Summer Pasta Salad

So, this is my first recipe I've put up...but since my family "begs" for this pasta salad, I figure maybe it's worthy of a post!  Now mind you, I like to cook, but not bake.  The reason for this is that in cooking, I can be more creative.  I rarely measure, and hardly ever cook the same thing the same way twice!  This is what I love about cooking!!  Baking, on the other hand, demands attention to detail.  Not my greatest strength!  I have a very limited amount of patience, so I leave the baking to my daughter, who will be studying pastry arts this fall.

FRESH VEGETABLES ARE THE BOMB!!!

TRI-COLOR PASTA ADDS INTEREST

Pasta is NOT the enemy!! 

Now, On to the Recipe!!

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2 boxes tri-color rotini
2 bottles of your favorite Italian Dressing--Do use one with lots of flavor like Newman's Own.
1-2 cans black (or green) olives, sliced or halved
1-2 small jars of marinated artichoke hearts, sliced
Marinated sun-dried tomatoes, sliced

And any combination of these veggies (diced)  in whatever amounts you want!!  NO RULES!!  =)

Celery
Green, Yellow, Red, and/or Orange Bell Peppers--adds color, taste, & nutrients, so use them all if you have them
Green Onions (Salad Onions or regular onions if you don't have these)
Carrots
Brocolli
Cherry Tomatoes, halved
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Boil the noodles until JUST SOFT--do not overcook!! Strain them and run under cold water to stop the cooking process.
Toss in some of the salad dressing to keep the noodles from sticking.
Add your veggies and the rest of the dressing.
Add Salt and Pepper to taste
Stir, Stir, Stir
Cover and Refrigerate for an hour or two to let it chill and allow the flavors to blend.

And for an extra kick:


Fresh Basil, and Parmesan Cheese also really Rock this Salad!!

VOILA!!!  You have enough pasta salad to feed the neighborhood--Trust me, they'll be coming back for more!!

Tweak this to fit your family--and use what you've got in the fridge!!  Like I said, there's no "wrong" way to make this.  To me, the goal is to use as many fresh veggies as I have on hand!!  So add some, remove some, play with it, experiment and have fun!!

Let me know what you think!!  And, if you try something that really works that isn't here, send me a shout-out--I'm always open to new ideas!!