap
the chicken in tin foil, place up against one side of the pan and place
the asparagus up against the tin foil beside the chicken. Drizzle the
asparagus with the Greek salad dressing.
*Cut the tomatoes in half
(larger ones in thirds) and place in a bowl with the feta crumbles. Toss
with olive oil, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
Pour evenly into the prepared dish beside the asparagus.
*Bake for 30 minutes. While cooking, boil the penne in a large pot to al dente. Drain.
*Remove the baking pan from the oven. Unwrap the chicken and discard the foil.
*Using
a fork, lightly mash the tomatoes and feta together. Add the pasta to
the baking pan, gently mix all ingredients together.