Summer is here and so are the social gatherings and evening parties. While outdoor barbecuing and poolside parties are the hit during summers, potluck parties are more easily managed as meal preparation doesn’t become the sole responsibility of the organizers. And, for summer potlucks, nothing is more refreshing and easy than a pasta salad. We all know there are innumerable recipes that anyone can try his or her hands on, thanks to online resources and cookbook publications, but it is not always necessary to follow a routine kind of basic preparation. Things get monotonous if we follow the routine steps, so why not try a twist in taste by throwing some imagination and creativity and coming out with something entirely innovative that is really fantastic and amaze everyone with its delectable taste.
Basic pasta preparation involves tossing up of pasta with any fresh vegetables along with some olives and herbs. You can spice the preparation by adding some Italian seasoning and chili flakes and finally give the finishing touch with a drizzle of some olive oil over the top of the salad. If you are not worried about keeping a tab on calorie counts, give yourself some liberty and make your dish even mushier by adding some grated parmesan cheese. And, here you are, your perfect dish for a summer potluck party is ready within a matter of few minutes.
Now, this is a basic pasta salad preparation, if you want some extra zing, you can experiment with all sorts of ingredients and add more flavor and color to your dish so that it become more appealing as well as appetizing for the guests. You can throw in some boiled eggs, fried sausages, or even try shrimp or crab served with either hot or cold pasta salad.
We all know that routine things are boring, and if we want to keep ourselves energetic and get going, we need to try versatility. Cooking with versatility is yet another way of rejuvenating your mind, body, and soul to experience the magical power of relaxation and break the inertia of boredom. So to keep yourself rejuvenated try experimenting in the kitchen and flaunt your creativity through various meal preparations.
To begin with try these simple recipes. You can even spice things up by adding different ingredients to add more flavor and texture to your dish
Egg and Ham Pasta Salad
Ingredients:
• Cooked ham 1-1/2 cups (diced)
• Hard-boiled eggs 6 (chopped)
• Macaroni 2 cups (cooked)
• Celery ½ cup (chopped)
• Olives ½ cup (chopped)
• Salt
• Pepper
• Mayonnaise
• Mixed salad greens
Method:
Combine well the ham, eggs, macaroni, celery, and olives. Mix in the mayonnaise to add some moisture to your salad. Do the seasoning with a generous sprinkle of some salt and pepper. Serve this salad on top of mixed salad greens.
Cold Tomato Pasta Salad
Ingredients:
• Tomatoes 2 cups (diced)
• Macaroni 4 cups (cooked)
• Cheddar cheese ¾ cup
• Olives ½ cup (sliced)
• Mayonnaise 1 cup
• Grated onions 2 tablespoons
• Cayenne 1/8 teaspoon
• Garlic 1 clove (minced)
• Lettuce leaves
Refrigerate the macaroni until it is chilled. Combine it with the rest of the ingredients. Serve this on chilled lettuce leaves with a sprinkle of Cayenne on top.
Cold Rotini Cucumber Salad
Ingredients:
• Cucumbers 2 (chopped)
• Rotini 2 cups (cooked)
• Onion ½ (finely chopped)
• Cherry tomatoes 10 (quartered)
• Black olives ¾ cup (sliced)
• Italian-style salad dressing 1 cup
Method:
Chill the pasta in the refrigerator. Combine it with the remaining ingredients. Pour the Italian dressing on top. Give salad a quick stir. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours or so.