Revisiting My Favorite Pasta Salad

I shared this recipe a few years ago as we were approaching the Fourth of July, touting it as a perfect side for burgers, brats, ribs, chicken or steak, but chances are your July fourth is going to look a little different this year. Though that doesn't mean you can't enjoy some delicious summertime dishes. Like this super yummy pasta salad.

Naturally, the key ingredient is pasta. You're welcome to use whatever you like/have on hand, but I prefer something with a little color so I often opt for the Wacky Mac or some other tri-colored pasta.

Sometimes you can even find holiday pasta, like red, white and blue stars or red and green Christmas trees. I've seen them at places like Homegoods and Cost Plus World Market. They're fun for both cooking and decorating. Simply keep them on display in a sealed mason jar until you're ready to use them. (BTW, I have no idea why my font size changed)

Cook your pasta according to package directions to al dente. Once the time is up, drain immediately and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Then place your cooked pasta into a bowl. 

Add some chopped red onion, bell pepper and sliced black olives. 

These are my veggies of choice, but you're welcome to add whatever you like. But this next ingredient is what takes this pasta salad to the next level.

Imitation crab, which can usually be found in the meat section of your favorite market, is the key ingredient. Chop it up and stir in as much or little as you like into your pasta mixture.

Top everything with some Italian salad dressing (I don't recommend fat-free versions because without the oil the liquid ends up soaking into the pasta, making for a drier salad) and toss again.

Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator until ready to serve. That means you can make it the day ahead. But when something is this easy, you really don't have to.

Colorful, tasty and simple, making this one of my all-time favorite recipes. Oh, and did I mention it's always a crowd-pleaser?

So what is your Independence Day celebration going to look like this year? I know a lot of the larger cities will be televising their annual fireworks. Somehow, that's just not the same. Ours will be lower than low-key since we'll be celebrating two of our grandsons' graduation on the third. Yes, I have now have two adult grandchildren. And yes, I had my first child when I as ten. 

Award-winning author Mindy Obenhaus is passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. She lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, one sassy pup, countless cattle, deer and the occasional coyote, mountain lion or snake. When she's not writing, she enjoys spending time with her grandchildren, cooking and watching copious amounts of the Hallmark Channel. Learn more at mindyobenhaus.com

Quarantine Pasta Salad?

I love when I try something out and it exceeds expectations.

The pantry is getting bare, and I'm going to have to suck it up and go to the supermarket soon, but not yet.

I had some leftover penne - because I still have not gotten used to cooking pasta for one and made way too much.

I also had a can of chickpeas.

On a whim, I simmered the chickpeas with some oregano, garlic and basil. Then I swirled in some apple cider vinegar, and poured the whole thing over my cold penne.



I guess you'd call it a pasta salad. I'll just call it...

DELICIOUS!

Caveat - I like the taste of apple cider vinegar so this totally worked for me. If you don't like it, you might prefer to substitute some other kind of dressing.

Pasta Salad - The Perfect Fourth of July Side Dish

by Mindy Obenhaus

Know anyone having a cookout anytime soon? Like, oh, tomorrow? 

Yes, the Fourth of July and cookouts seem to go hand-in-hand. And this pasta salad is the perfect accompaniment to your burgers, brats, chicken, ribs or steaks. It's even delicious all by itself. It's nice and cool...perfect for a hot summer day. Best of all, it's easy. If you can boil water, you can make this pasta salad.

Of course, there's always one key ingredient in pasta salad and that's the pasta. I prefer mine with some color, so I often opt for the Wacky Mac or some other tri-colored pasta.

Sometimes you can even find holiday pasta, like red, white and blue stars or red and green Christmas trees. I've seen them at places like Homegoods and Cost Plus World Market. They're fun for both cooking and decorating. Simply keep them on display in a sealed mason jar until you're ready to use them.

Cook your pasta according to package directions to al dente. Once the time is up, drain immediately and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Then place your cooked pasta into a bowl. 

Add some chopped red onion, bell pepper and sliced black olives. 

These are my veggies of choice, but you're welcome to use whatever you like. But this next ingredient is what takes this pasta salad to the next level.

Imitation crab, which can usually be found in the meat section of your favorite market, is the key ingredient. Chop it up and stir in as much or little as you like into your pasta mixture.

Top everything with some Italian salad dressing (I don't recommend fat-free versions because without the oil the liquid ends up soaking into the pasta, making for a drier salad) and toss again.

Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator until ready to serve. That means you can make it the day ahead. But when something is this easy, you really don't have to.

Colorful, tasty and simple, making this one of my all-time favorite recipes. Oh, and did I mention it's always a crowd-pleaser?

So tell me about your plans for the Fourth. Do you tend to celebrate at home or do you like to go somewhere? And how about the fireworks? 

-------------------------------

Three-time Carol Award finalist, Mindy Obenhaus, lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, the youngest of her five children, two dogs and countless cattle. She's passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining and sometimes adventurous manner. When she's not writing, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her grandchildren. Learn more at mindyobenhaus.com. 

Jan's Copycat Pasta Salad

It just isn't summer without a good pasta salad, is it?

Or maybe I feel that way because my husband and I set up housekeeping in the 80's...and that's so last century!

We remember the 80's, right? When everyone was talking about Princess Di and Prince William instead of Kate Middleton and Prince George? When we thought men looked good in pink shirts? When we were so happy those 70's fashions were behind us? When every restaurant, including KFC, had a salad bar?

And when no one even thought of showing up at a family or church get-together without a pasta salad!

Pasta salads are still pretty popular, especially on restaurant salad bars. There's one restaurant that still has a huge salad bar - Ruby Tuesday - and I adore it! And my favorite salad on their spread? Their famous pasta salad, of course!

For some reason, my husband doesn't want to head off to the restaurant every time I get a craving for their pasta salad, so I've come up with my own version.

It's perfect for family and church get-togethers all summer long.

Jan's Copycat Pasta Salad

ingredients:

1 lb box rotini pasta (or your favorite pasta shape)
1 cup ranch dressing
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons horseradish sauce (or 1/2 teaspoon grated horseradish)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 green pepper, diced (optional if you're like me and green peppers don't agree with you)
2 Tablespoons diced red onion
2 cups ham, cut into 1/2" cubes
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (the kind in the green can)

At this point, I realized that I had forgotten to take pictures of this recipe! You'll just have to let your imagination illustrate the process!

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and rinse the pasta in cold water - you want to chill it down as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the ranch dressing, mayo, horseradish sauce, salt, and pepper. Add the green pepper, onion, ham and peas, and stir to combine.

Add the cooled and drained pasta, and stir again.

Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. Just before serving, stir in the 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.

All that's left is to enjoy your throwback to the 80's!


Meanwhile, we're still enjoying spring here in the Black Hills.

Because this happened:

We planted this cherry tree a few years ago. The first year it bloomed beautifully, but I let the birds eat all the cherries (aka, I didn't get them protected in time). Last year we had a late freeze...no cherries. But this year, well, we'll see if the birds get all the fruit again. I can't really complain. We planted it mainly to attract birds to our yard!

And then this happened:

The Holt Medallion Contest finalists were announced over the weekend, and Mattie is on the list!!! I'm so happy for this favorite heroine of mine. :)

And our own Cate Nolan shared a picture of Mattie at her local Barnes & Noble! She sure is traveling!

Don't forget that the e-book versions of both Hannah's Choice and Mattie's Pledge are on sale, just in time to catch up with the series before Naomi's Hope releases on June 6th! Go to my website, www.JanDrexler.com, for links to your favorite on-line retailer.


So, let's chat! It's throwback time! What is your favorite memory from the 80's?

Jan's Veggie Salad for a Holiday Weekend Barbecue

I'm pretty sure I got the original idea for this salad from Ruthy - the recipe I had printed out had Ruthy's voice all the way through it! But I couldn't find the original in the Yankee-Belle archives, so you get my version...in my voice...without Ruthy chiming in anywhere.

Can that happen at the Cafe? Only if we all keep quiet and don't tell her about it!

It all started with an invitation to the Second Annual Brummer Family Barbecue.

Yes, the same Brummer family that our Seekervillager friend Megan belongs to!

A few people are invited to compete to make the best barbecue (South Dakota style!) around. In my humble opinion, Frank's brisket was the winner.

Of course, he has an unfair advantage, being a rancher and all! But Austin's brisket and Matt's pulled pork were hard to beat.

I should know. I sampled all three of them!

Anyway, the rest of us supplied side dishes like baked beans, mac and cheese, salads, and desserts.

There was a LOT to choose from! And yes, that guy in the hat is a real live cowboy. We have them out here. They aren't only characters in novels!

