Eileens Pasta Salad Recipes

NEELY'S LEMON PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and rinse. Set aside.
• In another large pot of boiling salted water, add the asparagus and blanch until bright green and slightly tender, about 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon or a spider and shock in icy cold water. Remove from the water and dry well.
• Trim the ends of the asparagus and cut into bite-size pieces on the bias.
• Whisk together the mustard, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Combine the reserved asparagus and pasta in a large serving bowl. Add the tomatoes, dill, peas, feta, and the mustard dressing. Toss with tongs to coat the salad well. Taste and add additional salt and pepper, if needed.

ELLEN'S MUFFALETTA PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook the rotini in boiling water until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes; drain. Rinse pasta with cold water until chilled; drain.
• Mix carrots, pepperoncini, Genoa salami, Cheddar cheese, provolone cheese, sweet onion, green olives, Kalamata olives, pepperoni, celery, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, and artichoke hearts together in a large mixing bowl. Pour Italian-style salad dressing over the salad and toss to coat; add pasta and stir.
• Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Stir salad and add more Italian-style dressing as needed if you find the salad too dry.

DOUBLE-TOMATO PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Holding back the sun-dried tomatoes with your fingers, drain the oil from the jar into a large pot. Coarsely chop the sun-dried tomatoes and add them to the pot, along with the nuts and olive oil. Set over medium-low and cook, stirring often, until the nuts are toasted, 5 to 6 minutes. Scrape into a large bowl (reserve the pot), then stir in the garlic and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper.
• Fill the reserved pot with water (no need to wash) and bring to a boil. Season water with salt, add the pasta and cook until just past al dente. (The pasta will not cook further in the sauce.) Drain the pasta.
• While the water is coming to a boil, coarsely chop the ripe tomatoes. Add to the sun-dried tomato mixture, season with 1 teaspoon salt and stir to combine. (Tomato mixture can be made up to 2 hours ahead.)
• Add the drained pasta to the tomato mixture and stir to combine. Let sit until room temperature, about 15 minutes or up to 2 hours. Pasta salad will keep up to 3 days if refrigerated.
• When ready to eat, taste the pasta salad. If flavors are muted, add salt and lemon juice or red wine vinegar. If it's too sweet, add black pepper and lemon juice or red wine vinegar. Stir in the greens and eat.

LEEK PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Combine the leeks, olive oil, salt, pepper, nutmeg and vanilla-bean seeds in a nonstick skillet. Cook over medium-low heat until the leeks are soft, about 20 minutes. Set aside.
• Pour the vegetable broth into a small saucepan and bring it to a boil. Turn off the heat, add the thyme leaves and steep for 1 minute. Strain. Pour the broth into a blender, add the leeks, roasted garlic and lemon rind. Puree until smooth and pour it into a large salad bowl. Set aside.
• Blanch the peas in a large pot of boiling water for 1 minute. Drain. Rinse under cold running water until cool. Add to the salad bowl.
• Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender. Drain. Add to the salad bowl. Toss to combine. Refrigerate until chilled. Cut the romaine into thin strips crosswise add to the salad bowl. Toss. Serve immediately.

EILEEN'S 7-UP SALAD

Steps:

• Over low heat melt together the 7-up, marshmellows,lime jello, cream cheese, and pineapple with juice.
• When completely melted to gether remove from heat.
• Chill until it mounds.
• Add the miracle whip to the cream cheese mixture and stir together.
• Gently fold in the whipped cream.

EILEEN'S PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Boil your pasta to desired texture.
• Put in your other ingredients.
• Add your salad dressing.
• Mix and refrigerate.
• That's it!