Fusilli with Summer Tomato Sauce

This is a fun fresh pasta salad

Ingredients

2 pounds ripe tomatoes, chopped

1 large clove garlic, minced

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper

2/3 cup packed fresh basil

1 pound fusilli

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving 

Preparation

1.      In a food processor or blender, combine the tomatoes, garlic, oil, salt, and pepper and puree. Add the basil and pulse just to mix.

2.    In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the fusilli until just done, about 13 minutes. Drain the pasta and toss with the sauce and the Parmesan cheese. Let sit for about 1 minute to allow the pasta to absorb some of the liquid. Serve with additional Parmesan.

Yield: 4 servings

Chicken Salad

This is a quick pasta salad but leave out the pasta and it is a great chicken salad sandwich recipe

Prep time: 10 min
Cook Time: 10 min if you use chicken that needs to be cooked we used canned chicken or precooked

All of these ingredients are to be combined to fit your taste so there is no specific measurement giving. Have fun and play with it until you get a taste you like. Just remember to add a little at a time so you don't over do it cause it's easy to add hard to take out.

Mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
Salad Supreme (this is a seasoning you can find at most grocery stores I usually find it by the make you own salad dressing)
Pasta
Onions chopped
celery chopped
pepper
Chicken chopped (we have also used crab and shrimp)

Bacon and Tomato Pesto Pasta

Quick and easy pasta salad

Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
about 8 servings

8 slices of Bacon chopped
1/2 cup Cherry tomatoes
1 small tub chive and onion cream cheese spread or dip
1 cup Milk
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
6 cups cooked penne pasta

Cook the bacon in a skillet for 5 min or until crisp, drain off fat. stir in cherry tomatoes and tub of chive and onion dip, milk and parmesan. mix well and cook until bubbly stirring frequently. Stir in penne pasta.