Italian Pasta Salad

Super easy pasta salad - and very flexible on the ingredients.  I've done all kinds of variations.

Ingredients: 

1 box tri-color rotini
Sliced veggies
Cubed cheese
1 large bottle Italian dressing (I usually use low- or no-fat)

Cooking Info: 

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain and rinse in cold water.  Chop veggies into bite-sized pieces.  I use a variety - we like it with sliced baby cucumbers, grape tomatoes, chopped bell pepper, sliced black olives.  Cube cheese (I usually use mozzarella).  Pour half the cooled pasta into a large bowl, layer half your veggies (NOT the cheese), rest of pasta, rest of veggies.  Pour 3/4 of the dressing over the salad and mix lightly.  Refrigerate until chilled - I don't put the lid on right away if the pasta is still hot - and I stir it every couple of hours.

Add cheese when salad has chilled.  Add more dressing if needed right before serving.

Serve With:

This is awesome as a dish itself (sometimes I chop up ham or use mini pepperonis) or with any barbeque fare.

Tomato Cucumber Onion Salad

Ingredients:

1 med. cucumber, peeled and sliced thin
2 tomatoes, peeled and sliced thick (I don't peel them, and I cut thin wedges instead of slices)
1 lg. mild sweet onion, sliced very thin
1 tbsp. snipped fresh dill or 1 tsp. dill weed
2 tbsp. oil
1 tbsp. white wine vinegar or lemon juice
2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. white pepper
Parsley

Cooking Info:

Alternate cucumber, tomato and onion slices decoratively in shallow
glass serving dish. Combine remaining ingredients, except parsley.
Pour over salad. Chill 2 hours before serving to allow flavors to blend.
Garnish with parsley. 6 servings.