Balsamic Vinaigrette Pasta Salad

I have been working on this most of the summer. I am using a balsamic vinaigrette called Cheltam House. Most definitely a sweeter vinaigrette than most! I have never liked "dry" pasta salad--I prefer most pasta salads mayo-based, but I love this salad dressing and wanted to try it on something other than a lettuce salad. I also prefer more veggies than pasta, so adjust the pasta to your style. I also hate soggy cheese and tomatoes in any salad, so I only make enough to eat in one sitting.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) box orzo pasta or 1 (16 ounce) box  pipettes pasta or 1 (16 ounce) box bow tie pasta
• 1 (8 ounce) bottle  balsamic vinaigrette
• 2  cups  chopped ham
• 2  large tomatoes, chopped and seeded
• 2  cups  lightly steamed asparagus
• 1  cup  chopped black olives
• 1⁄2  chopped  yellow pepper
• 1  large carrot, shredded
• 2  cups  shredded smoked gouda cheese

Directions

1. Clean and chop all veggies.
2. Boil pasta till al dente.
3. Add any veggies that you prefer lightly cooked to boiling pasta in the last 3 minutes of boiling (mine would be asparagus and carrots).
4. Drain pasta/veggies and rinse in cold water to stop cooking.
5. Add all veggies to pasta and mix.
6. Add ham.
7. Pour balsamic vinaigrette onto the pasta and mix--you can use less than the whole bottle but I prefer mine "soupy".
8. Serve immediately with the Gouda sprinkled over the top.