NOT YOUR MAMA'S PASTA SALAD

Not Your Mama's Pasta Salad image

Provided by Christine Whisenhunt

Number Of Ingredients 12

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2 pkg rotini pasta, i like the tri color one
1 each red, green, yellow, and orange bell peppers
1 large red onion, sliced thin
1 can(s) black olives
2 c green olives
1 large cucumber, sliced
1 pkg cherry tomatoes, halved
1 lb pre-sliced hard salami, cut into bite size pieces
1 lb mozzarella or provolone, cubed (i prefer mozzarella)
1 small jars pepperoncini peppers, drained (whole or sliced)
2 small jars artichoke hearts, sliced in half lengthwise
1-2 bottle italian dressing

Steps:

1. Cook pasta. Rinse in cold water to cool. Drain well.
2. In a very large bowl, mix all ingredients together. Add dressing. If you are not serving until the next day, I recommend withholding the tomatoes, cucumber and cheese until shortly before serving, to prevent them from getting too soft or mushy. As this sits, especially if you prepare it the night before, you will find it soaks up the dressing and you will need to add more. Start with one bottle of dressing and go from there. You want it coated well, but not sitting in a pool of dressing.
3. Note: I believe my cousin used kalamata olives. I like them ok, but I love green olives, so I use green olives in their place. Experiment with the varieties you love! Enjoy! P.S. If you want a healthier version, omit the salami and/or use chopped chicken breast.