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hot pasta picnic salad

★★★★★ 1
Lilacwolfrose avatar
By Heather England
from Flat Rock, MI

I usually double this recipe. I use half for dinner, pop the rest in the fridge in an airtight container for a picnic later in the week. I really love a meal I can change with my seasonal tastes. In the summer I "do it up right" with fresh ingredients from my local farmers market but the weather here in Michigan leaves me no choice but to use cans deep in the winter months.

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★★★★★ 1
serves 2 meals
prep time 15 Min
cook time 20 Min
method Stove Top

Ingredients For hot pasta picnic salad

  • 1 box
    bow tie pasta, any brand will do
  • 2 can
    del monte zucchini
  • 2 can
    -14.5 oz- diced italian style tomatoes-any brand
  • 1 pkg
    hillshire farms polish kielbasa
  • 2 jar
    * optional sliced button mushrooms -drained (whole is also an option)
  • 1 can
    **optional sliced black olives -drained
  • 1tsp
    ***optional minced garlic
  • 2tsp
    ****optional italian seasoning
  • pinch
    ***** optional paprika, sweet mild

How To Make hot pasta picnic salad

  • 1
    Boil pasta as package directs for Al Dente While pasta is boiling slice kielbasa into medallions---OR if you have to use smaller noodles when Farfalle (bow tie) pasta isn't available dice precooked sausage of choice. Drain pasta and set to the side.
  • 2
    In the same pot you've just boiled noodles in : toss in kielbasa chunks and warm through. Its great if some get just a bit of color on them. If you don't have that much time, its perfect any way you can warm it. Open all cans and stir into meat-liquids and all! Add pasta and stir gently so the soft noodles don't break.
  • 3
    **Optional---Every now and again to make this a "winter" instead of summer dish, I add a 1/2 tsp. of minced garlic with my sausage while it warms, and if I have the time,extra diced white onion. ***Add in your family's favorite seasonings. Because this dish is almost all canned or precooked, you should not need to add salt. I have also found garlic powder does not do well in this dish, but a pinch of Italian Seasoning and Paprika does wonders.
  • 4
    ** This dish get better after a day in the ol' chill chest. The tomatoes sweeten and the juice flavors the pasta.
  • 5
    (*Note: I use all different kinds of precooked sausage. Even leftover brat's or summer sausage*)
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
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