Caprese pasta salad

Today's recipe was supposed to be French tarragon pickles. My husband and I had a lot of fun brining and canning them, and I was excited about sharing the recipe. The only thing is . . . we just tasted them the other day. And these pickles are so vinegary, they're practically inedible.

Oh, well. It was fun while it lasted, and I think we'll try again some other time (with significantly less vinegar).

In the meantime, I'm not feeling much like cooking during this heat wave. So here's a recipe for a little something I whipped up the other night (with minimal cooking) that also uses the delicious, fresh garden ingredients.

Caprese pasta salad

12 oz. vegetable radiatore (use any pasta your family likes, but a spinach pasta is nice here)

1 large, ripe yellow tomato, chopped

1 large, ripe red tomato, chopped

8-12 oz. fresh mozzarella, chopped or torn

Lots of fresh basil, chopped or torn

Olive oil

Cook the pasta according to package directions.

Layer pasta, tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil on individual plates. Drizzle with olive oil and serve. Eat and stay cool!