Potluck Pasta Salad

INGREDIENTS

1 box Gemelli Pasta (1 lb) cooked according to package (or your favorite pasta - penne, twist, bow tie) 

8 oz Feta, crumbled

1 large Cucumber, peeled, cut bite size 

1 pint Cherry or Grape Tomatoes (sliced in halves or quarters)

1/2 cup Red Onion, chopped (do not chop too small)

Sweet Balsamic Dressing:

Ingredients

1/2 cup vegetable oil or canola

1/3 cup sugar

3 tablespoons good balsamic vinegar

1/8 teaspoon dry mustard (or a little squeeze of yellow mustard)

Few twists of fresh cracked pepper Or use 1/8 tsp of reg ground pepper

Whisk all the ingredients together, until sugar and oil are blended.  It takes a few minutes for the oil and sugar to blend.  Keep whisking....it will blend!

Directions 

Make pasta according to package, rinse in colander with cold water, drain. Top with feta and veggies.  If you plan to serve the entire salad at once, top with desired amount of dressing and toss.  If you plan to have the salad over a few days, top with dressing individually. 

Tips

This salad is great with Greek and Italian dressing too!

Adjust the amount of feta and veggies to your preference. 

Great topped with fresh cracked pepper.   

You can use other types of pasta - penne, rotini, bow-tie...  

Make a meal out of it, top the pasta with grilled chicken!