Zesty Summer Pasta Salad

The best part of a summer salad is the variety of color, followed closely by the explosions of flavor. This recipe has no strict ingredients list, however, I will set a general must have just to get you started. You will have enough salad for at least twenty servings.

Fresh Ingredients

2 medium cucumbers
1 medium red onion
1 small yellow onion
1/2 pound cherry tomato's
1 medium summer squash
1 yellow bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
2 lbs small shrimp
1/2 pound Imitation Crab meat

Other Ingredients

2-3 jars of marinated artichoke hearts
5-6 dill pickles
1 jar Zesty California style pickled veggies
2 boxes of Tri- Color rotini noodles
Minced garlic
Freeze Dried red onions
Butter
Olive oil
Frank's Red Hot Sauce
Zesty Italian Dressing

Preparing the Noodles

To insure the noodles are not an accessory to the salad and can be eaten alone you will not just boil water. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 cup of minced garlic and 1/2 cup of freeze dried red onions to the water. Bring it to a rolling boil and add thew noodles. You do not want to overcook the noodles, the salad itself will soften the noodles as it sits and cools. Drain and set aside the noodles once finished, do not rinse them. Add 3 tablespoons of butter and mix well.

Preparing the Shrimp

Rinse the shrimp under cool running water, do not use hot water as the shrimp will begin to cook under it. De-tail the shrimp and removed the veins from both the top and bottom of the meat. In a large saute skillet melt 1/2 cup of butter and add 1/2 cup minced garlic and 1 teaspoon of hot sauce. Add the shrimp and mix them well in the sauce. Cook over a medium heat until they turn a beautiful pinkish color with splashes of white. They will appear as if they are tiny O's once cooked.

The veggies can be cut in any fashion you like; diced, chopped or sliced. The smaller the cut the more of a blend in flavors to the salad, the larger the slice the more individual flavors of the salad. Pour the jar of pickled veggies into the veggies you just cut. Take the marinated artichoke hearts and tear them slighty with your fingers and add them to the mix as well. DO NOT discard the liquids from the jars of veggies. Instead pour them on top of the mix you have accumulated thus far. Use only half a jar of Zesty Italian dressing to this mix.

Let the veggies marinate in the mix for about twenty minutes to insure a great mix of flavor. Then add the shrimp and let sit another ten minutes. Pour this marinated mix into your noodles and mix well. Use your fingers to coax the crab meat into thin strips and add to the pasta and mix again. Only thing left to do now is let the salad chill in the refrigerator until cool and refreshing. Now serve and enjoy!