PASTA SALAD

Our sweet Aunt Clara was a wonderful cook, and this is a recipe I got from her, and it is always a hit.  She passed away at the age of 89 and will always be the example for me to live my life to the fullest.  She rode on the back of the jet ski with me at the age of 83 and kept whispering in my ear, "This is wonderful."  Her food was wonderful too -- enjoy! Over the years I have struggled to find Isabella Rae's Garlic Ranch Dressing which is a light but yummy version of ranch dressing.  I have occasionally used Spicy Bosses Red River Ranch dressing and thinned it out a bit with Girard's Light Champagne Vinaigrette or more olive oil.  Kim recently made this salad and shared her dressing with me that Mama Dinges used on her pasta salad.  I'm sure it is excellent since Mama Dinges (Blueberry Couga in blog) was a fabulous German cook, and so is her daughter Kim!

8 oz. Corkscrew macaroni

6 oz. Provolone cheese, diced

6 oz. Genoa salami, diced

1 zucchini, sliced in circles, then halved

1 bunch broccoli flowerets, cut small

1 bunch thin asparagus, sliced in 2” pieces

Fresh mushrooms sliced.

½ c. red bell pepper, diced (optional)

½ c. diced celery

¼ c. snipped fresh parsley

1-2/14 oz. Can sliced ripe olives, drained
½ c. parmesan cheese
Olive oil

Cook pasta in salted water and drain; cool. Blanch the zucchini, broccoli, asparagus, and mushrooms; put in ice water to stop cooking. Add rest of ingredients and drizzle a little olive oil over it so it’s not sticky. Add dressing. Cover and chill for 4 hours or overnight. Before serving add tomatoes and green onions, salt and pepper to taste.

Grape tomatoes, cut in half
Green onions, diced (optional – will get strong after a day or 2 so if you’re keeping it for a while I wouldn’t use them)

Dressing – I use Isabella Rae’s when I can find it, but Aunt Clara’s dressing recipe was:

½ c. olive oil
¼ c. white wine vinegar
1-1/2 t. dried oregano
1 t. dried basil
1 clove minced garlic

Kim's Dressing --

3/4 c. olive oil mayo
1/4 c. sour cream
2 TB sweet pickle juice (She uses Wickles pickles which pack some heat as well)
1 TB red wine vinegar
1 TB sugar
2 t. Dijon mustard
1/8 t. garlic powder
1/8 t. crushed red pepper
Salt & pepper