Pioneer Pasta

If you're lucky enough to have the Pioneer Woman cookbook, this might be in there, if you're unlucky, like me, here it is........now you're lucky again. 

I had to make a pasta salad for a cookout and I wanted something other than Italian dressing poured over pepperoni and cheddar.  So, I looked around and found this.  It's all good, but if you don't like Gouda, you can use any cheese, I actually used a combination of Gouda and some pre-packaged cubes of mozzerella, colby.  The dressing sounds weird, and looks runny when you make it, but the next day (or after it chills awhile) it's the perfect consistency and wasn't dry at all the next day.  I'm having it for lunch, and I can picture using this as a base and adding things like green pepper, olives, pepporoni (hee hee), chicken, pine nuts, asparagus, yum, any of your pasta salad favorites would work here.  So withouth further adieu........ 

Spicy Pasta Salad with Smoked Gouda, Tomatoes, and Basil (from my garden - extra yum). 

(source: http://www.pioneerwoman.com/)

Ingredients

 

12 ounces, weight Mostaccioli
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1/4 cup Whole Milk
4 Tablespoons White Vinegar
1-1/2 teaspoon Adobo Sauce From Chipotle Peppers (or One Minced Chipotle Pepper)
1/2 teaspoon Salt
Ground Black Pepper To Taste
10 ounces, weight Grape Tomatoes, Halved Lengthwise
1/2 pound Smoked Gouda Cheese, Cut Into Small Cubes
24 whole Basil Leaves (chiffonade)


Preparation Instructions

 

Cook pasta until done. Drain and rinse in cold water until no longer hot. Set aside.

 

Mix mayonnaise, milk, vinegar, salt, pepper, and adobo in a small bowl.

 

In a large bowl, stir together pasta, dressing, halved tomatoes, and cubed Gouda. Taste for seasonings, adding more salt and pepper if needed, and even an extra teaspoons or two of vinegar if necessary. Stir in basil at the end. Refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving.