pasta & potato salad recipies, please!

[Sugaree]

It's that time of year!

I'm looking for recipes that are tasty & simple- I know you got 'em, please share 'em

[Lavender]

World's easiest recipe.

Go to the store and buy one of the small containers of already made old fashioned potato salad, or buy a pound of already made deli potato salad. Bring it home and add..........

More diced boiled potatoes, and some of these additions.......

celery
hard boiled eggs
onions or onion powder
pickles and or relish
olives
pimento
some fresh lemom juice (or rice vinegar...lemon juice is better)

Then add additional mayonnaise (if calories matter, use lower fat). Add a little sour cream to the mayonnaise if you like.
salt and pepper to taste.

By using just the already made potato salad, you could triple the amount by adding nothing but more potatoes, and additional salt and pepper, and a little more mayonnaise......it would still have a good potato salad flavor.

You end up with a huge bowl of potato salad with a real potato salad flavor. Plus, if you use the lower calorie mayonnaise you really save on the calories.

[Buttercup]

Greek Style Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 box bow tie pasta; cooked
• 1 container feta cheese
• 1 large coarsely chopped red onion
• 1 large coarsely chopped bell pepper
• 1 jar kalamata olives; drained
• 1 bottle ceasar vinaigrette salad dressing
• 1 jar pepperoncini peppers; drained

Mix ingredients in desired amounts, chill, and enjoy! YUMMMM!

[Lavender]

Greek Style Pasta Salad


Ingredients:

• 1 box bow tie pasta; cooked
• 1 container feta cheese
• 1 large coarsely chopped red onion
• 1 large coarsely chopped bell pepper
• 1 jar kalamata olives; drained
• 1 bottle ceasar vinaigrette salad dressing
• 1 jar pepperoncini peppers; drained

Mix ingredients in desired amounts, chill, and enjoy! YUMMMM!

yummmmmmmmmmmm.......Easy too!

[Sassafras]

Italian Pasta Salad

1lb. pasta, your choice
1 small head of broccoli, cut into flowerettes
1lb. tomatoes, diced
several green onions
1 can black olives, sliced
1lb. mozzarella cheese, cubed
1 jar McCormicks Salad Supreme seasoning
1 bottle Zesty Italian salad dressing


Cook the pasta and drain. Mix the salad dressing and Salad Supreme together in a large bowl. Add all other ingredients to the bowl and chill.

I just kind of threw this together once when having unexpected guests for a cookout once. You can really add whichever vegetables you like. I use whole wheat pasta and fat-free dressing. I also use cherry tomatoes and just cut them in half. The Salad Supreme can be strong. You might want to start out with half the jar and adjust to your taste.

When it's just the three of us here at home, I'll save the bits of odd pasta (the last couple lasagna noodles, broken spaghetti), break it into bite-sized pieces and use that. Sometimes I'll use the Italian dressing and sometimes ranch. It's kind of like my meatloaf...never the same twice. I call it Rag-Tag Pasta Salad.

[Sassafras]

Summer Broccoli Salad


¼ cup sugar (or less)

1 T. vinegar

½ cup Miracle Whip or mayonnaise

½ lb bacon, fried & chopped

1 cup cheddar cheese, grated

2 small broccoli heads, raw, cut into bite sized pieces

1 onion, chopped (red or white)


In small mixing bowl combine sugar, vinegar & miracle whip; stir well.

In large mixing bowl combine bacon, cheese, broccoli, and onion.

Pour first mixture over second and stir until coated. Refrigerate.


This gets better the longer it sits.

[AngelDance]

Sassafras, I make that broccoli salad, too. I add toasted pecans or sunflower seeds to mine.

Angel's Old Fashioned Macaroni Salad

1 lb elbow macaroni, cooked slightly more than al dente, drained, rinsed and cooled
2-3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 ribs of celery, diced
1 yellow pepper, diced
2 green onions, chopped (green part only)
1/2 cup chopped stuffed green olives
salt and pepper to taste
*about* 1 1/2 cups of good, stiff mayonnaise (I use Hellman's or home made)

Put the cooled macaroni in a large bowl. Sprinkle with the vinegar and toss. Set aside while you prep your veggies. Add the diced or chopped veggies to the macaroni and season with salt and pepper. Add the mayonnaise and mix throughly. Add more may, if needed to get desired consistency according to personal taste.

Refrigerate overnight to marry flavors, or start early in the day to serve with supper. Recipe can be halved or multiplied, according to need. Will keep, refrigerated for several days, if it is not all used the first time.