And isn't Megan's new kitchen beautiful? I love the color of the cabinets. :)

As I was thinking of what to bring, I thought of the number of people who were invited to this shin-dig who need to eat gluten-free. Celiac disease is real, and their need to eat special items is real. And all of us in this group of friends and family are learning how to cook so we can all share in the goodness.

Even the desserts! The cupcakes and brownies in the foreground are both gluten-free.

It's actually pretty easy to cook gluten-free. You just need to be aware of what cross-contamination means and how you can prevent it. For instance, when my daughter, Carrie, made the gluten-free cupcakes with peanut butter frosting, she opened a new jar of peanut butter. Otherwise there would be the danger of cross-contamination of possible bread crumbs (even invisible ones) lurking in the used jar.

I ended up pulling out Ruthy's recipe for No-Pasta Salad, and made my own versions - one with gluten and one without.

Jan's Veggie Salad, with and without Pasta

Start with veggies:

1 head cauliflower, chopped
1 large cucumber, chopped
1 cup thinly sliced purple cabbage
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

and add 1 1/2 cups crumbled Feta cheese

Make your salad dressing:

In a small bowl, mix together:

1 package Ranch salad dressing mix
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup cream

Stir the dressing into the veggies until it's all mixed together.

Up until now, we have a fresh gluten-free salad. Put some of this salad in a separate bowl for your gluten-free friends and family.

But we're not done - we still have the pasta salad version!

Cut 1/2 pound hard salami* into 1/2 inch chunks (I got mine from the deli counter and had them slice it into two 1/2 inch slices.)
Cook 3 cups dry pasta until firm, but done (al dente). I used penne, but you can use whatever shape you want.

*I couldn't be sure that the salami from the deli was gluten-free, so I played it safe and only added it to the pasta version of the salad.

Mix the pasta and salami into the remaining veggies, and put it into another bowl for your non-gluten-free friends and family.

After enjoying our meal of barbecue and ALL the fixin's, we spent the rest of the evening on the deck, chatting with old and new friends.

The weather cooperated beautifully for games, visiting and wagon rides to visit the neighbor's horses.

And now we have to wait a whole year until the Third Annual Brummer Family Barbecue! I can hardly wait. :)

Meanwhile, what are your plans for the holiday weekend?

I'm spending today moving into my new office (once known as Carrie's bedroom)!

Here's what it looked like Sunday afternoon. Stay tuned for the final version!

I'm also getting ready for the release of Mattie's Pledge on September 20!!!!

When she feels the pull of both home and the horizon, which will she choose?

Mattie Schrock is no stranger to uprooting her life. Even as her father relocated her family from one Amish community to the next, she always managed to find a footing in their new homes. Now as the Schrock family plans to move west from Somerset County to a fledgling Amish settlement in Indiana, she looks forward to connecting with old friends who will be joining them from another Pennsylvania community—friends like Jacob Yoder, who has always held a special place in her heart.

Since Mattie last saw Jacob, they’ve both grown into different people with different dreams. Jacob yearns to settle down, but Mattie can’t help but dream of what may lie over the western horizon. When a handsome Englisher tempts her to leave the Amish behind to search for adventure in the West, will her pledge to Jacob be the anchor that holds her secure?

Tender, poignant, and gentle, Mattie’s Pledge offers you a glimpse into Amish life in the 1840s—and into the yearning heart of a character you’ll not soon forget.

Jan Drexler loves her family, her home, cooking and just about anything made by hand. But she loves her Lord most of all.

Stop by Jan's website to learn more about her books: www.JanDrexler.com

Missy's Copycat Pasta Salad (revisited)

I've been sick this week and totally forgot about doing a post. So I'm sharing a repeat because I love this salad so much! At the bottom of this post from a year ago, you'll see our 2015 spring books mentioned. I decided to leave them in since it's nearly spring here in Georgia. I saw daffodils today! Which makes me extremely happy.

Missy's Copycat Pasta Salad

Missy Tippens, here. I got inspired by Ruthy's post a week or two ago (click here) to make my own version of her pasta salad. It turned out so good I decided to share mine!

First, I went to the deli at the grocery store. I bought thick slices of pepperoni, hard salami and provolone cheese. I also gathered several Penzey's spices since I found out the salad seasoning Ruthy used has whole sesame seeds in it (I can't eat them).

I wanted to add sweet peppers as well and bought this bag of mini peppers for the first time. They were SO GOOD. Very crisp and sweet and easy to use. I'll be buying them again in the future.

