Sundried Tomato Pasta Salad

I am going camping. I'll say it again. I, Madison Mayberry, am going camping for the very first time in my 22 years of life. For those who only know me through this site, it may be hard to understand the humor in this, but for friends and family who know living, breathing, non-camping me, it is nothing short of earth shattering. To top things off, I am recovering from a 24 hour bout with food poisoning that left me curled up in a ball on my couch for the better part of Tuesday.

Once you finish laughing, your prayers would be greatly appreciated.

My camping companions for the weekend? J. and his family- all experienced campers. For the outdoor excursion, J. and I were asked to contribute a salad and some type of sweet. Initially, I jumped at the thought of bringing my favorite lettuce salad, but the prospect of trying to keep lettuce wilt-free, and bringing multiple containers for the ingredients and dressing seemed daunting. I'm no expert, but I think ease of transport and durability is important when camping.



Pasta salad won out because it actually seems to taste better after a couple days. The flavors become richer as the dressing settles into the pasta and there is no need to worry about bruising or wilting. And it's not just about being easy; this pasta is seriously delicious. It's sweet, salty, light, and summery - pretty much everything you could ask for in a pasta salad. When looking at this photo, you might notice the Asiago cheese is missing. Since I still have to transport the salad, I've left off the cheese so I can add it in at the last minute, but you can be sure the cheese will not be forgotten. 

I'm off to pack my bags and mentally prepare to camp. My camera is coming with, and you can be sure there will be photos upon my return. Wish me luck!

Sundried Tomato Pasta Salad
Adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks
(Printable Recipe)
Ingredients
Dressing:
*7 oz. jar sundried tomatoes 
*3 cloves garlic
*3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
*1 cup olive oil
*1 tsp. kosher salt
*1 Tbsp. dried basil

Salad:
*16 oz. corkscrew pasta
*1 pint cherry tomatoes
*1 cup freshly grated Asiago cheese

Instructions:
*In a food processor or blender, combine all the ingredients for the dressing. Blend for 2-3 minutes, until the tomatoes are finely chopped. Set aside.
*Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water until pasta is no longer hot.
*Place pasta and tomatoes in a bowl. Add the dressing and toss to coat. Top with the Asiago cheese. Serve cold.

Happy Cooking!

Madison