Recipe: Greek Feta Pasta Salad

The 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays. I have some of the best memories from my childhood during this holiday. We always went down to the lakeshore to my Grandmother's house and would watch the parade, eat burgers & hotdogs, have water fights, and then at dusk we would make our way to the lake to watch the fireworks. I LOVE fireworks...I think me saying I love them is an understatement...I'm completely obsessed. The 4th just isn't the 4th without them.



I wanted to share one of my all time favorite pasta salads with you and it is perfect for a 4th celebration. The first time I had it was at our Macy's marketplace. It was a little restaurant with frozen yogurt, chocolates and the most amazing pasta salads. They closed  the marketplace last year {sad face} and I made sure I got a few recipes from them before they shut down and I would have to go the rest of my life without this salad.

 

Greek Feta Pasta Salad

Adapted From Macy's Marketplace

1 Box (16oz) medium shell pasta (uncooked)
1 cup crumbled Feta
1 cup shredded Parmesan
1 cup chopped celery (cut into 1/2in chunks)
1 cup sliced black olives
1 cup Mayonnaise
1 cup Italian dressing
1 Tbls Oregano
1 Tbls black pepper
1 pint cherry tomatoes

1. Cook pasta as directed on package for al dente.

2. In a large bowl, combine cheeses, celery and olives.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together mayo, dressing, oregano, and pepper until well combined.

4. Add dressing mixture to cheese/vegetable mixture, then toss gently with pasta.

5. Chill  until ready to serve (at least 2 hours). Add tomatoes just before serving.

Makes 6-8 servings

Tips:
I always add more vegetables then the recipe asks for. I just think it is better that way because who doesn't love veggies.

DO NOT use Miracle Whip. I tried it once because it was all I had in the house and I didn't want to go to the store, just trust me and don't do it.