Sun Drenched Pasta Salad

Total Time: 32 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 12 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1 (16 ounce) package bow tie pasta
• 1 head broccoli, cut into florettes
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 small onion, minced fine
• 3 garlic cloves, minced fine
• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomato (either oil packed or reconstituted dried)
• 1/2 cup sliced olive (black or green or a combination of both)
• 1 cup chopped marinated artichoke
• 3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup red wine and vinegar salad dressing (i use paul newman's family recipe when i don't want to make my own.)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• pepper
• red pepper flakes
• 1 bunch chopped fresh basil
• 1 cup cooked chickpeas (optional) or 1 cup grilled chicken (optional) or 1 cup cooked shrimp (optional)

Recipe

• 1 cook bow-tie pasta according to package direction in a large pot of boiling, salted water.
• 2 add the brocolli to the pot for the final two minutes of cooking.
• 3 drain well.
• 4 in a very large bowl, combine all the other ingredients, gently combining to thoroughly coat salad with the dressing and seasonings.
• 5 taste and adjust salt, pepper, parmesan, red pepper flakes, or additional oil and vinegar.
• 6 refrigerate for a few hours before serving.