Pepper Jack Pasta Salad

I made this pasta salad, found at myrecipes.com last week with burgers on the grill. In the summer, I love an easy meal of meat on the grill, a cold salad, and some fresh fruit. It's a simple meal to prepare and really all the food you need for dinner when the temperatures are high. I saw this recipe for pasta salad and it sounded like something different, and something my family would like. I was correct on both counts.

I made a few changes to the recipe as I made it and I made a few changes when I wrote it down because I plan to make it slightly differently next time. I used Monterey Jack cheese as directed in the recipe, but next time will use Pepper Jack (hence the name change). The salad had a little kick, but not quite enough for my gang. I also used mild banana pepper rings and plan to use spicy in the future. I think both changes will make for a salad that is bright and flavorful, but with the kick my family loves. If your family is not fond of spicy flavors, make the salad with Monterey Jack cheese and mild peppers. I omitted the capers from the original recipe because my family doesn't really care for them.

Pepper Jack Pasta Salad

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6 oz. uncooked acini di pepe pasta, about 1 cup ( or any small shaped pasta)
2¼ cups diced plum tomato
¼ cup finely chopped red onion
¼ cup sliced pickled banana peppers
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
2 T. cider vinegar
1 T. extra-virgin olive oil
½ t. dried oregano
⅛ t. salt
4 oz. Pepper Jack cheese, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 can navy beans (16-ounce) rinsed and drained
2 oz. salami, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.

Combine tomato and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Add pasta to tomato mixture, tossing well to combine. Chill until ready to serve or serve immediately (I think it gained a little flavor from a short chill in the fridge).

Source: modified from Cooking Light

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