california spaghetti salad

Vegetarian

California Spaghetti Salad

Drescription

California spaghetti salad is a fresh take on potluck salads. If you're tired of pasta salads with thick, creamy dressings, try this recipe that's packed with colorful, crunchy veggies and a zingy Italian-style vinaigrette.

Ingredients

1 pound thin spaghetti, broken into 1-inch pieces
3 large tomatoes, diced
2 medium zucchini, diced
1 large cucumber, diced
1 medium green pepper, diced
1 sweet red pepper, diced
1 large red onion, diced
2 cans (2-1/4 ounces each) sliced ripe olives, drained
1 bottle (16 ounces) italian salad dressing
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions

Cook pasta according to package directions; Drain and rinse in cold water. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the vegetables and olives.
In a large bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients. Drizzle over spaghetti mixture; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Serve with a slotted spoon.

Hatch Chiles Rellenos

Hatch chiles stand out for their balanced sweet heat that takes on a subtle smokiness and buttery quality once roasted. Here, recipe developer Paige Grandjean (whose aunt married into the Franzoy family, who first commercialized Hatch chiles in the early 1900s) uses the roasted chiles to make Hatch chiles rellenos, oozing with asadero cheese. Whipped egg whites give the simple batter a delicate structure; it fries up golden brown and airy, encasing the flavorful Hatch chiles. Fold the egg whites into the batter just before frying to keep it nice and fluffy. Try this with Grandjean's quick and easy homemade red chile sauce.