Mike's Chilled Greek Feta Salad

Ingredients of Mike's Chilled Greek Feta Salad

  1. You need of Greek Feta Salad.
  2. You need 1 box (12 oz) of Multi Colored Rotini Pasta.
  3. You need 2 (8 oz) of Boxes ATHENOS Feta Cheese Chunks [1/4" chop].
  4. You need 5 oz of Shreadded Parmesan Cheese.
  5. It's 1/4 Cup of Sun Dried Tomatoes [in oil - chopped].
  6. Prepare 1 can of Artichokes In Water [drained - chopped].
  7. You need 1/2 of large Red - Green - Yellow - Orange Bell Pepper [chopped].
  8. It's 1 can of Black Olives [drained - sliced in half].
  9. Prepare 1 of large Cucumber [peeled - chopped].
  10. It's 1 (10.5 oz) of Cherry Tomatoes [sliced in half].
  11. You need 1/2 cup of Chopped Green Onions.
  12. You need 1 of Purple Onion [chopped].
  13. It's 1/2 Bunch of Fresh Parsley [rough chop].
  14. Prepare 1 of Fresh Cracked Black Pepper [to taste].
  15. You need 2 tbsp of Fresh Basil [optional].
  16. It's 1 cup of Banana Peppers [optional].
  17. You need 2 (16 oz) of Bottles Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing [reserve one bottle].

Mike's Chilled Greek Feta Salad step by step

  1. Clean, chop and drain all vegetables. Refrigerate until pasta is ready and cooled down..
  2. Chop Feta Cheese chunks in semi large chunks and add to vegetables. They will fall apart slightly when mixed with the dressing..
  3. Shred Parmesan Cheese if not already shreadded..
  4. Bring a large pot of water to a steady boil and add 1/2 tsp salt and a splash of oil. Pour pasta into boiling water, stirring occasionally and cover for 8 minutes. Or, as per box directions. I'll boil my noodles al dente [just under manufacturers directions] for a toothier chew..
  5. Drain noodles and place pasta in a large bowl. Immediately add your entire bottle of Italian Dressing to your pasta and mix well. This step is important. Especially if you're serving this dish the same day. Your pasta will instantly begin to absorb your dressing while hot. Allow pasta to cool naturally on the counter..
  6. Also another great dressing option!.
  7. After pasta has cooled off - add all of your chopped chilled vegetables and cheeses. Gently fold them in. Refrigerate salad for several hours - gently mixing occasionally. As needed - add your reserved bottle of dressing if you feel your salad is firming up too much with the addition of cheese..
  8. Authors Notes: #1: I've tried the most expensive Italian Dressings and most of the more cost effective ones. One of the best I've found to date is Kraft Zesty Italian for flavor and price. #2: The flavor of this salad is exponentially better the following day. #3: Stir entire batch of salad from the base upwards each time before serving dishes for best flavor. Enjoy!.

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