The Freshman Cook: Tasty Pasta Salad-This Weeks Side Dish!

This weeks side dish is one I have been making for years. I have used all types of pasta with it. As a matter of fact, the first time I was introduced to this salad it was made with spaghetti~and it was delicious! I originally made this salad with purchased Zesty Italian Dressing. But the sodium content of store bought dressing is just too high. So, I went searching for a Zesty Italian Dressing, and I found the recipe I used below. I think it is a wonderfully tasty recipe. I made a few changes to lower the sodium count. We also used this recipe earlier in the week as a  marinade for our Mini Caprese Skewers.

(adapted from Greenlord-www.grouprecipes.com)

1 cup Red Wine Vinegar

1 1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 tablespoons Water

1/2 tablespoon Garlic powder

1/2 tablespoon Onion powder

1/2 tablespoon granulated Sugar

1 tablespoon dried Oregano

1/2 teaspoon black Pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried Thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried Basil

1/2 tablespoon dried Parsley

1/4 teaspoon Celery Seed

Pour 1 cup of red wine vinegar in a bowl.

Add 1 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil.

Add the water, garlic powder, onion powder, white sugar,

dried oregano, black pepper, dried thyme, dried basil,

dried parsley, and celery seed. Whisk together.

Cover with plastic and refrigerate. This will last up to 60 days.

Let’s make our salad. 

McCormick’s Salad Supreme

Green Onions

Yellow Pepper

Grape Tomatoes

Rotini Pasta

Start by boiling water for your pasta. 

Wash your yellow pepper. Cut the top off the pepper.

Cut the pepper in half, and then in half again.Trim all the seeds

and white skin on the inside of the pepper. Discard them. Slice

the halves into strips, and then chop the strips into 

small, bite size pieces.

Wash your green onions.Chop off the ends of your green onions, 

and discard. Chop the rest of the onion down the stalk until about

the last 2-3 inches. The chops should be bite size.

Wash your grape tomatoes, then cut each tomato in half.

Cook your pasta according to package directions.

Then drain the pasta.

Put your pasta in a big bowl so you have room 

to mix everything together. I didn’t have a big enough bowl, so 

I put my pasta back into the pot I cooked it in. 

Add the veggies, and then pour some of the dressing into 

the pot and toss the pasta until all of it is coated with

dressing. Just add a little at a time. You can always add more,

put you can’t take it out if there is too much.

Here is your finished pasta.

Enjoy with your steak sandwich!

Thanks for joining me today!

Remember when you are making this pasta salad, 

there are so many different ways 

to change it up. You can use just about any type of pasta, 

and you can change the veggies to fit the 

season or your own taste.

Experiment! You can’t do it wrong!

See you tomorrow!

We will be making a special dessert that is 

a spin off of a summertime fav!!