<tombates> wrote:
>
>I have question about making a pasta salad so to speak. I have had a
> pasta salad at places, and there are vegtables mixed in such as
> cauliflower, brocolli, carrots, peas and so forth. To make this I
> assume you cook the pasta, and then cook the veggies, and mix them
> together. What would you use as a binder: olive oil? What else would
> you add.

Use whatever salad dressing you feel like, plain jarred mayo works too. I
add cooked pasta to tossed salad at least half the time... I like those
tri-color rotini, they don't really taste different but they look nice.
Sometimes it's mostly pasta like a macaroni salad with just a few additions.
I never cook the veggies... the less tender ones can be cut into
smaller/thinner bits... I use my veggie peeler to slice thin rounds of
carrot, only takes like two minutes to microslice a big carrot. I have a 24
cup stainless steel bowl I use for salad, I fill it to the tippy top then
take what I want, the rest goes back in the fridge. I don't add dressing
except to what's in my dish... I have a matching 8 cup bowl I use for
tossing my portion with dressing. I've never seen a book of laws about what
can go into a salad.