Preparation:
Cook pasta in boiling water til done (8-10 min.). Rinse in cold water and let cool. Pour salad dressing on pasta, and sprinkle with seasoning (can use Mrs. Dash or Spike). Add all remaining ingredients except mayonnaise and dijon mustard, and mix gently. In small bowl combine mayonnaise and dijon mustard, blend til well mixed. Fold this into the salad. Chill til ready to serve. If salad has to sit overnight, you may need to add a bit more mayo to moisten, as dressing has a tendency to soak into the pasta.
Like a lot of good pasta salads, this recipe is only a guideline. I toss in whatever is on hand and looks good. Other good additions are red pepper, cubed ham, shrimp, peas, asparagus tips, etc. For added color I like to use a mixture of vegetable-based pastas in various shapes like bow-tie, turban, and radiatore. |
