Recipes

[Mom2Dogs]

I love cold pasta salad...I rarely make it because my DH does not like it so I picked up some at the grocery today, it is so good...but afraid it is fattening, so I will have to pace myself.

I am trying to figure out what they put on it to bind it....there does not seem to be dressing on it but I am sure there is.....there has to be somethiing but what ever they use it is very light.

When I have made it I used an italian dressing but that is to tart and bothers my stomach, any wild ideas on what they can be using other than a salad dressing?

The store was very busy this am so I did not ask about the dressing,

maybe next time I can ask but not sure they would share with me.  thanks

[Imaoldhippie]

I use an Italian salad dressing and I put sugar in the bottle of dressing and shake it up good.  Its not so tart then.  I have also used greek yogurt mixed with mayo for the dressing also.  Hope this gives you some ideas.

[qualitygal]

I like those too.  I've got some new ones now from Hungry Girl that I'll be doing down the lane.  Some of her recipes are for one person only.  Works out great.  

[beckyb1012]

I make it from the box kind most of the time my way to save on the calories and do not add the oil or mayo for the sauce mix portion of the box.  I just add the below drained canned veg. and mix that with it instead.  You can never get out all the moisture from the veg.'s so that mixes up the powder really well.  Saves bookoos on calorie count.  My DDL loves and that is a great thing for a Mom-in-law to hear.  But every once in awhile (like today for example) I do buy my grocery store in the deli section Chicken salad and eat it sparingly.

[AuntG]

Never tried it, but I've seen recipes calling for a quarter cup of liquid Italian dressing and one-half cup mayo as the dressing.

[ALRATIBA]

I use either a Creamy Italian .... any brand. 

Or - make a pesto dressing with ready-made pesto in a jar and some olive oil.  

Or - a simple dressing of rice vinegar, honey, canola oil and McCormick Italian Blend seasoning and extra fresh basil.

Or - just olive oil and Spike (and a bit of salt and pepper) if I'm adding veggies to the pasta salad.  

[cookinfreak]

@Mom2Dogs

I use the Italian dressing and a packet of original Ranch. Drain as much of the oil off of the  Italian dressing & discard and then add the dry package of the Ranch dressing and shake well.

cookin

[Mom2Dogs]

@cookinfreak....ok, this sounds like a dumb question, how do I drain the oil out of the italian dressing?  I did not know that was possible.

[cookinfreak]

@Mom2Dogs 

Not a dumb question. I pull the shaker top out with a fork and then slowly drizzle the oil off of the dressing. Just make sure the dressing sits for a bit and the oil will come to the top. You won't be able to get every bit of oil out, but you can get most of it.

cookin

[DiAnne]

I don't make pasta salad often because just the "pasta" part of it is fattening before you add anything else.  When I do I add vinegar to Best Foods mayo to get the consistency and taste I want.  Choose the vinegar that goes with whatever ingredients you put with the pasta.