Salami Pasta Salad

You might have seen me writing about my Keeper Book, a big recipe binder where I keep all the good recipes since I started this venture in like 2007.  I'm on my 2nd one, because I outgrew my first one.  I like having this book because that way when I need to make something for a meal for a family or when people are coming over or a dessert or something for a potluck--really any occasion--I know that everything in that book is yummy because we tried it already.  I still keep the majority of my cookbooks on a shelf in the kitchen, and still refer to them once in a while, especially if I get free veggies or something else I don't know what to do with from a gardener or whatever.  I'm sure a lot of them I will pass down to my kids when they move out **sniff**.  But I like having the Keeper Book for quick reference. At the end of a blog post, if I write "it's a keeper," that means it goes into the KB.  In the front of the book I have like 4 or 5 recipes that I haven't tried yet, but I want to.  Usually they came from a cooking magazine, and I waited and waited for an occasion to make them, and then it was the only thing left in the magazine I hadn't made yet, and I wanted to throw the magazine away because I'm like that, so I cut out the recipe and stuck it in the front of my keeper book, just waiting for the right time.  Well today, one of their numbers got called!  This recipe was very happy, and the others sighed in despair.  But don't worry, other recipes!  I will make you eventually, and this just proves it!  This has been in the front of the book so long that I don't remember which magazine it came out of.  Probably a Taste of Home-type publication because it has the name and location of the recipe submitter at the top.  I made this for our home fellowship 4th of July barbecue, because Lisa was making mayo-based potato salad, and this seemed like a good dish to balance out its evil powers.

Salami Pasta Salad
 2 cups uncooked small pasta (I got gemelli because Nathan wanted squiggly ones)
3/4 cup chopped green pepper
3/4 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped pepperoni
1/2 cup cubed hard salami
1/2 cup whole ripe olives, quartered (omitted by me)
2 oz provolone cheese, cubed (I used cheddar cheese cubes because that's what my sister uses and I like her pasta salad)
1/3 cup chopped onion
Dressing:
1/3 cup vegetable oil (I used olive oil because the thought of using vegetable oil seemed gross to me)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold water.  Place in large bowl; add the green pepper, tomatoes, pepperoni, salami, olives, cheese, and onion.

In a jar with a tight fitting lid (or a Tupperware sippy cup thing), combine the dressing ingredients; shake well.  Pour over pasta mixture; toss to coat.  Cover and refrigerate until serving.

This came out so good!  At the last minute I almost put bottled Italian salad dressing on the stuff instead of the dressing in the recipe, because I was nervous about it not coming out yummy.  But my sister encouraged me with her wise never-fail saying "it will be fine."  She says that about almost everything, and she's usually right.  Crying because your husband just left for the mission field?  It will be fine.  Almost throwing up because of the pain med after your hip replacement?  It will be fine.  You think that dressing might not taste good?  It will be fine.  She reminded me that you should always make a recipe the way it says the first time, and then modify it later if you don't like something.  So I'm glad I took her advice, because it came out great.  Definitely a keeper!  And all the recipes in the front have just been given another spark of hope...and also, everything has been fine  =o)