Waking up this morning in the icy darkness of the Wisconsin dawn, I could hear my coffee pot humming, preparing my essential brew. I really wanted to curl up with a book and my drink and a scone…but instead I jumped in the car and headed to work….only to be distracted by writing a pasta recipe for New Years Eve.

On December 31^st our dinner needs to be carefully planned out: the correct balance of carbohydrates, proteins and fats to ensure the longevity of the evening. (And support our system during several hours of boozing).

Hunting for a tasty recipe, I found plenty of winter pastas fully of rich ingredients like boar sausage and fennel, goat cheese and pine nuts, but I found myself yearning for the bounty of the Dane county farmers market in August.

This is recipe is born out of my desire for color in the winter. It isn’t the carbon-footprint- friendly recipe, but sometimes one needs a little summer lovin.

Photo thanks to Lynne Bouchard

Happy Eating! And Happy New Year!

• 3 pounds gemellini or other small twisty pasta
• 4-5 yellow or green zucchini, sliced lengthwise into quarters and then into 1 inch pieces
• 2 lbs tomatoes, preferably cherry, divided.
• 1 bunch flat leaf parsley
• 2 bunches basil
• 3 lbs chicken breasts
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 hunk of good parm cheese
• Olive Oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced.
• 2 lemons
• Salt, pepper

Place a big ass pot of water to boil over medium heat and preheat the oven to 350.

Combine a good swig of olive oil, juice of one lemon, half the minced garlic and a pinch of garlic in a heavy duty plastic bag. Add chicken and marinate for 30 minutes.

While the chicken gets groovy, place zucchini and half the tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet, sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper and rest of the minced garlic. Roast until tender, about 15 minutes, depending on their size.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large heavy bottomed pan and add chicken. Turn after 5 minutes and sauté till done, about 8-12 minutes total. Remove chicken and allow to cool before slicing. Add ¼ cup water to the pan and scrape up any brown bits. Reserve reduced sauce.

While veggies roasts, chicken cooks and that water attempts to bubble, grate the parmesan cheese and chiffonade the basil. Chiffonade is a French term meaning “made of rags,” but when we cook it means that the herb or veggie in question is cut into long thin strips. To achieve this elegant look with a bunch of basil, stack the leaves, roll them together and slice into thin strips.

Quick! Check your veggies;.no one likes mushy veg. When the pasta finishes cooking according to the instructions on the package, drain and immediately add the fresh tomatoes, roasted vegetables with pan juices, chicken and pan sauce , and ¼ cup balsamic vinegar (add a little less at first and test it out.) Finally, add the cheese and basil and top with salt and pepper to taste or a dash of red pepper flakes if you like a little heat.

Enjoy with friends and a good bottle of dry chardonnay, or rioja.