Bacon, Tomato, and Onion Pasta Salad

If you haven’t noticed already… I have a thing for pasta.  I think I could eat spaghetti every day and not get tired of it.  In case you’re curious… I’ve never EVER tried to eat a low-carb diet.  No ma’am.  Not for me.  In the summer, one of my favorite things is pasta salad.  Of course, there are thousands of varieties.  This pasta salad was inspired by my sister Meredith’s fridge.  I was at Meredith’s house on Thursday, getting ready to go and help my other sister Adrienne pick out her wedding dress.  I opened the fridge to get an egg and spied a container of pasta salad from the Fresh Market that looked kinda yummy.  I tried a bite and thought, “Wow.  This is really good.”  And then I thought, “I bet I could make this!”  And I did.

Bacon, Tomato, and Onion Pasta Salad

(This recipe doesn’t have exact amounts.  When I make pasta salads, I just add ingredients until I think there’s enough.)

Ingredients:

• 1 12-16 oz box of Rotini pasta (I used whole wheat) cooked to “al dente” firmness
• 1/4 cup mayo (I used Duke’s Light)
• about 15-20 grape tomatoes, sliced
• 1/8-1/4 cup of sliced green onions (more or less depending on the taste you prefer)
• 1/4-1/2 cup of real bacon pieces (I used the pre-crumbled pieces of real bacon on the salad aisle)
• a few tablespoons of rice vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste

Prep:

Mix all items together.  (I started with the pasta and mayo, mixed well, and then added everything in the order that it is listed.)  Serve cold.  Garnish with parsley.

This pasta is great for taking to cookouts and picnics, as long as you can keep it cold—because of the mayo.  It would be great with hot dogs or burgers!  Or, eat it with a cup of soup for a light lunch.  Enjoy!