Our Favorite Pasta Salad

We opened our pool last week, which means that summer is on the way!
Time for pool parties, cookouts and s'mores by the fire pit.

Our Favorite Pasta Salad #OXOGreenSaver

I'm so happy that it's spring and soon to be summer!
I love the warm temperatures, flowers everywhere, fresh fruits and vegetables
from my parents garden, the Farmer's Market and our little deck garden.
There's nothing like picking fresh herbs and tomatoes right off of our deck!

With all of the delicious produce available I don't want any of it to go to waste!
Did you know that more than 25% of the fresh fruits and vegetables purchased by U.S.
consumers are wasted annually before being consumed?
That equates to more than 226 pounds per the average U.S. family!
Crazy!

Broccoli, Grape and Pasta Salad

Looking for a tasty salad for your Labor Day picnic? 

If you are a broccoli salad fan, you will love the combination of these colorful ingredients.

I made this salad for our daughter's graduation party this summer and it was a big hit.

Broccoli, Grape and Pasta Salad

1 cup chopped pecans

1 pound fresh broccoli

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

2 cups seedless red grapes, halved

1/2 (16 oz.) package farfalle (bow-tie) pasta

1 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup diced red onion

1 tsp. salt

8 cooked bacon slices, crumbled

Preheat oven o 350 degrees.  Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 5-7 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant, stirring half way through.

Prepare pasta according to package directions.

Cut broccoli florets from stems and separate florets into small pieces using tip of a paring knife.

Whisk together mayonnaise, sugar, red wine vinegar, and salt.

Add broccoli, onion, hot cooked pasta and grapes.  Stir to coat.

Cover and chill 3 hours.  Stir bacon and pecans into salad just before serving.

Recipe from Southern Living Magazine, September 2011

Honey Lemon Pasta Salad

About a month ago I was out of town for work.  It was late evening and I was wondering what to have for dinner.  Sure I could have had Olive Garden, TGI Fridays or some other chain restaurant dinner, but instead I decided to explore The Fresh Market grocery store I noticed while driving around.  The Fresh Market was new to me, we don't have one where I live, but WOW do I love that store!  I roamed all around the isles admiring the beautiful bakery items, bulk snack mixes, bulk candies and fresh salads. 

Since I was trying to be relatively healthy, I decided on a turkey sandwich made with a delicious whole grain bread, green bean chips, a small container of honey lemon pasta salad and a bran muffin for dessert.  I took my bag of goodies back to my hotel, changed into my pj's and had a picnic in my room while I watched the Real Housewives of somewhere on television.  The pasta salad was so light and fresh tasting, I knew I had to try to recreate it when I got home.  I searched The Fresh Market website, but of course no recipe, but my version came out pretty darn close.  Hope you like it too.

Honey Lemon Pasta Salad

Dressing:

2 1/2 T fresh lemon juice

2 tsp. grated lemon zest

1 T Honey

1 tsp. chopped thyme

1/ 2 C extra-virgin olive oil

fresh ground salt and pepper

In a small bowl whisk the lemon juice with the lemon zest, honey and thyme.

Whisk in the olive oil and season with fresh ground salt and pepper.

Pasta Salad:

Bowtie Pasta (I used 3/4 of a 1 lb. box)

1/3 cup diced green pepper

1/4 cup diced roasted red pepper

1 can mandarin orange sections - drained

diced red onion

toasted sunflower seeds

Cook bowtie pasta, drain and set aside.

Add diced green pepper, diced roasted red pepper, mandarin oranges and chopped red onion.

Toss with honey lemon dressing and sprinkle with toasted sunflower seeds.  Enjoy!

Wagon Wheel Taco Pasta Salad

I found this great recipe over at Cara's Cravings and thought it would be a nice, refreshing salad to have in the fridge for the weekend. My girlfriends and I enjoyed it by the pool on Saturday, along with some mint mojito's. My husband even liked it too. I found the wagon wheel pasta at our local Farmer's Market in the bulk food section. Sharp Shopper carries it also for my local friends.

Wagon Wheel Taco Pasta Salad

1 lb. wagon wheel pasta (I used about 3/4 lb)

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 - 10 oz. package of frozen corn (I used 3 ears of fresh corn since I had it in my fridge)

2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced (I used one)

8 oz. shredded Mexican Blend Cheese (I only used half of this)

1 1/2 cups salsa

1/2 cup olive oil (I only used 1/4 cup)

3 T lime juice (I squeezed one lime)

1 T cumin (I only used about 1/2 this)

1-2 tsp. chili powder (I used 1 tsp)

2 garlic cloves, minced (I omitted this)

freshing ground salt & pepper

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 avacado, diced (I omitted this)

Cook the pasta al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water.

In a large bowl, combine the black beans, corn, tomatoes, salsa and cheese. Add the cooled pasta and mix well. In another bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, garlic, cumin and chili powder. Pour over the pasta salad, add the cilantro and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Just before serving, stir in the diced avacado.