Tuna and Zucchini Penne with Basil Dressing

Today is the big day....today I smoke my first hunk of meat in my brand new smoker!  I am SO excited...can you tell??  Tonight's menu:  smoked pork back ribs, smoked corn on the cob, and smoked potatoes!!  That's right, I'm going to do our entire meal in that bad boy!  Wish me luck :)  For now, I leave you with a light and tasty pasta dish....but check back Monday - Tuesday for sure - and see what the outcome is!!

I do love me some pasta with tuna and zucchini.  I made something similar to this a while back, Lemon Tuna Pasta with Basil & Zucchini. Please don't let that stop you from trying this one though. I found the original recipe for the basil dressing in a Tastes of Italia magazine.  The dressing was made to go on a cold pasta salad...but I thought, what the heck, I bet it would work over warm pasta too.  Once again, my bet paid off...this dish was scrumptious.  It had the perfect amount of zing from the lemon juice and that wonderful flavor only basil can bring to a dish.  Just remember, add the basil at the last moment...this will help it from getting too black as it heats up.  Nobody likes black basil :)

Tuna and Zucchini Penne with Basil Dressing
Adapted from Taste of Italia Magazine, August 2010
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
13.25oz box of whole grain penne pasta
1 5oz can tuna in olive oil, undrained
1 zucchini, sliced into half moons
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/3 cup chicken stock
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice (1 large lemon)
2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
2 Tablespoons fresh basil, coarsely chopped
salt and pepper

Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.

In a small frying pan, saute the zucchini until they reach desired doneness (I like my zucchini to still have a bit of firmness to them, no mushy zucs for us!)

In a bowl mix the garlic, stock, olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard and sugar together.  When the pasta is ready, add the tuna and zucchini.  Pour the dressing over the pasta and toss to combine.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add basil just before serving and enjoy!