Baby Star Salad

This salad was born in honor of Lynn and Pepe, who will be married this summer and are beginning a huge adventure together in the States. It's a combination of classic American goodness for Lynn and sassy Mediterranean Spain for Pepe. Quick, easy, and delicious, this is the perfect item to take to a party, which I did (though I must admit that even I didn't end up eating much of it until the next day!). The salad is fine as leftovers, but the peas fade, so it's best to make shortly before serving to guests.

For the salad:

• 1 cup baby star pasta
• 12 mini red tomatoes, quartered
  
• 1/3 cup parsley or mint (or a combo of both)
• 1 cup peas, thawed if frozen
• generous pinch of saffron for garnish

For the dressing:

• 1/3 cup olive oil
  
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  
• 1 tablespoon honey
  
• 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
• 1 teaspoon thyme
  
• pinch of salt
• pepper to taste
  

1. Cook the pasta until al dnete - drain and with cold water to stop the cooking process.
   
2. In a large bowl, gently mix the pasta, tomatoes, herbs, and peas.
   
3. In a separate, smaller bowl, whisk together all the dressing ingredients.
   
4. Gently mix the dressing with the pasta mixture until well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
   
5. Transfer salad to serving dish or platter, sprinkle with saffron, and refrigerate until serving.