Pasta Salad

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 12 ounces rotini pasta (you can use whatever kind you want, i use the tri-color stuff)
• 1/2 cup corn kernel
• 1 cup chopped broccoli
• 1 diced red pepper (roasted, skin removed)
• 4 ounces ham (buy a "ham steak", perfect size)
• 4 ounces cheddar cheese (buy a block, dice it)
• 10 quartered cherry tomatoes or 10 grape tomatoes
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese (grated)
• 1 small diced onion

Recipe

• 1 cook the pasta, let it cool (freezer for 1/2 hour is good and quick).
• 2 cube and pan-fry (no oil needed) the ham, when ham is nice and warmed (little brown) add the diced onion -- helps fuse flavors without onion s being too soggy.
• 3 cube the cheddar (same size as the ham).
• 4 mix the broccoli, corn, roasted pepper, ham, cheese and grape tomatoes in a big bowl.
• 5 when pasta is cool, add it to the mix.
• 6 toss the pasta into the other ingredients, mix with olive oil (helps the parmesan -- next step) stick.
• 7 add the parmesan cheese, and mix.
• 8 makes 4 big, or 6-8 small portions.