Spicy Cold Pasta Picnic Dish

Hi everybody!!!

  We've had a heat wave which means we're doing a lot of things outside. Swimming. Sleeping. Eating. Of course BBQ is a favorite around here, but sometimes I need something more than burgers and hotdogs, ya know??

 So, this is a pasta salad recipe that shows up at family functions. If you don't know my family, when you see the recipe, you'll understand. It's a bit... weird. And we're all a bit... weird.

 

First, an egg timer. What? You don't have one of these?? I got this as a bridal shower gift and it's AMAZING. You plop it in the boiling water with the eggs. Then, it changes color and you take the eggs out when the color reaches the setting you want. Ha! Brilliant!

 

Next, several pounds of cooked pasta, firm. I usually use the spinach variety, but we were out. So, plain old corkscrew it is.

 

1/4 cup mayo and 4 TBS vinegar. I thought we might be out of vinegar because the kids were using it for our home made volcanoes. (They did use up all the baking soda, but since I still haven't gone oven shopping, I'm okay with that.)

Green olives, pickled jalapenos, sharp cheddar and sweet onion. Have I lost you yet???

2 TSP thyme. Some people put in marjoram but I'm not a big fan of marjoram.  Mix the mayo, vinegar and herbs together, them mix with the pasta. If this sounds like something you wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole, I think it helps to remember it's basically the recipe for Thousand Island dressing without the Worchester and ketchup. Some people put in sweet relish, and sometimes I put in dill relish, but I went for simple and spicy this time.

 

One pound cubed sharp cheese onto the pasta, which was cooled and rinsed in cold water. We don't want to heat up all these ingredients. That would be a whole different flavor. We're going for chilled excellence.

                               
Three large green olives, minced. Sometimes I use garlic, too, but I wasn't feeling the garlic love today.

Mmmmm! Farm fresh eggs! Peeled and sliced roughly. I also add some tasty bits like bacon or pimento or sweet red pepper or celery slices. It's really a versatile recipe after you get the base where think it tastes good. Chill at least 3 hours in a sealed bowl, covered with plastic wrap so it doesn't dry out.

Here's hubby's plate. I like the pickled jalapeno flavor but not necessarily the 'burn your face off' after-effects. So, I layered on the peppers for him and took them off my own.

And this is a picture of what I got one week at the Farmer's Market. YUMMY! See that giant cinnamon roll?? I love local food. Cinnamon rolls may not be quite the "farm fresh" food people think of, but I'm telling you, it's GOOD!

 

  Ok, you all! Have a wonderful week and don't melt in the heat! I'll be in the kiddie pool if you need me...