Salad Not Just Lettuce
Spaghetti, lasagna, and macaroni and cheese are things you think of when you think of pasta. Ever think about a pasta salad? Pasta salads are showing up at family dinners, on salad bars, and even as items on a menu at the local restaurant. Creating your own can be fun and adventurous and taste great too.
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Salad Its Not Just Lettuce Anymore
When you go to the store and look down the pasta aisle, there are many choices that can be made. There is macaroni, shells, angel hair pasta and even different colors of pasta that can be used in a pasta salad. Grocery stores now even have pre-cooked pasta in the refrigerator aisle. So the choices are endless. Choose one or more and mix and match to create your own.
The most famous pasta salad is macaroni salad. Almost everyone has tried that in some variety or another. Usually made with mayonnaise, onions, pickles and eggs, it is a great taste sensation…but tomatoes, radishes or even bacon bits and shredded cheese can be added to create something a little more interesting. It will be a big hit at the next family function you attend.
No matter what kind of meat you have for dinner, pasta salads can enhance any dinner table. Get rid of the rice and potatoes and add some flair to your table. Just watch everyone's eyes pop open when they see what they are having for dinner.
Remember, that you need to make sure the pasta is cool before adding anything to it. Add your favorite vegetables and dressings to create a unique taste experience. Vegetables can be fresh or frozen or a mixture of both. Ranch and Italian dressings are a favorite of most people, but add your favorite and see what happens.
Next time a family reunion comes along, take a pasta salad. Add shrimp or crab meat to add some substance to the salad. You can also add shredded chicken or tuna to make a new taste sensation. Orzo is also in the pasta family and looks like rice but can be a great base for a new salad. By adding ingredients, you can stretch this to feed a good sized crowd.
Another great thing about pasta salad is the health factor. Using a low fat dressing and fresh vegetables and wheat pasta would increase the healthiness of the salad and no one would know because it would taste so great.
By using your favorite pasta, vegetables, and dressings the possibilities are endless for a wonderful taste treat. Imagination and creativity is the key to a pasta salad that everyone will want the recipe for.
There are dozens of pasta salad recipes to choose from already. But by mixing and matching ingredients to favorite pasta, lettuce can take a back seat on the dinner table.
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