Pasta Salad 18/325

The Relation

Vickie McAlister is an outlaw, married to Bob McAlister (George>Pauline>Marty>Bob).  Bob and Vickie would be my second cousins, once removed and, at least as of 2014, lived in Eugene, Oregon.

Veggies galore

The Process

There was a lot of room for preference is this receipt. Each step was left with a “if you like those” or started with “you can add these.” Which is fine by me because it means I get to pick and choose what I like. Note that I did double this recipe and also made it under a time crunch.

I used rotini as my pasta of choice. I strongly considered using one of the 10 or so boxes of vegetable pasta I had in my cupboard (in case Ragnarök begins unexpectedly), but I went with traditional pasta. I cooked it according to the box instructions and selected the lowest amount of time suggested to get that Al Dente goodness.

Slightly overcooked

For my veggies, I selected carrots, broccoli, yellow squash, and zucchini. I tossed them all into a large pot with a little bit of water to steam them. I admit, with everything else happening in the kitchen, I probably overcooked them slightly. They were definitely not “crisp”.

I use an entire red pepper since the amount wasn’t specified and used no mushrooms or olives. Mostly because I didn’t have any on hand, but also because I don’t like olives. I was delighted that Marie’s Blue Cheese Salad Dressing was still in stores 30 years after this recipe was added.

Hindsight, I should have absolutely made this the night before I planned on serving it. After an hour in the fridge, the pasta salad was still room temperature at best. I served it anyway, but Vickie is right, it’s much better on day two. I did not add the lettuce and tomatoes, mostly because I forgot but also because I don’t like tomatoes. I did use the full container of dressing (technically two full containers since I doubled it).

never enough dressing

The Feedback

The room temperature pasta salad was still a hit! I will say that a few days later, different pal came over and had approximately 4 helpings of it. So, the key is to let it chill for a full day!!! I also really liked it, and as someone who isn't a huge fan of bleu cheese, I think that says something

The Receipt

PASTA SALAD CC90
Vickie McAlister

Make a lot of this. It’s better the second day if there’s any left over.

Boil ½ pound curly or shell pasta “al dente”. Drain thoroughly and combine 1 can – 6 ounces – marinated artichoke hearts, undrained. Add I cup each of steamed vegetables like sliced carrots, broccoli flowerets, slice green beans, yellow or zucchini squash. The vegetables should be crisp. Add fresh raw red pepper slices and 1 cup sliced celery. Mushrooms and green or black olives are a great addition if you like them. Add half a bottle of Marie’s Blue Cheese Salad Dressing. Mix and chill. Add more Marie’s when you are ready to serve the salad if it seems to need it. Lettuce and tomato chunks can be added when served but get mushy if mixed in too soon.

I can’t say how many this serves. At least 6 – more if it’s a side salad.