Awesome Vegetable Pasta Salad

My friend and I bounce different food and cooking ideas off each other all the time. We both have shared many old recipes and ways of making special food dishes.  Summer is here and to keep the kitchen cool and bellies full, lots of salads will be served over the next few months.  I usually back away from preparing heavy meals during the hotter months, I don't like to eat a lot when its hot.

So, my friend shared this great pasta salad recipe with me and now I will share it with you. It's great tasting, full of veggies, that's a plus in my book, and good for you too.  You can switch out the regular pasta for whole grain or wheat if you like.

Recipe below. 

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I use Barilla pasta for my salad, I think its the best dry pasta around.  Fresh carrots, red and yellow bell peppers and English cucumbers.  The colors all mixed together are so pretty!

 Get the salted pasta water going on the stove and when it boils, toss the pasta in and stir.  I make mine al dente so they hold up in the salad.

 And while that water is coming to a boil, cut up those veggies and set aside.  I also use a can of black sliced olives in my salad.

 Drain the pasta when it's done, and run cold water through it until it's cooled.  Don't worry, you don't need that starch in there, rinse it off!

 Toss the pasta with the veggies in a large storage container. 

 Add cheeses.......

 and the golden Italian Dressing, it's the best.  Toss all together and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Enjoy!

Vegetable Pasta Salad

Ingredients

1 lb. box of Barilla Pasta

1 red bell pepper

1 yellow bell pepper

3 whole carrots

1 large English cucumber

1 small can of sliced black olives, optional

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 cups of any brand golden Italian dressing

Directions

Start a pot of salted water on the stove.  When water comes to a boil, add the pasta and stir.  While pasta is cooking, prepare the vegetables. Seed and chop the peppers, peel and dice the carrots, peel and chop the cucumber.  When pasta is cooked al dente, a little hard in the center,  drain and run under cold water until cooled.  Make sure pasta is completely drained and transfer to a large storage container.  Toss the veggies and olives in and mix together.  Add the cheeses and mix. Add the dressing and stir it in.  Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.  Salad may need extra dressing as it may be absorbed by the pasta.

It's Slaw Crazy!

This is an absolute favorite salad of mine, a switch from your run of the mill salad for lunch or dinner.  It has spicy, it has sweet, it has salty, it's a party in your mouth, satisfies all your cravings and it's delicious.  Now what other dish has that all in one bowl?!  You can try it with different dressings, maybe a sweet and sour dressing, a hummus dressing, or a sweet balsamic dressing.  In the summer I usually make my own homemade dressings with fresh berries and balsamic, I mash the berries into the balsamic then pour on the salad.  Recipe below.

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I always pull everything out when I am making something, so I don't have to keep running around the kitchen, makes life easier.

Start building - slaw, oranges and cucumber....

 Cranberries, pecans and right before serving, top with garlic ginger crispy won ton strips....

 Toss with a light Asian Sesame salad dressing.  Delicious, flavorful, crazy good Broccoli Slaw Salad.

Broccoli Slaw Salad

Ingredients

1/2  bag of broccoli slaw (see note)

2 snack size containers of Dole mandarin oranges

1/2 English cucumber

1/4 cup Craisin dried cranberries

1/4 cup Emerald glazed pecans

1/2 cup Fresh Gourmet crispy garlic ginger won ton strips

1/4 - 1/3 cup Ken's Asian Sesame Salad Dressing, Paul Newman also has a good Asian dressing

Directions

To a salad bowl, add the broccoli and fluff it up.  Drain the mandarin oranges in a strainer, add to the bowl. Peel the cucumber, or if you like leave the skin on, cut it in half and then slice so you have moon shapes. Sprinkle on the cranberries, separate them if they are stuck together.  Add the pecans, and top with won ton strips. Toss with dressing and serve.

NOTE:  I used 1/2 bag of broccoli slaw and it served three people.  A whole bag with all the other ingredients will probably serve at least six.  You can add all kinds of fruit to this, I've used blueberries, strawberries, fresh pineapple, almonds instead of the pecans, golden raisins instead of the cranberries.  Mix it up and be creative, just start with the slaw and go from there.

I Live For Olives

Love, love, love olives!  Any kind, anywhere, in anything.  What I like about them is their fruitiness (they are considered a fruit), saltiness, meatiness, and they hold up well in cooking.  One of my favorite things to do is visit my local Wegman's every week, yes I do, just to get a container of this olive mix that they have on their olive bar.   It's a mix of all types of olives, cubed feta cheese and a dressing that they marinated them in.  When I get them home I add English cucumber and sliced grape tomatoes.  I will snack on this all day long, it's my new favorite salad and I can not get enough of it, I am sad to say I am addicted! Olives also contain a good amount of vitamin E, calcium, copper, iron, manganese and zinc, so they are good for you.  They also have mono-unsaturated fat acids - healthy fat.

A Slice of Tuscany - Day Old Bread

Panzanella Salad is one of my favorite Italian dishes during the summer when you have an abundant crop of veggies.  It originated in the Tuscan region of Italy and I am so glad it made its way here! It's fresh tasting, filling, and looks so pretty with all the vibrant colors of summer when put together.  You can eat it as an appetizer, meal, side or snack, whatever you choose, it always tastes good. I know it sounds like a crazy dish but don't be afraid, try this salad and it will become one of your favorites.

Start with your main ingredients - some day old or stale bread, and veggies

 Cube and toast the bread in the oven on a cookie sheet for about 20 minutes

 Chop up your veggies and basil, don't forget the basil!

 Start building

 See how pretty 

All dressed and ready to eat!

PANZANELLA SALAD

1 loaf day old or stale Italian bread, or baguette, cut into big cubes - like croutons

  ( I have used croutons and they work just as well)

1 English cucumber, washed, unpeeled, cut down the middle and sliced

10 Campari tomatoes, quartered

1/2 large green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1/2 yellow or orange (or both) bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1/2 red onion, sliced

1 small can sliced black olives, drained

15 basil leaves, rolled up together then sliced (chiffonade)

1/4 cup red wine or balsamic vinegar (use to your taste)

1/4 cup of olive oil (use to your taste)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Prepare the bread by cutting into cubes and placing on a dry cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until toasted and lightly browned.  Start cleaning and cutting up the vegetables.   When bread is done let it cool, then start building your salad. Bread, veggies and basil , bread, veggies etc. Mix up the dressing and pour over the salad and toss.  Enjoy!