Poppy Seed Pasta Salad

This is one of our favorite pasta salad recipes.  You and Hunter eat the entire bowl within 2 days.  It's really pretty healthy so I don't really mind if you eat it up.  

Poppy Seed Pasta Salad

12-16 oz box of favorite pasta (I like to use rotini, rotelle, shell, farfalle)

2 celery stalks, finely diced

1 green bell pepper, finely diced

2 tomatoes, seeded and diced (I use Roma)

1 cucumber, seeded and finely diced

1 cup chopped deli ham, Canadian bacon, pepperoni

1 Tablespoon poppy seeds

Dressing

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup vegetable oil

Boil pasta according to box directions.

Chop the vegetables and put them in a large bowl along with the meat.  

Sprinkle poppy seeds over the vegetables and meat.

In a small jar with a lid, combine, sugar, vinegar, salt, pepper, oregano, basil, Parmesan cheese and oil.  Shake until well combined.

Pour dressing over the vegetables and toss to combine.

Drain pasta and toss with the vegetables and dressing in large bowl.  

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours. 

The longer this sits, the better it tastes.

Yum!