Southern Party Food: Creamy Pasta Salad

Summer is all about picnics, family reunions, and cook-outs.  I always want to serve something that tastes great but it also easy to make.

I took two side dishes to a family reunion last month. The Shoepeg Corn Salad is always a crowd favorite, but my Creamy Pasta Salad also got high marks, too. 

The recipe was given to me by a friend who now lives in Kansas. She served it at one of her child's birthday parties, and I liked it so much that I stalked her until she e-mailed me the recipe.  She tweaked the original recipe to her taste.   I tweaked her recipe to my family's liking. I have no idea who created the original recipe, but I'm certainly glad someone did. 

You will be, too.  It may even be the best side dish at your 4th of July Picnic.

Creamy Pasta Salad

Ingredients 

1 16 ounces package of pasta shells (I love to use protein pasta/low-carb)

1 cup of finely diced celery

3/4 cup of black olives (optional)

1/2 cup of Parmesan Cheese

1 cup prepared Italian salad dressing

1 cup mayo

1 tablespoon of oregano

1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper

1 package of grape tomatoes, cut in half

2 cups of feta cheese or diced mozzarella ( I use Feta Cheese more often)

Combine cooked pasta, celery, olives, and parmesan cheese in a large bowl. Combine Italian dressing, mayo, oregano, and pepper.  Add to pasta mixture and toss gently. Fold in tomatoes and feta cheese at serving time.