Italian Picnic Salad

This is a great recipe to take to a potluck! A different type of salad, using spaghetti noodles! This recipe originated in Clarksdale, Mississippi and came from a cookbook titled "Family Secrets....the Best of the Delta". It has lots of ingredients, but there is nothing hard about the recipe. Try it!

• Ready In: 25 mins
• Serves: 10

Ingredients

• 1 (14 ounce) can  quartered artichoke hearts, drained
• 1  large green pepper, chopped
• 1  cup cheddar cheese, coarsely shredded (4 oz)
• 1  cup monterey jack cheese, coarsely shredded (4 oz)
• 1⁄3 lb cooked ham, thinly sliced and cut into strips
• 1⁄3 lb  salami, thinly sliced and cut into strips
• 1⁄3 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 1⁄4 cup onion, grated
•  salt
•  pepper
•  hot sauce
• 8  ounces  thin spaghetti, uncooked
• 1  cup  vegetable oil
• 1⁄3 cup white vinegar
• 1  garlic clove, crushed
• 1⁄2 teaspoon sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1⁄2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

1. Combine artichoke hearts, green pepper, cheeses, ham, salami, onion, and salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste. Set mixture aside.
2. Break spaghetti into pieces to make it easier to eat in a salad. Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain well. Add spaghetti to artichoke mixture.
3. Mix the dressing: Combine the oil, vinegar, garlic, sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, basil, oregano, and 1/4 tsp pepper in a jar. Cover tightly and shake vigorously.
4. Pour the dressing over the spaghetti and artichoke mixture. Toss gently to combine.