June 14, 2010

Easy Pasta Salad Recipe

One thing I really enjoy about summer is the food.  Just this weekend we grilled hotdogs and I knew the sides would be baked beans and pasta salad.  Salads are a great summer addition because you can premake them.  When I know company is coming, I usually go ahead and make my pasta salad, macaroni salad, watergate salad, etc the night before.  It makes for less time and mess in the kitchen when company is here.  Another benefit is that you can make up some salad and eat it for a few days. 

I have been making this particular pasta salad for many years.  It is so very simple, yet delicious.  I have even had people ask for the recipe.  It kind of confused me a bit when they asked, but ok, here goes. 

 

Easy Pasta Salad

1 box garden rotini noodles, boiled and drained

fresh chopped tomatoes (I prefer Roma tomatoes because they’re less watery.)

1 to 1 1/2 peeled and chopped cucumbers

fresh sliced mushrooms

1 small can sliced olives, drained

1 bottle Kraft Zesty Italian salad dressing (I have tried other brands and prefer the Kraft Italian.)

1 cup shredded cheese

Simply combine the noodles and veggies in a large bowl. Use as many or as little veggies as you like. Mix in the salad dressing, reserving a little. Refrigerate pasta salad. Before serving, mix in more salad dressing and cheese.

I have also served this pasta salad with fresh diced deli ham and it was delicious.

Way to save money on this dish:

Grow your own tomatoes and cucumbers.

Take advantage of double and triple coupon deals to get the noodles for free.

Buy store brand pasta.

Buy your mushrooms by the pound, rather than a whole package.

Use coupons, sales, store promotions to save money on salad dressing. I got my salad dressing for free.

Enjoy!

image (c) Karen Weideman