I need to make pasta salad

[Nikia]

I bought some small pasta shells.
I have the following raw vegtables: broccoli, carrots, celery, green onion.
I have Hellman's mayonaise, Wishbone creamy Italian, Wishbone Italian, and Hidden Valley Ranch
I have a number of dried ground spices.
I'm trying to figure how I am going to put it together.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

1. The best pasta is made out of veggies..

And are pretty in pasta salad. Like Rotini Pasta. So basically, how I make it is I make the garden rotini, use the creamy Italian or even a little ranch AND Italian. Then I'll use Green onions and peppers. Mix. Yum.
Duckie

[Nikia]

4. I did think about mixing dressings

It could be good.

[BikeWriter]

2. Uh, where are the English peas?

[Nikia]

5. I didn't think about that

I suppose that's something to think about.

[BikeWriter]

9. We usually use the pretty rotini and a can of mixed veggies...

Add a dressing, some diced onions, fresh ground black pepper and you're good to go.

[Irishonly]

3. If you can

cook the pasta and let it soak overnight. I usually use Italian but I am not very adventuresome when it comes to pasta salads. All the veggies would be great as well as olives as you have them.

[Nikia]

6. I'm sorry if this sounds ignorant

But what does that do that not soaking it overnight does?

[ThomCat]

8. The salad dressing soaks into the pasta

instead of just coating the outside. :)

[Irishonly]

14. I am sorry I didn't answer sooner

I am so new I get lost. The dressing soaks into the pasta.:)

[ThomCat]

15. Welcome to DU!

:hi:

[Irishonly]

17. Thank you

I feel like I am home.

[ThomCat]

7. Make sure you dice the carrots small,

and then cook them slightly to soften them a little bit.

Blanch the broccoli too and then dip in icy water so that it cooks a little and then stops. It'll retain a more vivid green color and be better on the tooth.

Onions and celery are okay raw as long as they're diced small. Though sometimes I'll cook those slightly too to soften them too.

If you use Mayo or Ranch then you're pasta salad doesn't stay good for as long. My personal opinion is that a good pesto works best. Herbs, garlic, good oil and a touch of salt. That's all you really need as a good basic sauce for your pasta salad.

I like to use light olive oil, a touch of toasted sesame oil, basil, dill, garlic and salt. Sometimes I'll make a mushroom pesto instead, using roasted and crushed mushrooms instead of the herbs.

:9

[wildhorses]

10. so then, what time is supper?

*hungry* :hi:

[ThomCat]

11. Come on over and I'll gladly feed you!

:hi:

Dinner time is flexible. When you get here I'll put the food on. :)

[wildhorses]

12. i would SO be there, were it not that we have MILES between us

one of these days maybe we can have a meet-up!! :hug:

[ThomCat]

13. I'm always up for a meetup.

:hug:

And I'll definitely bring food.

[grasswire]

16. I don't think you want to use ground spices with those dressings.

Fresh herbs are excellent in pasta salad, but the idea of ground spices is a little odd. Dried basil or tarragon would be okay, though.

If you use the mayo, it will technically be a macaroni salad -- the kind of thing Hawaiians love.

Here's my pasta salad recipe:

a pound of pasta, cooked
frozen or fresh sugar snap peas
canned baby corn, drained
roughly chopped bell pepper
sliced radishes
chopped fresh basil
chopped dry salami
black olives, drained
chopped fresh broccoli
cherry tomatoes
frozen or blanched fresh green beans
a big handful of chopped fresh parsley
a bottle of Ken's Steak House Northern Italian dressing

Okay, I'm hungry now.

[elfrangel]

18. Our house recipe is as follows:

Pasta - cooked & drained, but warm (we like spirals/rotini, but any is fine)
Mayo
Salt & Pepper
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
1 can tuna fish drained (optional)


While pasta is still warm coat w/ mayo, cover and allow to sit till room temp. Once it has cooled to room temp, add a little more mayo (to taste) and seasonings. Mix well. Finish w/ tuna, if desired, and taste to adjust salt & pepper. Cover and place in fridge to cold. Serve.

[Patiod]

19. No mayo!!! Oil & vinegar or Wishboen Italian

(the same advice applies to hoagies)

Also, you may want to slip some black olives in there. I think they make a good pasta salad a GREAT pasta salad.

[chaska]

20. Try this one...

Forget the mayo. Make a salad dressing from red wine vinegar, olive oil (approx. 1:4 mix), garlic, a bit of dijon, salt, pepper and oregano. Mix your pasta (I prefer corkscrew) up with that and some feta cheese, maybe some spinach. Good eatin'.