It's NOT A CUPCAKE but.....

You all know I love cupcakes and cookies and butter and bacon and...
Well, really I just love food!

I just made
PESTO PASTA SALAD
and thought I would share:

1 lb. Pasta - like Rotini or Farfalle or Fusilli

Cook Pasta according to package directions.
Rinse in cold water and drain.

Marinade:
1/2 C Olive Oil
1/4 C White Wine Vinegar (or Red Wine Vinegar or flavored Vinegar)
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a small bowl, whisk oil, vinegar, salt and pepper together.
Forget the small bowl!
Just put everything in the pot of boiled pasta.
Marinade overnight.
Really!!! Who is thinking about tomorrow tonight and boils their pasta 24 hours in advance?
Don't worry about it.
Boil it in the morning.
Marinade until a couple of hours before dinner.

Add
1 jar Marinated Artichokes chopped
1 can Olives - except for the ones you eat while draining them
20 - 25 Grape Tomatoes cut in half
1/2 chopped Red Onion
8 oz fresh Mozzarella cut in chunks
2 stalks of Celery chopped

Cream Sauce <- THIS is what makes it!
1/4 C Mayonnaise
1/4 C Sour Cream
2 T Pesto
1 t Dijon Mustard
2 T freshly grated Parmesan Cheese

In a small bowl, mix all the above and toss with pasta mixture.
Forget mixing it up in the small bowl. You seriously can just dump everything in the pasta pot and stir vigorously. Taste it and add 1/2 of all of the cream sauce ingredients. You don't need to measure. You get the idea.

Refrigerate until you serve.

Now you can make the pasta, marinade and sauce and add ANY of the following instead or in addition:

Any meat - salami, ham chunks, grilled chicken
blanched broccoli
zucchini or squash
any kind of cut up cheese - monterey jack or cheddar
thawed frozen peas
radish slices
green onions

I can't wait to eat this tonight!