Strawberry Poppyseed Pasta Salad

This weekend we went to the 1st birthday party for our friend Tina's daughter, Kiera. I can't believe it's been a year since she was born! I was asked to bring a side dish and this was a big twist on your regular ol' pasta salad. This version has a sweet & tangy poppyseed dressing with sliced strawberries and mandarin oranges, and the crunch of chopped pecans. I got a lot of compliments on this one! :)

STRAWBERRY POPPYSEED PASTA SALAD

INGREDIENTS:
1 (16oz) box Campanelle pasta
1/2 cup Kraft creamy poppyseed dressing
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
1/4 sliced green onions
1 (15 oz) can mandarin oranges, drained
1 cup sliced strawberries
1/2 cup pecans, chopped


DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat a large pot of water on stovetop over high heat until boiling. Add pasta and boil until cooked but still slightly firm (al dente), about 11 minutes. Pour into colander and run under cold water until cooled. Set aside to drain.

2. In a medium bowl combine poppyseed dressing and mayonnaise. Add pasta and green onions, toss to coat. Gently stir in mandarin oranges, strawberries and pecans. Serve immediately or cover and chill.

Pesto Pasta Salad

This weekend we went to a BBQ for my best friend's birthday - happy birthday Melody! I was asked to bring a side dish so I made my trusty pesto pasta salad. It's a little different than the usual pasta salad and super simple to make. It's also perfect for outdoor events since there's no mayo to go bad. :)

PESTO PASTA SALAD

INGREDIENTS:
1 (16 oz) box pasta - recommended Farfalle (bowtie) or Penne
1 (7 oz) package pesto sauce
1 (5 oz) package Gorgonzola cheese crumbles
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup olive oil, if necessary


DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat a large pot of water on stovetop over high heat until boiling. Add pasta and boil until cooked but still slightly firm (al dente), about 11 minutes. Pour into colander and run under cold water until cooled. Set aside to drain.

2. In a large bowl combine pasta, pesto sauce and Gorgonzola. Sprinkle with garlic powder and salt. Stir until pasta is thoroughly coated - if sauce is too dry, add additional olive oil as needed. Chill at least 2 hours before serving.

Potato Salad with Gorgonzola, Parmesan and Bacon

How can you even begin to reinvent a good ol' fashioned potato salad? Add cheese and bacon of course! I love the flavors of gorgonzola and bacon together so I decided to try adding those flavors to a potato salad for a twist. Gorgonzola cheese can be pretty strong, so I also added some grated Parmesan cheese to balance out the flavors. It's a creamy, tangy, cheesy, smoky rendition of the classic potato salad. :)

POTATO SALAD WITH GORGONZOLA, PARMESAN AND BACON

INGREDIENTS:
5 medium Yukon Gold potatoes
4 slices thick bacon, diced
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup Gorgonzola cheese crumbles
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 teaspoon dill
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper


DIRECTIONS:

1. Fill a large saucepan 2/3 full of water and set to boil over high heat. Cut potatoes into bite-sized pieces and drop into boiling water. Cook until tender and a knife easily pierces the potatoes. Remove potatoes from water and either plunge into an ice bath or run under cold water to stop cooking process. Drain and set aside.

2. In a small frypan cook bacon over medium heat until crispy, stirring frequently. Remove from pan and drain bacon onto paper towels.

3. In a large mixing bowl combine mayonnaise, Gorgonzola cheese, Parmesan cheese, dill, salt and pepper. Add cooled potatoes and bacon and gently stir to coat. Cover and store in fridge at least 2 hours before serving.