Southwest Rice and Bean Salad

Not the catchiest name, but it's descriptive. :) I've been looking for more cold recipes for the hot, hot summer and this one's a nice one.

1 cup short/medium grain rice (uncooked)
1 1/2 cups cooked pinto beans or one 15-oz can, drained and rinsed
3 1/2 Tbs lime juice, divided
1 medium bell pepper (red or yellow for sweetness), diced
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
3 cloves garlic
2 1/2 Tbs olive oil
3/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
1/4 cup chunky salsa, whichever you like

1. Cook the rice.
2. While the rice is cooking, toss the pinto beans, bell pepper, and tomatoes in a big bowl with about half the lime juice.
3. In a small bowl, press the garlic and whisk together with the oil and the rest of the lime juice, season with salt and pepper if you want, then pour it on your beans 'n' veggies.
4. Add a bunch of cilantro. Stir everything.
5. When the rice is done, rinse it with cold water to cool it off, shake out all the water you can, and add it to everything else. Add the salsa, stir and serve.

It makes a decent amount of food--enough for two adults and three kids to have plenty. They also say you can fill it out with some corn, avocados, and/or pumpkin seeds to make it a heftier meal. I think pumpkins seeds, especially, would be a great addition. We'll have to work on that.

Of course, the spice factor depends on what kind of salsa you're into. It's not really spicy besides that. We used a medium fire-roasted salsa and liked it, and most of us put a little extra on top after serving.

Pasta Caprese

Looks like I never put this one up, probably because it's really easy and I kind of assume everyone knows how to make it. But it's great to do while tomatoes are in season so I'm putting it up anyway. Here goes:

5 large tomatoes,small dice (except I usually use 1-2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes--makes it sweeter)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (go ahead and break out the good stuff--adds to the flavor)
1 tsp or so balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced (mandolin works pretty well--you can cheat with jarred garlic, makes the dish more mellow)
salt and black pepper to taste
pinch of cayenne pepper (or chipotle powder for funsies)
1 lb penne or farfalle pasta
1/2 lb mozzarella, cut into small cubes
15 or so fresh basil leaves, torn or shredded (yes, you have to go fresh here)

1. In a large bowl (large enough for your finished dish) whisk together olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Add garlic and tomatoes (if you use cherry tomatoes, cut them all in half) and toss together.
2. Let that all marinate while you boil your pasta and cut your cheese and basil.
3. Drain pasta, add it to tomato mixture, and stir in the basil and cheese. The heat from the pasta will melt the cheese slightly. Check for salt and pepper and serve warm.