Antipasto Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

1 pound seashell pasta
1/4 pound Genoa salami, chopped
1/4 pound pepperoni sausage, chopped
1/2 pound Asiago cheese, diced
1 (6 ounce) can black olives, drained and chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Preparations:

1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, and cool under cold water.
2. In a large bowl, combine the pasta, salami, pepperoni, Asiago cheese, black olives, red bell pepper, green bell pepper and tomatoes. Stir in the envelope of dressing mix. Cover, and refrigerate for at least one hour.
3. To prepare the dressing, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, oregano, parsley, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Just before serving, pour dressing over the salad, and mix well.

Smoked Salmon Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

1 (8 ounce) package farfalle (bow tie) pasta
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 pound cucumber, sliced
8 ounces smoked salmon, chopped
1 large tomato, sliced
1 small red bell pepper, julienned
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
1/2 cup fat free blue cheese salad dressing

Procedures:

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil, and add farfalle pasta. Cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, and rinse under cold water. Transfer to a serving bowl, and gently toss with the olive oil until all the pasta is coated. Cover, and chill at least 30 minutes.
Arrange the cucumber slices around the edges of the pasta. Top pasta with smoked salmon, tomato, and red bell pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Top with Monterey Jack cheese and salad dressing to serve.