Muffuletta Pasta Salad

It's Mardi Gras Time and Fat Tuesday!!

Next to a Ruben sandwich, the classic Muffuletta is by far my husband's favorite.

Since today is Fat Tuesday and the Muffuletta is the signature sandwich of Mardi Gras, I researched and found the history of this famous delicacy.

"The muffuletta sandwich has its origins at the Central Grocery in the French Quarter of New Orleans.  According to Marie Lupo Tusa, daughter of the Central Grocery's founder, it was born when Sicilian farmers selling their produce at the nearby Farmers' Market would come into her father's grocery for lunch and order some salami, ham, cheese, olive salad, and either long braided Italian bread or a round muffuletta loaf. In typical Sicilian fashion they ate everything separately sitting on crates or barrels while precariously balancing their meals on their knees. Her father suggested cutting the bread and putting everything on it like a sandwich, even if it was not typical Sicilian fashion. The thicker braided Italian bread proved too hard to bite and the softer round muffuletta loaf won out. Shortly thereafter, farmers that came for lunch began merely asking for "muffulettas."

To change it up this week, I decided to make a Muffuletta Pasta Salad with all the great ingredients and flavors that you would enjoy in the classic sandwich.

Muffuletta Pasta Salad

(1) 16-ounce box tri-color rotini
1/4 cup finely chopped red onions
1 cup green olives, sliced

1 cup black olives, sliced

2 cups, grape tomatoes, sliced
1/4 pound ham, cut into thin strips
1/4 pound Genoa salami, cut into thin strips
1/4 pound mortadella, cut into thin strips
1 cup diced provolone cheese

1 cup Newman's Family Italian Salad Dressing

Cook pasta according to package directions and drain.  Rinse under cold water, drain and set aside.  

In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, red onions, green olives, black olives, grape tomatoes, ham, salami, mortadella and provolone.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Toss with salad dressing.  (If possible, chill in refrigerator for 4 hours) to let the flavors fuse together.  Spoon pasta salad onto plates.  Makes 8 servings.

One Year Ago:  Chocolate Layered Pudding

Tapenade Pasta Salad and Prayers

Today is Ash Wednesday, a very special day and a day of reflection.  As we attended Mass tonight, the first hymn was a very familiar one, "Hosea".  My husband leaned over and said "This is one of your favorites isn't it?"  How did he know that?  In over 20 years together I have never mentioned this or any other hymn, and yet he knew it truly is one of my favorites.  Every time I hear it, I get overwhelmed in emotion and choked up.  He really does know me.....

During the season of Lent, we have all decided to give up something as a sacrifice and respect for these next 40 days.  One daughter has given up pancakes and the other Taco Bell.  I'm here to tell you that is not an easy feat for either one of them.  I'm very proud of their choices.  My husband and I mutually decided in order to start working out more, eating better and trying to get our girlish figure back for the upcoming summer wardrobes, we have given up all adult beverages.  

For those "no meat" days in Lent, I made up a large bowl of pasta salad.  I make this salad for the volleyball tournaments and every time I think I am going to come home with leftovers, the pan is scraped clean.  My husband has repeatedly requested this for the house, so here it is.

An extra added bonus is three weeks ago Trader Joe's opened their first three stores in Colorado.  Can I hear a "Hallelujah"??!!  So excited to have them 10 minutes from my office.  I stop by and pick up goodies and their specialty items on the way home - yummy!!

They have two different olive tapenades (one green and one black) that are out of this world - very versatile and rich in flavors.

Tapenade Pasta Salad

1 - 16 oz. box rainbow rotini pasta (cook as directed), rinse in cold water and let cool
1 can quartered artichoke hearts (cut to bite size)
1 pint of grape tomatoes (cut in half, crosswise)
1/2 block of cheddarella (or your favorite) cheese (diced, bite size)
1 cup baby carrots (diced)
1 cup pitted kalamata olives (diced) - (or 1/2 jar of your favorite black olive tapenade)
1/2 jar Trader Joe's Green Olive Tapenade (or your favorite available brand)
1 - 8 oz. bottle of your favorite Italian salad dressing

Other optional adds:
1 orange, yellow or red bell pepper (diced)
1 cup broccoli floretes (diced)
1 cucumber (diced)

Mix all ingredients and season as desired.  Best if chilled overnight for flavors to fuse.