Dad's Rotini Pasta Salad

The picture doesn't do this salad justice.  It actually looks a little gross in this picture.  But it isn't! 

While growing up, my Dad made this pasta salad.  It always tasted so good to us.  The nice thing about it is that it can be flexible- it can use a bunch of vegetables from your garden, and it is a cold salad, perfect for those hot summer days. You can easily add what you have and omit what you don't.   My Dad says that the keys to this salad are:  1.Wishbone Italian Salad Dressing- other brands just don't taste the same.  2.Salad Supreme, and lots of it!

Rotini Pasta Salad

16 oz. pkg. of Rotini, cooked 

1 bottle of Wishbone Italian Salad Dressing

1 bottle of Salad Supreme

1 can olives, drained and sliced in half

8 oz. cheese (almost any kind), cubed

1-2 tomatoes, diced

1 can corn, drained (or fresh corn, sliced off the cob and barely cooked and chilled)

1 bunch broccoli, cooked until tender-crisp and chilled

3 carrots, sliced and cooked until tender-crisp and chilled

1 zucchini, minced

Pepperoni (as much or little as desired, diced)

Any other vegetable you can think of that you would like to try in this salad

Cook the Rotini according to the package directions.  When it's done, I will usually rinse it under cold water to stop it from cooking further and to help it not stick together.  I know, the horror.  I've been told it's a big no-no.  But since this recipe isn't about to be featured and judged on a cooking show, I think it will be ok.  Put the Rotini in a big bowl. 

Cook the broccoli, corn (if not canned), and carrots until just fork-tender.  You still want them to have a little crunch- you don't want those veggies mushy.  Slice up the rest of the ingredients and stir it all together.  Stir in the bottle of Wishbone.  When adding the Salad Supreme, I will give it a heavy sprinkle over the top, stir it in, then repeat until it looks right.  My Dad uses the whole dang bottle.  I use about 1/2-3/4 of the bottle.  I keep stirring it in until I can see a few specks of the seasoning on the top of all of the pasta after I have evenly stirred it in.  When I can stir it and not uncover a big spot without seasoning, then I stop- again, I use about one half to three quarters of the bottle of Salad Supreme.  Refrigerate for a few hours, at least, to help the flavors meld together.