Italian Picnic Salad Food

CONTEST-WINNING PICNIC PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Cook spiral pasta and tortellini according to package directions. Drain and rinse in cold water. Place in a large bowl; add the artichokes, broccoli, provolone cheese, salami, peppers, beans, olives, onion and garlic. , Prepare salad dressing according to package directions; pour over salad and toss to coat. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate.

ANTIPASTO PICNIC SALAD

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, drain giardiniera, reserving 3/4 cup liquid. In a large bowl, combine the giardiniera, broccoli, mozzarella, salami, ham, pepperoni, green pepper and olives. Drain pasta and rinse in cold water; stir into meat mixture., For dressing, in a small bowl, whisk the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, pepper, salt and reserved giardiniera liquid. Pour over salad and toss to coat. Refrigerate until serving.

ITALIAN PICNIC SALAD

Steps:

• Combine artichoke hearts, green pepper, cheeses, ham, salami, onion, and salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste. Set mixture aside.
• Break spaghetti into pieces to make it easier to eat in a salad. Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain well. Add spaghetti to artichoke mixture.
• Mix the dressing: Combine the oil, vinegar, garlic, sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, basil, oregano, and 1/4 tsp pepper in a jar. Cover tightly and shake vigorously.
• Pour the dressing over the spaghetti and artichoke mixture. Toss gently to combine.

CLASSIC PICNIC PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Whisk the mayonnaise, parsley, sour cream, chives, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper together in a large bowl.
• Cook the broccoli in the boiling water until crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon and transfer to a colander. Run under cold water to stop the cooking process. Add the broccoli to the bowl with the dressing.
• Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions. Three minutes before the pasta is done, add the peas to the pot. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool. Add to the bowl.
• Add the ham, provolone, olives, onion and salami to the bowl and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. The pasta salad is best if served right away.

PRESSED ITALIAN PICNIC SANDWICH WITH OLIVE RELISH

Steps:

• Stir together the celery, garlic, olives, parsley, olive oil and Italian seasoning in a medium bowl.
• Put the bottom half of the ciabatta on a work surface. Arrange half of the cheese on the bread, then top with the salami, turkey, ham and mortadella. Top the meat with the remaining cheese and the olive relish. Cover the sandwich with the top of the ciabatta.
• Wrap the sandwich tightly with plastic wrap and place it on a baking sheet. Place another baking sheet on top of the sandwich and weigh it down with a few large cans or a heavy skillet. Refrigerate the sandwich for at least 4 hours and up to 8.
• When ready to serve, unwrap the sandwich and cut into 6 to 8 pieces

PICNIC CORN-ZUCCHINI SALAD

Steps:

• To make dressing, mix lime juice and mustard together. Slowly beat in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
• Pour into a lidded container.
• In a medium bowl, toss together corn, zucchini, scallions, and bell pepper. Sprinkle with parsley.
• Cover and chill several hours or overnight.
• When ready to serve, add the dressing and toss well to coat. Enjoy!

ITALIAN-STYLE SALAD WITH CRISP PANCETTA

Steps:

• Heat a non-stick frying pan and cook the pancetta on each side for 2-3 mins until crisp. Set aside to cool. Mix together the dressing ingredients and season.
• Arrange the mozzarella, tomatoes and artichokes on a serving plate. Tear the pancetta into bite-sized pieces and scatter over, followed by the basil leaves. Drizzle with the dressing and serve with crusty bread.

THE PERFECT PICNIC PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Whisk Dijon mustard, cider vinegar, rice vinegar, salt, sugar, and cayenne together in a large bowl for about 30 seconds. Whisk in olive oil in 1-teaspoon increments until emulsified. Whisk in tarragon, dill, parsley, chives, and thyme. Remove and reserve 1/2 of the dressing in a separate small bowl.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; cook rotini at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Add snow peas, carrots, peas, and broccoli about 2 minutes before the pasta is done. Drain pasta and veggies well, but do not rinse.
• Transfer hot pasta mixture to the vinaigrette in the large mixing bowl and toss well to combine. Let rest for 5 minutes and toss again. Toss occasionally until the mixture is almost room temperature, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Add bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, red onion, green onions, salt, and the reserved dressing and toss well.
• Wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours before serving. Toss and adjust seasoning before serving.