USASillyYaks: Pasta Salad and a trip to the Farmers Market

     This pasta salad recipe is one that my Grandma used to make. It was one that was a staple in her refrigerator during the summer when I was growing up. I always knew that when I would finish mowing her yard I could go inside and grab a big bowl of this to cool off. Of course back then I wasn't gluten free, so the pasta was regular gluteny pasta.
     I was thinking about this salad a couple of weeks ago and begged Grandma for the recipe. She was kind enough to give it to me, and I turned it gluten free. It tastes just as amazing with the gluten free pasta as it did with the gluteny pasta. I have a big bowl of it in my refrigerator now.....yum!!
     In my excitement to get the ingredients today at the Farmers Market, I picked up a zucchini. I got home and was slicing the zucchini and putting it into the dressing and I went OH NO, this recipe takes a cucumber. OOPS!! However, it still tastes amazing with the zucchini. Possibly even better than the cucumber....because I'm not a big cucumber fan. Anyways.....in the pictures for the recipe...yes I know that's a zucchini haha I'm a dork and picked up zucchini. I may make it with zucchini from now on! ha

Pasta Salad

Dressing:
1 1/4 C. Sugar
1 1/4 C. Oil
1 1/4 C. Vinegar
2 T. Garlic Powder
1 T. Parsley

1 Onion, thinly sliced
1 Cucumber
1/2 Bag of Tinkyada Penne pasta or spirals (approximately 8oz of gf pasta)

Combine the Sugar and vinegar for the dressing. Whisk until the sugar has dissolved completely. Very slowly pour the oil in whisking the whole time. Keep a steady stream of oil pouring while whisking quickly creating an emulsion. Add the garlic powder and parsley and whisk to combine.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Run cold water over the pasta to cool. Drain and add to the dressing mixture.

Thinly slice the cucumber and onion. Add to the dressing mixture.

Refrigerate the salad. This pasta salad is best when it is made in advance so that all the flavors can mesh. It keeps up to one week in the refrigerator and if you run out of pasta/veggies and have leftover dressing you can just replenish the pasta and veggies and add them back into the "juice".