Summer Sides: Italian Pasta Salad

Pasta salad is a staple at our house in the warmer months. It can be a fantastic side dish, or stand alone as a light lunch when the weather gets really hot and you just don't feel like eating much. And lets face it, it's cheap, it's filling and it makes everyone happy.

I have everything on hand to make this salad so if I need something to take somewhere in a hurry I know I can fall back on my old standby. You can change it up a million ways: change the veggies that you use, add chunk of cheese or pieces of pepperoni and dry salami for a more substantial dish.

Italian Pasta Salad
serves 6-8 as a side dish

1 (16 oz) box of tri color rotini
1 (6 oz) can olives, drained and sliced
1/4 of a medium onion, chopped fine
1/4 of a bell pepper, chopped fine
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 (16 oz) bottle of your favorite italian dressing

Cook pasta according to directions. Drain and rinse with cool water until all the noodles are cold. Add sliced olives, chopped onion and peppers and 1/2 the bottle of italian dressing. Stir to combine really well. Add the cheese and put into a serving bowl. Place in the refrigerator for at least and hour, but up to 24. Before serving, give it a stir. If it looks like the noodles have soaked up a fair amount of the dressing, use the remaining part of the bottle to re-dress your salad.

The Lowdown:
*I purchased everything for this at my local Walmart and all prices here reflect those in my store*

Pasta: $1.00
Olives $.99
Onion $.25
Green Pepper $.25
Dressing: $1.00
Parmesan Cheese: $.67

Total: $4.16 or $.69 per person (my family of 6 with leftovers)

Make this cool summer salad and enjoy your time OUT of the kitchen. Perfect for picnics or impromptu BBQ's, this salad never fails to impress.