Here's the Dish ~ Southwestern Pasta Salad

If you’re planning to attend any gatherings this summer where you’re asked to bring a dish to pass, chances are you’ll first think of some rendition of the standard potato or macaroni salad. Not that there’s anything wrong with the good ol’ standby’s, but more than likely someone else will have thought to bring them too. Here’s a tasty dish that I recently made ~ it’s not your average spaghetti salad with Italian dressing that we’ve all come to know and love (or maybe not). Instead it has a creamy dressing that is made with salsa. I suspect you can kick things up a notch by using spicy salsa, if that’s what you prefer.

Southwestern Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

8 ounces bow tie pasta (or whatever you happen to have on hand)

2 hardboiled eggs, chopped

1/2 cup celery, chopped fine

1/4 cup fresh salsa (the kind in the jar is fine as well)

2 green onions, chopped

1/4 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup Mayo ("Miracle Whip" works too)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Cook pasta in salted boiling water until tender.

2. Drain pasta and rinse with cold water.

3. Combine all remaining ingredients in a large bowl.

4. Add pasta and stir until the pasta is coated.

5. Refrigerate at least an hour before serving.

Yield: Roughly four (good size) servings, but can be doubled for a larger crowd.

*Side note* These recipes are good because you can make them up ahead of time. I’m always in search of delicious recipes for all types of side dishes, so if you know of any, please send them my way!