Worm Salad

Worm Salad

This sounds gross, (yes, it does say "worm", but don't let that deter you) but it's named from the rotini pasta that is used.  I live on the river in a camp and I like to give my recipes "campy" names.   I first had this at a patient's house while I was a nurse.  They told me how they made it and I wrote it down when I got back in the car.  You can use any veggie you want as they come in the garden.

One package of twirly, wormy-looking pasta (the ones with different colors are especially nice).
     Cook until tender but still firm.  Rinse immediately in cold water to cool, and drain well.  Put in large bowl.

Add vegetables:
 Cubed tomatoes,
 chopped celery,
 chopped green onion, or a regular onion,
 sugar snap peas (cooked or raw),
chopped green pepper,
 broccoli stalks, peeled and cut into cubes
broccoli florets, cooked
carrots, sliced and cooked
cauliflower, cooked or raw
frozen green peas, thawed but not cooked (or cooked)
fresh mushrooms, sliced, cooked or raw, or (canned mushrooms, drained and sauteed in butter, and cooled)
other fresh veggies in season, like zucchini or yellow squash, kohlrabi, etc.

Other ingredients:

Olives, green or black
Cheddar cheese cubes (can add to salad after putting it on your plate)

Mix all ingredients and put in refrigerator to chill.  Put dressing on, if desired, in your bowl.  The original dressing was Cardini's Pesto Pasta dressing.  I like raspberry vinaigrette or Caesar dressing, and bleu cheese.  Don't smother it in dressing, use just a little.  Add salt and pepper, if desired, and some Parmesan cheese on top is very good.

You can fry cubed chicken breast in a skillet with some seasoning spices, and add the chicken on top of the salad.  I have added cooked salmon on top, and a grilled steak on the side is very, very good.