by Jenny Bug

Created on: January 31, 2009

Families and friends have been getting together for picnics for centuries. Pack your favorite foods and drinks, grab a blanket and head out. I can remember my mom getting up at the crack of dawn to fry chicken, make baked beans and potato salad for our family outing. Today, fast foods and the grocery store deli make it quicker and easier to prepare for a picnic. However, I still prefer the home-cooked picnic over the "pick up a bucket of chicken on your way" foods. My grown children still ask for my homemade pasta salad.

1 - 16 ounce box of tri-color rotini noodles

1 large cucumber (cut into small pieces)

4 roma tomatoes (cut into bit size pieces)

1 1/2 cups broccoli florets

1 cup ripe olives (cut in half length wise)

1/2 cup chopped baby carrots

1 cup chopped celery

1 medium purple onion (chopped)

1 large bottle red wine vinegarette

2 tablespoons Italian seasoning

Cook the rotini noodles as directed. Be careful not to over cook as they will break down in the salad. After cooking the noodles, drain and rinse under cold running water. Let drain.

Before dicing the cucumber I cut off the rind on four sides leaving thin strips of rind on the cucumber. As with most salad recipes you can add or delete any items to suit your taste.

Toss the drained noodles with the vegetables and mix in about 1/2 to 3/4 of the bottle of vinegarette and the Italian seasoning. Refrigerate at least an hour for flavors to meld together. Before serving mix in the remaining vinegarette.

This is such a refreshing dish in the summertime. Make a batch for your next picnic and everyone will keep asking for more.

Learn more about this author, Jenny Bug.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.