PASTA SALAD

This just came to me one day after we had cooked for a large group and about half of the expected crowd showed up. Leftover pasta can be frozen in a zip lock bag and when you are ready to use it, dip it into boiling water until it is hot. This works fine, but the pasta is almost always too done and can get gummy on you. When you plan to make this salad, cover and chill the pasta until you are ready for it. If you have left over vegetables, they could also be used.

Ingredients

8 oz Cooked spaghetti or other pasta shapes
½ cup Carrots, small dice, cooked until just al dente
½ cup Peas, frozen or fresh, dipped in boiling water for two minutes
½ cup Broccoli, cook with carrots until al dente
1 cup Other vegetables such as chick peas, green and yellow beans, cauliflower, mushrooms, squash, zucchini, etc. They should all be cooked until just tender or al dente
4 to 6 ea Green onions or spring onions, chopped, use most of the green ends for flavor
1 Tbsp Mustard, I like the Dijon types best
½ to 1 cup Mayonnaise
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

I usually cook my vegetables in a wire strainer over boiling water. Do each vegetable separately so that you can control the doneness of the vegetables. Cook all of the vegetables that you are going to use and place them in a large mixing bowl. Add the pasta, the mayonnaise and the mustard. Add the chopped green onions. Toss all together to mix and store covered in the icebox until chilled. If you take this on a picnic, set the bowl in ice or pack the bowl in an ice chest to keep it cool.

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