A easy & great pasta salad. Any pasta will work. I sometimes use the shell or bow tie pasta. Cook & rinse pasta in cold water. Add frozen peas, diced cheese, a can of drained chicken & mayo. Just mix all together & salt to your taste. I use Johnny's season salt. Very yummy.

My daughter-in-law makes this actually we Demand she make this for family gatherings - it sooo good fun to arrange oranges with a maraschino cherry half in center to look like a flower

DOUBLE the RECIPE FOR A GATHERING:

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[TD]1 box orange jello – 6oz.
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2C. Boiling Water
Add Jello and stir well till completely dissolved

Beat
6oz cream cheese until soft
Add jello and beat together
Stir in 1 can(14oz) sweetened condensed milk
Then
Beat in + (8oz) 1 carton whipped topping

Poor into bowl or nice dish and chill in fridge to set at lease 4 hours
Top with mandarin oranges

This is my all time favorite salad. Alumni Pasta Salad. Cook 1-16 oz. package spiral (rotini) pasta, drain and cool. Add 3/4 cup green onion, chopped; 1/2 cup radishes sliced, 1 small cucumber-peeled and chopped, 1/4 cup grated carrot, 2 cups cut up broccoli, 2 cups small tomatoes, 1 cup sliced black olives. For the dressing either use bottled Hidden Valley ranch or make your own ranch. I probably use 1 1/2 - 2 cups dressing. If salad gets dry, add more. Sprinkle with 1 t. dill weed and stir all together. I ALWAYS get asked for this recipe. You can use whatever fresh veggies you want with it.

Orzo is a pasta ... it's the shape of rice, but larger than rice. Still small though, in comparison to most pastas. You could use any pasta, though the small size of it does work nicely with the other ingredients, so that it does not look like just another pasta salad.

"PLEASE COULD YOU EXPLAIN ME IN THE FOLLOWING RECeIP WHAT IS "ORZO" ? I AM FRENCH, AND MY ENGLISH IS NOT GOOD. THANKS!"

Orzo is a pasta shaped to look a bit like rice. Do a search and you'll see how it's packaged here.

Here is a pasta salad I make that always gets rave reviews and disappears quickly.



PASTA DELI SALAD:


1# Tri Colored Rotini pasta
3/4 cup sliced green stuffed olives
1 small red onion, diced
1/2 jar roasted red peppers, diced (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup sliced pepperoccini rings (optional)
1 jar (small) marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
1/4# ( or less) salami, diced into small pieces
1 cup mozzarella cheese, cubed into small cubes (or Monterey Jack)
1 small can sliced black olives
1/3 cup Italian dressing
1 Cup Mayo (Best Foods) not miracle whip
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan or Romano cheese (not grated).
Seasoned salt, black pepper and garlic powder to taste.
1 tsp. Italian Seasoning

Cook pasta in salted boiling water about 10 min until al dente. Drain and run cold water over to cool. Drain and put into large bowl. Add olives, pepperocini, onions, peppers, artichoke hearts, salami and mozzarella cheese, and seasonings. Combine Italian dressing and mayo, mix well and pour over pasta mixture. Add shredded parmesan or Romano cheese. Mix entire salad well. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. At serving time if pasta seems a little dry, drizzle with some olive oil and mix again. Serves 6 to 8.

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Here's one I use often and always is a hit.



PASTA DELI SALAD:


1# Tri Colored Rotini pasta
3/4 cup sliced green stuffed olives
1 small red onion, diced
1/2 jar roasted red peppers, diced (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup sliced pepperoccini rings (optional)
1 jar (small) marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
1/4# ( or less) salami, diced into small pieces
1 cup mozzarella cheese, cubed into small cubes (or Monterey Jack)
1 small can sliced black olives
1/3 cup Italian dressing
1 Cup Mayo (Best Foods) not miracle whip
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan or Romano cheese (not grated).
Seasoned salt, black pepper and garlic powder to taste.
1 tsp. Italian Seasoning

Cook pasta in salted boiling water about 10 min until al dente. Drain and run cold water over to cool. Drain and put into large bowl. Add olives, pepperocini, onions, peppers, artichoke hearts, salami and mozzarella cheese, and seasonings. Combine Italian dressing and mayo, mix well and pour over pasta mixture. Add shredded parmesan or Romano cheese. Mix entire salad well. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. At serving time if pasta seems a little dry, drizzle with some olive oil and mix again. Serves 6 to 8.

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The best grape salad above is awesome. I took it to school and they went nuts over it. Also go to food.com and search for guacamole salad. The ne made by the Barefoot Contessa from Food Network. Another unique yummy salad is Corn and blueberry salad. Also on food.com

Fruity Chicken Pasta Salad

1 lb. rotini pasta, cooked and chilled
chopped onion, to taste
chopped celery, to taste
1 whole chicken breast, cooked, cooled, and chopped
1 can pineapple tidbits, drained
1 lb. red grapes, halved

Dressing

1 qt. salad dressing
1 can condensed milk (example-Eagle Brand)
1/2 cup vinegar

Mix dressing and taste, may want to add a little more vinegar. May not take all the dressing
but will absorb a lot overnight.
Mix all together and chill overnight for best flavor<VAR id=yiv7523793994yui-ie-cursor></VAR>

I love a simple salad with a can of black beans drained one cup frozen corn 4 green onions chopped half a green bell pepper finely chopped and 5 dill pickle slices chopped Dressing is the juice of one large lime 2 tblsp canola oil and one large crushed garlic clove and salt and pepper THIS HOLDS WELL cAN BE MADE IN ADVANCE AND CAN BE DOUBLED