Food Friday

I'm having a conundrum today. Isn't that just the funniest word? To be honest, when I first had the thought of using that word I didn't have a clue how to spell it. And do you know how difficult it is to find a word when you don't know how to spell it?
Conundrum: anything that puzzles. Well, I'm puzzled and I really wanted to use that word. Wow - aren't you glad you stopped by today. :)

So, here's the conundrum. I can't decide if I should post the recipe for Summer Squash and Chicken Pasta or the Blackberry Slab Pie. See, I told you, it's a conundrum. So, I'll just post both. After all, I'm a week or ten behind posting on Food Friday. So here you go.

By the way, the Blackberry Slab Pie is in the newest edition of "Taste of the South" magazine. Love that magazine.

Summer Squash and Chicken Pasta Salad
Ingredients:
1 lb. spaghetti noodles
1 Tbsp olive oil
4 Tablespoon minced garlic
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 yellow summer squash
1 small zucchini
2 Roma tomatoes
3 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
Directions:
1. In medium saucepan, cook pasta noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cool water. Drizzle with 1-2 Tbsp olive oil once chilled.
2. Meanwhile, saute garlic in olive oil and red wine vinegar until garlic begins to golden (about 1-2 minutes). Add a few dashes of salt and pepper too.
3. Dice the yellow summer squash and the zucchini and add to the garlic mixture. Saute for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add tomatoes and sauté for 1 – 2 minutes.
5. Add vegetable mixture to the cooked pasta.
6. Chill the summer squash pasta salad for at least 2 hours in the fridge, if you wish to eat it chilled.
7. Grill chicken breasts over medium-high heat for 6-8 minutes on each side, or until no longer pink in the middle.
8. Cut chicken into bite size pieces and add to pasta mixture.
9. Serve chilled.

Blackberry Slab Pie
Ingredients:
1 package refrigerated pie crusts
8 cups fresh blackberries
¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
4 tablespoons flour
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 15 x 10 inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll 1 pie shell disk into an 18 x 13 inch rectangle, about 1/8 inch thick. Transfer to prepared baking sheet, pressing into corners and allow dough to hang over the sides.
Refrigerate 30 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, combine blackberries, ¾ cup sugar, flour and salt. Spread mixture over chilled pie shell.
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll out remaining pie shell to a 16 x 13 inch rectangle, about 1/8 inch thick; drape over the filling. Fold edge of bottom shell over the top shell. Pinch edges to seal. Cut three diagonal slits across top of pie. Brush crust with cream and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar.
5. Bake until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly, 50 to 60 minutes.
6. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for at least 3 hours before serving.