I'd recently had this dressing, Ken's Greek, on a pasta salad at a luncheon so decided to pick up a bottle. It's VERY good! Not too tart like some Italian dressings (in my opinion).

I cooked the pasta about two minutes less than the package recommended. Then added the chopped veggies, meats and cheese. Look how pretty!

Wait!! I forgot the olives! So I sliced and added them. I used calamata, my favorite.

I added the dressing to taste, the spices, and then stirred well. I ate it right then, but it was even better the next day.

Enjoy!!

OH! I almost forgot. TODAY IS RELASE DAY! Two novella collections from some of the Seekers. Romantic novellas about second chances. Only $2.99 for each collection!

Click here to check them out!

www.missytippens.com

Extra Fancy Pasta Salad and Another Cover Reveal

The last two weekends have been big family events for our group. Of course, Father's Day was this weekend. And, last week, we came together to celebrate the life of Helen Obenhaus, my mother-in-law. After a long, full life, she passed peacefully in her sleep at the age of 92. 

Naturally, both events called for lots of food. Some graciously brought by friends and other meals cooked up by yours truly as a means of stress relief. There's just something about doing for others that takes our minds off of ourselves and our troubles. 

When the weather's hot--not to mention extraordinarily humid--one of my favorite dishes is pasta salad. Pasta Salad is one of those versatile recipes that you can easily tweak to fit just about any taste.

The one thing you absolutely must have for pasta salad is, well, pasta. You can use whatever shape(s), color or variety you like. One of my favorites is the tri-colored pasta because it's so colorful. But since I wanted to try to keep it Trim Health Mama approved, my best option was the Dreamfield's rotini.

Just cook your pasta per the instructions on the package, drain and then rinse to cool it, which also stops the cooking process.

From here, you can let you imagination take over.

On this occasion, I kept things simple, knowing I had some picky eaters.

Chopped red onions and black olives was about the extent of things for this group. And the Italian dressing is what brings everything together, but we'll get to that later. If I hadn't been surrounded by pickies, I would have also added some chopped broccoli, maybe some colorful bell peppers, grape or cherry tomatoes, cucumbers... You get the idea.

So add whatever you like to your pasta.

Oh, but wait. This is Extra Fancy Pasta Salad. So about now you're probably wondering what makes it so fancy, right?

Tah-dah!

You'd be surprised what imitation crab meat can do for pasta salad. It has a little bit of sweetness that, when paired with the tang of the Italian dressing, turns into this wonderfully harmonious treat. 

Of course, it doesn't look so fancy when it comes out of the package.

You can try to pull each piece apart, or do what I did and just roughly chop it before throwing it into the bowl.

Stir everything together.

Then stir in your Italian dressing to taste.

Note on the Italian dressing: I recommend using the regular as opposed to a light variety. The light dressings have more water in them that absorbs into the pasta, making the end product kind of dry. 

Okay, so it dawned on me when I saw Jan's gorgeous cover yesterday, that I have never shared the cover for my August LI.

So, without further ado...

Once again, the art department did a wonderful job. I just love the hulking mountain in the background. 

Yes, it's available for pre-order and, if I did things correctly, clicking on the image should take you to that link.

Happy Tuesday, everyone!

Missy's Copycat Pasta Salad

Missy Tippens, here. I got inspired by Ruthy's post a week or two ago (click here) to make my own version of her pasta salad. It turned out so good I decided to share mine!

First, I went to the deli at the grocery store. I bought thick slices of pepperoni, hard salami and provolone cheese. I also gathered several Penzey's spices since I found out the salad seasoning Ruthy used has whole sesame seeds in it (I can't eat them).

I wanted to add sweet peppers as well and bought this bag of mini peppers for the first time. They were SO GOOD. Very crisp and sweet and easy to use. I'll be buying them again in the future.

I'd recently had this dressing, Ken's Greek, on a pasta salad at a luncheon so decided to pick up a bottle. It's VERY good! Not too tart like some Italian dressings (in my opinion).

I cooked the pasta about two minutes less than the package recommended. Then added the chopped veggies, meats and cheese. Look how pretty!

Wait!! I forgot the olives! So I sliced and added them. I used calamata, my favorite.

I added the dressing to taste, the spices, and then stirred well. I ate it right then, but it was even better the next day.

Enjoy!!

OH! I almost forgot. TODAY IS RELASE DAY! Two novella collections from some of the Seekers. Romantic novellas about second chances. Only $2.99 for each collection!

Click here to check them out!

www.missytippens.com