Happy Saturday. Tomorrow is my birthday — but unlike my fellow Gemini Emily Ratajkowski, I’ll be celebrating with a…far less cheeky cake. A few other things on the agenda for my big day:
Read up on The Traitors. Now that the season 4 cast has been announced — and includes a certain Kelce, a Laguna Beach alum, and a Real Housewives icon — I’m in.
Finally, because I firmly believe in two-a-day desserts, I’ll make Chocolate Chip Cookie Brittle — essentially, a sheet pan of buttery, perfectly crispy edge pieces.
— Melissa Goldberg / Senior Editor / Washington, DC
A Basil Pasta So Obsessively Good, It Changed Our Beliefs Entirely
theSkimm
As soon as June rolls around, we become devout members of the Cold-Foods-Only Club. But when we came across this Basil Vinaigrette Pasta from What’s Gaby Cooking? Well, we folded — fast. In addition to being almost too easy (it takes less time to make than an episode of And Just Like That…), the light, bright, and supremely summery dish features delightfully al dente noodles, crunchy zucchini, and slightly sweet shallots. But the real star of the show is a basil vinaigrette so delicious, it’ll occupy your every thought between now and Labor Day (we would know).
The Time Commitment: Just 15 minutes. Because the only thing that should be high-effort right now is your SPF.
Key Tips: In case it wasn’t clear, you’ll want to put this basil vinaigrette on everything — so double or triple the recipe, then portion a batch into an ice cube tray and freeze. That way, according to Gaby Dalkin (aka What’s Gaby Cooking), you can “add a little pizazz to any dish at a moment’s notice.” Also, if you don’t have enough basil, use cilantro, chives, or other herbs. No zucchini? Swap in corn or whatever summer veggies you’ve got on hand.
Other Takes: For more pasta recipes that are worth spending a few minutes standing over the stove, try…
This luscious-but-not-heavy Lemon Artichoke Capellini. It’s made largely from pantry ingredients, topped with garlicky breadcrumbs, and destined to become a weeknight staple.
Creamy Corn Pasta With Basil, which, according to one commenter, is the answer to two very important questions: “Do you want to be happy? Do you want to make the most of life?”
