We were invited to a baby shower recently. They were having it outside at a local park to accomodate the large size of the group. The weather was forecast to be 100 degrees at 5 o'clock. It really makes you want to eat something doesn't it - like an ice cube, or a big hunk of chilled watermelon.
We were asked to take a potluck dish to share. After some calling around, it looked like everyone was taking desserts. I didn't want to take something that was going to heat up my kitchen trying to cook it, and I really didn't want something that was going to be a danger sitting out in the sun. No one wants to be the person at the party that brought the poison food.
So there we are, wandering around the grocery store, that Saturday night before... wondering what we were going to make and looking for ideas. It was Painful!
Joseph eventually came up with a pasta salad that he liked to make in Texas. It was really simple, Cooked noodles, chopped broccoli, chopped carrots and a bottle of Zesty Italian salad dressing. I had said about 50 times that I didn't care what we made and that he should think of something - so when he did and was willing to make it... I didn't say no, (even though I detest that Zesty Italian salad dressing)
And so you are probably wondering, what is this blog post actually even about... a pasta salad that you hate?!?!?!
No silly, it is about the fact that we got the stomach flu that very night (which rolled into the next day.. .and week) and we didn't go to the baby shower. And I had all the ingredients and so I made my own pasta salad.
** Feel free to try Joseph's pasta salad, I swear the recipe is just that - and he thinks it is the most delicious stuff in the world, But then he adores me... so there is no accounting for the man's taste.
If you are thinking you might want to tackle your own pasta salad... Create a Pasta Salad by Food $ense is an excellent blue print to start with.
Ingredients:
1 box Pasta - your choice of shape
1 bottle of Italian Dressing (I used a mix of two that we had) ** be sure you start by adding a little - you can always add more
Veggies of your choice
Broccoli
Carrots
Olives
1 Can Kidney Beans
1 package of low sodium salami (sliced into ribbons)
You could also add mushrooms, green olives, green onions or scallions, cucumbers or grape tomatoes.
Directions:
Cook your pasta, rinse and drain very well.
While your pasta is cooking cut up your veggies. - None of the veggies in this salad or cooked and so I think that cutting them very small makes them more edible. You aren't having to try and shove a huge piece of crunchy broccoli into your mouth. You can chew a small piece that even fit onto your fork with a piece of pasta.
When you have all your veggies chopped and into a large bowl, add your cold drained pasta. Now dress your salad, stirring as you go to be sure you don't add to much or that it has settled to the bottom.
