Menu Mondays - Pasta Salad!

On Monday we will be sharing a favorite family recipe with you. Some will be quick and easy for summer meals or get togethers. As, the weather changes we will look forward to dishing out heartier meals. Pun intended:)

This week we will prepare a fabulous Pasta Salad. There are many different types of pasta one can use when making a pasta salad and that is a great thing about this recipe. My family likes to have the ruffle style pasta in our salad.

So, let's start with an ingredient list.

1 box of pasta 16 oz.- make it a fun shape to hold the great flavors of the dressing.

your choice of fresh vegetables, we like to use

grape tomatoes

cucumber - yellow squash or zucchini work well to

peppers of any color - pick 1 or more to add to the salad

carrots - baby work well and are very easy to prepare for this dish.

celery

radishes

This time of year when the harvest are coming in try one different veggetable in your salad. You and the kids may find a new favorite veggie.

cubed cheese - we like to use sharp cheddar, you use what your family likes

cubed cold meats, leftover chicken, canned tuna or go meatless if you wish

canned black olives - my kids love these

You can use a bottled salad dressing or make a packaged one. My family loves to have a Caesar dressing on the pasta salad.

Cut and cube the veggies to bite sized pieces. After the pasta is cooked to desired firmness rinse well with cold water. Add the bites of veggies, cheese and meat. Toss well with the dressing of your choice. Pasta will absorb the salad dressing so, if you plan on chilling for a few hours and not eating right away, you may want to leave a half cup to add just before serving.

This is great to serve with bread sticks, crusty rolls, or crackers - there are many great types and flavors to make your salad fun and fabulous.

Short and Sweet!

I haven't blogged in a couple of weeks so, here is a short note on how things are going.

Mom and I have been busy with our 4 Etsy shops. But, more busy outside!! It is finally nice here in Central NY and we have been outside in the yard and planting in the gardens. Mom wants to have a big vegetable garden but, we just don't have the time to work in one with our shops needing tons of time too. So, we have decided to have a container garden. We have lots of big pots we are going to filled with dirt and then our veggie plants. I think we will have beans, peas, tomatoes, some cucumbers and try to grow peppers. Peppers take lots of time so, we need to find plants that mature in a short season. Oh yes, and we have a long window box planter for radishes :) And some baby carrots, too! Okay, it will be a bit more than what we had first planned but, my son Zac will have fun helping Mom and Gramma.

Hope you are enjoying your spring time weather!