Recipes From the Porch: Chris's Favorite Pasta Salad

Whenever we get together with Chris and Jana, whether it be on the boat, or in the motor homes, or on the porch, Chris requests this salad; he has been smitten with it since the first time I introduced it to him, many, many Easter Sundays ago, and, I am always more than happy to indulge him. This past Sunday was no different.

It's a really simple recipe, it comes together in less than twenty minutes, and it's extremely portable (see above: boats, motor homes, porch. I think it even went to the cabin once, now that I think about it). It is also really hard to photograph, apparently. That, or I was really off my game on Sunday when I snapped the following pics. It could go either way.

Anyhoodle, on to the ingredients:

1 package tri-Color pasta (I use a brand called Wacky-Mac, because, who wouldn't use something called wacky mac?)
1 cup matchstick carrots
1 Red Bell pepper, diced
1 Block Cheddar cheese, cubed
1 bottle Italian salad dressing
1 can Sliced black olives
1 small package Broccoli florets
Small red onion, diced
1 small container grape tomatoes (Not pictured; the streak of unintentionally missing one freaking ingredient in every recipe photo is unbroken. Arrrrgg!)

In a large container, mix carrots, broccoli, onion, red pepper, olives, tomatoes, and cheese.

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, rinse with cold water, and add to vegetables.

Pour salad dressing over all ingredients and stir to coat evenly (this is why I use a plastic container; I can pop the lid on, give the whole thing a good shake, and voila! Thoroughly mixed!).

Refrigerate until serving.

The recipe is pretty versatile, you can substitute other types of pasta and add additional vegetable, if desired. Except, cucumber. Never add cucumber.

Cucumber is of the devil.