Fresh from the Garden Pasta Salad

This is a quick and easy recipe I've used before when I want to bring something to a cook-out with our family. This is a colorful, healthy meal that takes a limited amount of time to prepare -- can be done a day ahead of time which just makes everything taste that much better!! It's also something relatively inexpensive if you have a garden and need a way to use up some vegetables quickly. I put my vegetables in the pot to "steam" where they soften up a bit. This also doesn't have any mayonnaise so you don't need to worry about keeping it cold if you're going to be outside. If you prefer the "cool-down method" you can rinse pasta off in cold water, add all ingredients, mix in Italian dressing, transfer to storage bowl with lid and refrigerate immediately.

• Ready In: 25 mins
• Serves: 4-8
• Yields: 8

Ingredients

• 2  cups tri-color spiral pasta, prepare as directed on box
• 1 1⁄2 cups broccoli florets, cut in half, if needed
• 1 1⁄2 cups cauliflower florets, cut in half, if needed
• 1  medium zucchini, cut into bite-sized cubes
• 1  medium squash, cut into bite-sized cubes
• 1  medium cucumber, cut into bite-sized cubes
• 10 -20  small cherry tomatoes, left whole
• 1 (8 ounce) can black olives, pre-sliced, drained and rinsed
•  salt and pepper, to taste
•  Italian dressing, to taste
•  water

Directions

1. In very large cooking pot, measure water for pasta and cook as directed until al'dente.
2. Cut all vegetables into cubes except cherry tomatoes and black olives.
3. When pasta is done drain in collander, warm rinse, and put back into pot. Return pot to stove (be sure to turn off burner!).
4. Add all cut vegetables, combine well, and cover for about 10 minutes to "steam" everything together.
5. Remove lid and add salt, pepper, sliced black olives and whole cherry tomatoes. Mix everything up until incorporated.
6. Transfer to large storage bowl with lid. Refrigerate at least two hours to cool.
7. When ready to serve, drizzle and mix in Italian dressing to desired taste.