Artichoke Caprese Pasta Salad

I find it amusing that the dinner we had on the first night of Fall would be something appropriate for a summer cookout- burgers and a cold pasta salad. But then again, it is still 90 degrees here. Actually, this isn't wasn't what I was going to make, but I had a ball of fresh mozzarella in the cheese drawer, just waiting to be used.

For as long we've been together, Sage's favorite salad to order at restaurants is Insalata Caprese. Being the pasta salad lover I am, I decided to put a spin on it and add orzo, which we both really like. I also included artichokes, just because I think (almost) every pasta salad is better with them. This was a lovely, refreshing side dish. I kind of felt it was missing something- Sage disagreed- but I believe it just hadn't chilled long enough for the flavors to intensify to their full potential. But as with most pasta salads, after a night in the fridge, it was wonderful.

We enjoyed this with turkey burgers, and I have to share a delicious addition I discovered. I roasted a head of garlic and added it to the ground turkey with fresh chopped parsley, breadcrumbs and an egg. The burgers were so flavorful, we even skipped topping them with cheese. We tried the Arnold Sandwich Thins for the first time and I highly recommend them. They're a great substitute for a big bun.

2/3 cup uncooked orzo
6-8 oz. fresh mozzarella, cubed (I used 6 but should've used the whole 8 oz.)
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved or quartered, depending on size
10 basil leaves, chopped or torn
1 (14 oz.) can of artichoke hearts in water, drained and chopped*
2 tbsp olive oil
2tbsp balsamic vinegar
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Cook pasta according to box. Drain and rinse with cold water. Once cool, transfer to serving dish. Add remaining ingredients, toss, and chill for at least a few hours or overnight.

*As I often do for pasta salads, I removed the tougher rubbery part of the artichokes, which reduces the amount by half. If you are using the whole thing, you might only want to use about half of the can.