Angel's Simply Delicious Potato salad

12 waxy potatoes, such as Red Bliss or new white (do NOT use Russets)
3-4 Tbsp Italian dressing or apple cider vinegar
6 hard boiled eggs *(recipe fir perfect boiled eggs follows)
2 green onions, sliced thinly (green tops only) or use fresh chives, snipped
2-3 ribs celery, small dice
salt and pepper, to taste
about 2 cups of good stiff mayonnaise

Cook whole potatoes in their jackets till just done. Drain and let sit until just cool enough to handle. Peel or not, at desired. Cut potatoes into bite sized chunks while still very warm.
Sprinkle warm potatoes with the Italian dressing or vinegar and toss to distribute thoroughly. Set aside to marinate until completely cooled.

Peel the eggs and chop the whites. Put the yolks though a sieve or mash until fine with a fork. Add the sieved yolks to the mayo and add salt and pepper, to taste. Add the diced celery, sliced green onions, and chopped egg whites to the marinated, cold potatoes and toss gently to mix. Add the mayonnaise/egg yolk mixture to the potato mixture and mix thoroughly. Correct seasoning and refrigerate. May be increased or decreased, according to need.

Perfect Boiled Eggs

Use *old* eggs. (store bought or put your fresh eggs in the fridge in a place they will not get used to age for at least 2 weeks.)
Put the desired number of eggs in a heavy sauce pan with a tight fitting lid. Cover eggs with water to at least an inch above the eggs. Bring to a boil, uncovered, over medium heat. Allow eggs to boil gently for ONE MINUTE ONLY. Remove from heat (do not just turn the heat off, remove the pan to a cold burner), cover and let stand for 10 minutes. Pour eggs and water into a strainer to drain completely. Return eggs to the pan, cover and shake the pan gently to crack the shells. Remove cover, place pan in the sink and fill the pan with COLD water. Let sit for a few minutes. Drain off the water again and refill the pan with cold water again. Let sit until the eggs are completely cold. Peel eggs and use as desired.

Boiled eggs prepared this way will have tender (not rubbery) whites and the yolks will be pristine yellow without that yucky dark green/grayish discoloration on the outside of the yolks.

While we are on the subject of boiled eggs........

Devilicious Deviled Eggs

Boiled eggs, prepared as described above
salt
pepper
mayonnaise
ground mustard (a pinch to 1/4 tsp or more, depending on quantity of eggs and personal preference for heat)
Garnish: sweet or smoked paprika, snipped fresh dill or chives, very finely minced capers or green olives

Cut the boiled eggs in half removing the yolks. Reserve the halved whites to a serving platter or plate. Sieve the yolks into a small bowl. Add salt, pepper and mayonnaise (enough to moisten to desired consistency). Mix in dry mustard, to taste (careful...it will "bloom" in flavor as it sits) and put mixture in a pint size plastic bag. Snip one corner off the bag and squeeze into the reserved white halves. Garnish (or not) as desired.

Serve cold, as is or used ungarnished deviled eggs in a supper casserole: Put eggs in a casserole dish. Add some blanched asparagus, blanched fresh spinach, blanched fresh broccoli florets, or sauteed leeks. Cover with a medium white sauce. Top with grated cheese or buttered bread crumbs and bake at 350F until golden brown and bubbly.

You can also make as above substituting diced leftover ham or crumbled crisp bacon for the veg.

Bon Apetit!

Angel

[Trinity]

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

1-8 oz. package spaghetti or fusilli, uncooked
1-6 oz. jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
1-4 oz. can sliced black olives, drained
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1 small zucchini, chopped
1/2 small purple onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
1 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1/2 tsp. dried dillweed
1/2 tsp. coarsely ground pepper

Cook spaghetti, drain. Rinse with cold water, drain. Combine artichokes, olives, bell pepper, zucchini, onion, parmesan cheese. Add spaghetti, stir well. Combine mayonnaise, Italian salad dressing, parsley, dillweed and pepper, stirring with wire wisk; add to spaghetti mixture. Stir well. Cover and chill.



Mexican Macaroni Salad

1 cup mayo
1/3 cup skim milk
2 tsps. instant chopped onion
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. chili powder
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
6 drops hot pepper sauce
1-8 oz. pkg. macaroni, cooked, drained
1-16 oz. can red kidney beans, drained
1 cup (4 oz.) diced mozzarella cheese

In a large bowl, stir together first 7 ingredients. Add remaining ingredients; toss to coat well. Cover; chill at least 2 hours.



The Mediterranean Pasta salad is our families favorite, but the Mexican Macaroni Salad in cheaper to make and it's good too.

[Sugaree]

these are great- and so creative!

keep 'em coming!

[Trinity]

Sugaree, my husbands whole family lives in the Zanesville, Duncan Falls, Newark area. Are you close to there? We lived there for a couple years.