Pasta Salad

Ingredients:
2 bags of four cheese tortellini
1 bag of bowtie pasta
1 can of niblet corn
1 can sliced black olives
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 jar of artichoke hearts, drained
1 can of asparagus, drained and chopped
1 jar of roasted red peppers, rinsed and drained
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 green onions, chopped
Italian salad dressing

• Boil, rinse, and drain pastas.
• Add other ingredients except for dressing and toss gently to mix.
• Pour enough salad dressing to suit your taste and toss gently.  I use about a cup of the dressing.
• Chill for an hour or so and serve cold.

This recipe is one I got from my sister, Brenda and her daughters, Megan, Rebecca, and Madalyn.  I don't know who of them first prepared this for one of our family gatherings but I can tell you that I absolutely love it and have had hoards of complements every time I have taken it to a pot luck.  Mike's son and daughter-in-law always have a bash celebrating The Fourth.  Since it has been beyond sultry and closer to hot-as-Hades this week, I mixed this up to take to the bash.  It makes quite a big large huge gigantor quantity, so you will want to make it when you know there will be a crowd!

Note:  I have left out ingredients at times when the cupboard was not fully stocked by the household grocery shopper (me) and in the salad pictured I had no olives or asparagus.  So, this salad wasn't quite as yummy as it could have been but it was gobbled up and ooohs and aahhs abounded just the same!