The Kitchen's Pasta Salad

Image courtesy of Creative Commons

We had several volunteers at the yesterday's Volunteer Appreciation Barbeque ask for this recipe. As promised, here it is... 

We invite you to make this pasta salad your own. Pump up the amount of chopped vegetables you use (we did!!). Take a look around the garden so see what would fit in nicely. Switch it up by using a little basil or a little dill from time to time. In the winter time, thawed frozen peas would work well. 

You may also choose to add some protein sources to this -- shredded chicken, diced ham, drained and rinsed chickpeas or black beans would all work well in this.

It's a recipe that keeps well in the fridge so make it the day before your event and give yourself more time to relax and enjoy...

Ingredients: 

3 cups dry pasta -- we used fusilli
1/2 medium onion, diced finely, about 1/2 cup
2 tomatoes chopped -- about a cup
1/2 green pepper, finely diced, about 1/4 cup
1 cucumber (seeded if necessary), chopped
3/4 cup celery, diced finely

Dressing:
2/3 cup white sugar
1/2 c vegetable oil
1/3 c ketchup
1/3 c vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp paprika

Directions: 

1. Cook pasta is a large quantity of boiling water until tender but not mushy-- al dente as they say in Italy.
2. Drain and rinse pasta and set to cool. 
3. In a large bowl, mix sugar, oil, ketchup, vinegar, salt, pepper and paprika until thoroughly mixed. 
4. Add cooled pasta to the dressing mix and stir until pasta is coated. 
5. Add chopped vegetables and stir. 
6. Keeps in the refrigerator 3 days; bring to room temperature before serving. Remix just before serving (dressing will settle to the bottom of the bowl).