Pasta Salad

(WalMart was out of Tri-colored Rotini, so I had to use plain.... totally not as pretty)

I just got my new cell back tonight and was listening to voice mail. Lora, here is the Pasta Salad recipe. :) (Hopefully I'm not too late!)

We all know that I'm a cook who likes her shortcuts. My friend Cari gave me this recipe a long time ago, and it's one of our favorites! It goes together quick, it's yummy, and it's craveable.

1 box Tri-colored Rotini ( we call them Tigger noodles here..... it's a great trick to get my kids to eat it)
3 Roma tomatoes
1 cucumber
1/2 pkg pre-shredded carrots, or if you aren't lazy like me, 3 regular carrots
1 Red pepper
1 Green pepper
1 Orange pepper
(optional sliced olives)
1 pkg of cubed cheddar cheese (any cheddar flavor would do, depending on what you like)
1 pkg of cubed pepper jack
1/2 lb deli salami (get it from the deli counter, thickly sliced)
1/2 lb sandwich pepperoni (deli counter, thickly sliced)
1 bottle of Kraft Zesty Italian dressing. No other substitutes have worked as well

directions:

Cook Rotini as directed. Drain, then Rinse in COLD water to cool the temperature down, so you don't melt the cheese when it's added.

Dice up the veggies. Throw them in with the pasta.
Toss the cubed cheese in the pasta
Cube up as best you can the salami and pepperoni and add them in as well.

Mix it all up (You can even sing the Milkshake song while you are doing it).

Take your bottle of dressing and pour most of the oil off the top of the bottle. It helps the salad not be so greasy. Add about 3/4 of the bottle to the pasta mix. Stir, enjoy.

Refridgerate leftovers.

We have found that it tastes better the second day, and it also tastes better at room temp (or if you are wanting it badly enough, just stick it in the microwave for 10 seconds to take the brisk chill off of it) I think it tastes better room temp because the flavors are more intense then when they are cold.