Black and White Bowtie pasta salad!

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 Summer cookouts go hand in hand with potato salad, coleslaw, macaroni salad. This refreshingly light take on an all-time favorite. It's perfect for a fast weeknight dinner or festive weekend barbecue.  My friend Ruth was up to Seattle a couple weeks ago for a visit, then drove to Vancouver with her husband Jim. While in Vancouver she and Jim bought me 4 flavored salts and a couple of rubs....thank you very much! Next up, I was preparing a salad to take to my class reunion. I used the "Smoked Bacon Sea Salt", OMGosh!! This added such flavor to this delicious salad, it tastes like bacon is in the salad without the added calories and fat!!  I received so many complements on this delicious salad, it is really tasty!

   Most recipes tell you to mix the ingre­di­ents together and let sit to blend the fla­vors before eat­ing. I dis­agree with this phi­los­o­phy, as it allows so much liq­uid to soak into the pasta, result­ing in a less creamy salad. I think it’s bet­ter to make sure the water you use for cook­ing the pasta is amply salted, (1 table­spoon salt per gal­lon of  boil­ing water), and to have a dress­ing that is well bal­anced. Pre­pare your dress­ing in advance and refrig­er­ate. Pre­pare your pasta so that it’s not over or under cooked. (Over cooked will become mushy, and even per­fectly al dente pasta firms up too much when chilled.) Then com­bine dress­ing and pasta/additives just before serv­ing. This will guar­an­tee you a rich and super creamy mac­a­roni salad. 

Black and White Bow tie pasta salad

Ingredients
1 lb. macaroni, cooked, rinsed, and drained (I used black and white bow ties, I bought at Pasta and Co. in Bellevue, Wa. or Amazon)
1 c diced celery

1 yellow bell pepper cut into match sticks

1 red bell pepper cut into match sticks
2 bunches chopped green onion (about 3/4 cup)
12 cherry tomato's cut in half (optional)
1/2 cup prepared mayonnaise (Hellmans, Best Foods or home made)
1- 1 1/2 teaspoon "Smoked Bacon Sea salt" (you can use sea salt, Kosher salt or another flavored salt)
Lots of freshly ground black pepper 

Directions

In a large bowl combine the macaroni, celery, green onion, bell pepper and tomato. 

Mix in the mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve. Store covered in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days. 

12 servings

*If you serve it as a main course, try using large shrimp or shredded chicken.