Welcome to Day 3 of Cookout Week...…..
Over 50 bloggers have been cooking up a storm this week at the biggest cookout blast of the year hosted by the ladies over at The PinterTest Kitchen.
On Monday I shared some Cheesey Corn Muffins that I had served along with some Nectarine and Pork Kebabs. I shared the Kebab recipe yesterday. Today I am serving up a side salad.
This salad was created on the spur of the moment when we had an impromptu get together with some of the neighbors. Is mine the only guy that comes in the house and announces that he was talking to the neighbors and invited them to join us for dinner in a couple of hours? Uh...okay, better pull some meat out of the freezer while I see what else we have.
What else I had was some spaghetti noodles, ham, shredded mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, orange bell pepper and some fresh thyme and basil from my herb garden. I also had a bottle of prepared Sweet Vidalia Onion Salad Dressing in the refrigerator. It turned out perfect.
This salad is so easily adaptable to whatever veggies, meats, cheeses, and dressing you have on hand. It makes the perfect go to whenever you need to make a dish in a short amount of time and don't want to run to the store.
I have made it, in the past, with salami and/or chicken. I have added olives. Sometimes there is cucumber included. Often I add different types of cheese. I have used Italian dressing and I have made homemade vinaigrette for dressing it also. No spaghetti noodles? Use any shape you have in the cupboard. You are only limited by your imagination and pantry/refrigerator ingredients.
Don't forget to stop by and see the other Cookout Creations at the bottom of this post. This week is going to have you prepared for the rest of the summer.
#cookoutweek, #sidedishes, #pasta, #salad, #easy, #quick, #potluck
side dishes, pasta, salad,
Potluck, Salad, Pasta
Spaghetti Salad
This is a quick easy side dish for whatever you are grilling. I love it because it is so easily adaptable to whatever ingredients you have on hand.
ingredients:
8 oz. spaghetti noodles, cooked per package directions
3 -4 oz. ham, diced
1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 orange bell pepper,seeded and diced
1/2 pint grape tomatoes, halved
chopped thyme, to taste
chopped basil, to taste
1/2 c. prepared Sweet Vidalia Onion Salad Dressing , more or less to taste
instructions
Rinse the pasta under cold water and shake dry. Place into a bowl with the ham, cheese, pepper, tomatoes, thyme and basil. Toss to combined. Add the dressing, toss to coat, add more dressing if desired. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.
NOTES:
If refrigerating until later, check to see if you need to add more dressing before serving as the pasta may absorb the dressing.
Property of A Day in the Life on the Farm
Created using The Recipes Generator
I have never had a spaghetti salad like this! Looks yummy! Perfect for a cookout :) XOXO
ReplyDeleteThat salad sounds delicious! You always have the best comfort food recipes.
ReplyDeleteI know and my shape shows it Karen LOL
DeleteThis is exactly how I like to eat during the summer months, filling but not heavy :)
ReplyDeleteExactly Jolene, perfect for those sweltering days.
DeleteLove that you used spaghetti for this...I usually have some kicking around that I need to get rid of!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely and can someone explain why there are 4 boxes opened with about 15 strands of spaghetti in each?!
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