I'd also be interested in your best recipe for pasta salad, please share. Thank you:)

This is the recipe craftybear posted & is very good.Be sure to add a bit of lemon juice or vinegar...I like rice vinegar,grated red onion & any veggie you like.I sub colby or longhorn cheese in pasta salad.
Layered Summertime Salad-Taste of Home Recipe

16 Servings Prep/Total Time: 30 min.
20
10
30
Ingredients
2 cups uncooked gemelli or spiral pasta
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup sliced green onions
4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled, divided
4 cups torn romaine
1 cup fresh snow peas, trimmed and halved..can sub 1 box thawed green peas
1 cup fresh cauliflowerets
1 cup fresh broccoli florets
1 large sweet red pepper, chopped
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
Directions
Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice, sugar and garlic powder; set aside. Drain pasta and rinse in cold water; toss with onions and half of the bacon.
In a large salad bowl, layer half of the romaine, pasta mixture, peas, cauliflower, broccoli, red pepper, mayonnaise mixture and cheese. Repeat layers. Sprinkle with remaining bacon. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Yield: 16 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (3/4 cup) equals 186 calories, 13 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 9 mg cholesterol, 115 mg sodium, 13 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 4 g protein.



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I put Italian dressing over pasta cucumbers tomato's
and just alittle onion
pour it over about 1 bottle does it for a bag of cooked noodles
Better if sits 1 -2 days

thanks for pasta salad recipe:)

Creamy Pasta Salad/w Crabmeat


1/2 cup each light sour cream and light mayonnaise (not fat free)
1 tablespoon each freshly squeezed lemon juice and honey mustard
1/2 to 1 tsp. minced fresh dill
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 oz medium shell pasta, uncooked (about 5 cups dry)
1 lb lump crabmeat (real or imitation), chopped
1/2 cup each diced red and green bell peppers
1/2 cup chopped green onions

In a small bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, honey mustard, dill, salt and pepper. Refrigerate dressing until ready to use.

Cook shells according to package directions. Drain well. Rise with cold water and drain again. Transfer pasta to a large bowl. Add crabmeat, bell peppers, onions and dressing. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

This is very, very good and makes a LOT. (I use imitation crabmeat)

BLT Macaroni salad:

http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/BLT-Macaroni-Salad-2

Thanks for everyone's ideas! They ALL sound great! Yummy! Now to pick and choose!

Thanks for the pasta receipe!! this will be a good weekend to try it out!!!...

Wow, lots of great recipes! thanks everyone, keep posting them for all of us to enjoy!