Pasta Salad

I seriously hate packing… I am the worst packer ever – I make a huge mess of all of my stuff and to top it all off I always pack way too much stuff. I think its pretty sad that when I travel with friends they will not pack certain things because they know I will (like my blow dryer, for example). I’m pretty sure I will always be like this. And I am a little worried that I will forget something important that I need for my race.

My packing situation is still in progress and we are leaving in a little over 3 hours!

Luckily I have managed to pack all of Tink’s stuff and she gets to snooze the afternoon away..I’m a little jealous

Hopefully the 6 hour drive to Kanab will go fast – I’ve packed a few books and some of magazines to read for the ride…It’s taken everything in me not to read those magazines before the trip!

You can see what I really care about – Food and running haha

Now onto this fabulous pasta salad! I’ve never been a big fan of pasta salads – they are normally a little soggy with overcooked noodles and with some sort of mystery dressing..so when I was looking for a pasta salad recipe for my BBQ I knew it had to be something delicious.And let me tell you, this one is a keeper! Tossed in a creamy Caesar dressing (I used Newman's Own brand) and pesto is what really make it for me (and obviously the cheese!). The recipe is also easy to double to feed a large crowd, making it great for potlucks.

Pasta Salad

Printable Recipe

 

Ingredients:

1 12 oz. package tri-color rotini pasta, cooked and drained
3 roma tomatoes, diced
1 2.5 oz can sliced black olives
¼ cups red onion, finely diced
3/4 cup parmesan cheese
6 fresh basil leaves, cut into strips
4 tablespoons basil pesto
2/3 cup creamy Caesar dressing
2 teaspoons sauté spice (equal parts black pepper, salt, and garlic powder)
½-1 cup toasted pine nuts

Directions:

Cook pasta and coat with Caesar dressing while warm. Add the rest of the ingredients (minus the pine nuts) and toss. Top with toasted pine nuts. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Recipe from: Mel’s Kitchen Café