Sante Fe Pasta Salad

One of my favorite things to make for a potluck, Barbeque or any ol’ get together is a pasta salad. The cool thing is you can make a tasty salad without having to put a whole lot of work into it. One of the easiest ways to do that is by using a boxed pasta salad, or dried pasta and salad dressing mix. It is a quick and easy way to get allot of flavor while also saving you a little time in the kitchen. To make it feel like a fresh salad, all you need are your favorite veggies and herbs, and no one will be the wiser.

If you can’t find a boxed pasta salad, you can just as easily use your favorite dried pasta. For the dressing you can use any powdered or premade dressing. If the powder asks for mayonnaise, unless you are partial to it, try using sour cream instead. It gives it a nice zing and adds a little more creaminess. If it is too thick, simply add a few tablespoons milk until you reach the desire consistency.
Note: The longer the salad sits the thicker it may get, if this happens simply add more milk to thin out again if needed.




Ingredients:

2 boxes of suddenly salad – chipotle ranch or bacon ranch flavor
1 cup sour cream – plus more if needed
1 red pepper - diced
3 green onions finely sliced
1/3 cup chopped cilantro – about a small handful
1 can black beans – drained and rinsed
1 can corn – drained
3 tbs salsa

Directions:
Cook pasta as directed, drain and rinse under cold water to cool down noodles. Add pasta seasoning packet and sour cream, blend together with pasta until well incorporated. Add remaining ingredients and mix together. Place in refrigerator for 1hour or until chilled through. Serve and enjoy.