Creatively Delicious Seafood Pasta Salad

Make the dressing/sauce, then get creative and try some substitutions with the other ingredients. What's listed here is the "basic" recipe. ANOTHER IDEA: Leave out the pasta, and cut the dressing in half to use for seafood roll-ups or wraps.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 8-12
• Yields: 1 large bowl

Ingredients

• Dressing

• 1  cup sour cream
• 1  cup mayonnaise (no substitutions)
• 2  tablespoons lemon juice
• 2  tablespoons sugar
• 1  teaspoon dill weed (optional)

• Salad

• 1 (16 ounce) package pasta (small shape -- shells, rotini)
• 5 -6  hard-boiled eggs, coarsely chopped
• 5  scallions, thinly sliced
• 1⁄2 cup  chopped celery
• 1⁄2 cup  sliced black olives
• 1 (16 ounce) package  crabmeat, cut into 1/2-inch chunks

Directions

1. In a small bowl, mix dressing ingredients; set aside.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, rinse with cool water, drain again; set aside.
3. In a large bowl, toss remaining ingredients; add cooled & drained pasta, toss again.
4. Spoon dressing over the tossed crab & pasta, stir well to coat everything.
5. Can be chilled at this point, or served at room temperature.
6. Leftovers should be kept refrigerated & eaten within a day or so.
7. VARIATIONS: Shrimp, green olives, fresh mushrooms, minced red onion, minced bell pepper (colorful!), fresh or frozen (thawed) peas, a dab of curry powder for color & flavor, salt & pepper to taste.