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A Make-Your-Own Hybrid Pasta Salad

Here's how you make A Make-Your-Own Hybrid Pasta Salad
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  • Servings: 8
  • Prep: 20-25m
  • Cook: 0m
    • The following recipe serves 8 people.

Ingredients

The ingredients are:
  • FOR PASTA SALAD
  • 3 cups elbow macaroni (pre-cooked, rinsed & drained)
  • 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes (hydrated, I will use less)
  • 1/2 cup black olives (pitted, halved)
  • 1/2 cup pimento-stuffed green olives (halved)
  • 1 cup sliced mozzarella (mozzarella balls, I will use feta, gouda or white cheddar - diced)
  • 1 avocado (large avocado, nearly ripe, peeled & diced)
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (or pine nuts)
  • FOR HONEY-LIME VINAIGRETTE
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1/2 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup oil (canola oil)
We recommend you get your ingredients ready before you start cooking. Once you're ready, here are the steps to making this delicious recipe

How to Make

  • Step 1: In a lrg bowl, add the elbow macaroni, olives, tomato, cheese of choice, avocado & nuts of choice. Set aside.

  • Step 2: Blend lime juice, honey, sugar, mustard, garlic powder, salt, black pepper & cumin in a blender. Stream olive oil & canola oil into the juice mixture while blending to emulsify the oil into the juice.

  • Step 3: Pour the vinaigrette over the salad ingredients, mix gently but well & serve.

  • Step 4: NOTES FROM ME: We all have our ways to do things. I will use my hand-held stick-blender w/a wide-mouth jar to prepare the vinaigrette, add it to the salad ingredients in increments so the salad does not become "over-dressed" & then allow a chill time in the fridge for the flavors to develop. If you feel the need to add protein, then shrimp would be excellent. (Avocado, olives & tomato are all fruits, btw)

Tips & Variations

Don't forget the following tips and variations.
  • Standard kitchen blender or hand-held stick blender.

We hope you enjoy this recipe!

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