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Monday, August 12, 2024

Ranch & Bacon Pasta Salad

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I've loved Betty Crocker's Suddenly Salad: Ranch with Bacon for a long time, but I sometimes can't find it on the shelves, and when I do it seems pretty expensive!  Also, I really don't care for the dehydrated/reconstituted peas.  I started removing them (tedious!) and adding my own.  I also prefer real bacon to the "fakeo bacos." In the end I decided that I could probably make this myself and eliminate all the cons while enjoying all the flavorful pros. 

I weighed out the ingredients. I researched, tried, and tweaked several online copycat recipes. And I finally settled on what suits me.  Sorry, Betty!

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups tiny pasta shells
1 Tbs. carrots, julienne cut (2-3 baby carrots)
½ cup fresh or frozen peas (no need to cook or thaw them)
¼ cup REAL bacon bits (I use Kirkland Bacon Crumbles)
1 cup mayonnaise (if you use Miracle Whip, please don't tell me!)
½ tsp. granulated onion (or powder)
2 Tbs. ranch dressing seasoning powder (or ½ package)

DIRECTIONS:

• Boil carrots along with pasta according to package directions. (12 minutes or until tender)
• Drain pasta, rinse with cold water, drain well.
• Stir together seasoning and mayonnaise in medium bowl
• Add peas and bacon bits.
• Stir in pasta and carrots.  Refrigerate leftovers.   

(Hint: Add a bit of milk to refresh leftovers if too dry.)

One fun thing about pasta salad recipes is that you can adjust it to your own particular taste and add-in whatever veggies, cheese, meats you'd like.  Feel free.  Go crazy!