Summer Pasta Broccoli Salad

I don't make a lot of pasta salads since Martin prefers anything not pasta. Well, technically, he likes pasta but only in it's cooked, hot form. Macaroni and cheese, check. Spaghetti, check. Lasagna, definitely! Summer Pasta Broccoli Salad...not on your life.

As for me, I love pasta salads in the summertime though I prefer them homemade in my own kitchen so I can regulate how much dressing is used. Store bought pasta salads seem to go way overboard on using sauces such that the resulting dish is too wet and, often times, bitter for my taste. Give me a  sweetish tang but give it to me with great moderation. The dressing is very nice and creamy without overwhelming the pasta. This is definitely the kind of salad you could easily add all kinds of whatever else is in your refrigerator - grape tomatoes, red or yellow peppers, cauliflower...the possibilities are endless.

I made this for our church Fourth of July celebration this weekend. You know what's totally awesome about bringing a dish to church picnics? If no one likes what you've brought you can just keep quiet and let them wonder who made such a sub-par dish. No harm done, dignity intact. But, what a sweet moment it is when one of your fellow church members walks around asking who made the "delicious whatever" and it turns out to be you! "What that old pasta salad? It's really nothing!"

Summer Pasta Broccoli Salad

1 box Rotini
1 cup mayonnaise (light or regular)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
3 cups chopped, raw broccoli (about 1 inch pieces)
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup roasted, unsalted sunflower seeds
1/2 cup crumbled, cooked bacon
1/4 cup diced red onion or sliced green onion

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Rinse with cold water until completely cooled; drain again. Place in a large bowl.

2. Meanwhile, for dressing, in a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar and sugar; set aside.

3. Add broccoli, cheese, sunflower seeds, bacon and onion to pasta. Toss to combine. Add dressing: toss until coated. Refrigerate, covered until chilled, at least one hour. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes before serving.