Creamy Crab Pasta Salad

Grand Prix 2011 has come to an end and my belly is begging me for a break! This weekend consisted of non-stop martinis, white wine sangria, and too many munchies to name. I was fortunate enough to enjoy all these memorable moments with my Bestie who came all the way from Ottawa and my MTL ladies. The weather may not have been on our side this past weekend, but we kept our spirits high with good eats, and even better company. This weekend’s list of worthy restaurants included: BICE (amazing terrace, poor service), Marche 27 (4 thumbs up, as usual!), and breakfast at Tiffany's (stuffed Portobello mushroom eggs Benedict, shall I say more?). 

Somewhere between cocktails and extravagantly unaffordable BICE, I was able to sneak in some kitchen time to prepare a modest Creamy Crab Pasta Salad for you. My colleagues were having yet another famous potluck, and in Friday’s heat I decided to keep it low key with a wonderfully refreshing side dish (ignoring its calorie content). This is the most phenomenal and simple pasta salad I have ever made. Mister Hans Hoffman said it best: “The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.”… And let me tell you, this salad speaks wonders!

Xo Dom Appétit!

Creamy Crab Pasta Salad

 Adapted from:  Taste of Home

Prep Time: 25 mins (30-1 fridge time)

Tools Needed: medium mixing bowl, medium boiling pot, strainer, cutting board, knife, wooden spoon, small mixing bowl,

Ingredients:

1 box of tri-color Rotini Pasta

½ cup of chopped celery, green pepper, red pepper, onion

1 ½ cups to 2 cups of chopped crab (imitation crab!)

½ cup of calorie wise ranch dressing

½ cup of sour cream

¼ cup of mayonnaise

4 twigs of fresh dill (chopped)

Cracked Pepper

Salt

Olive Oil

Directions:

1)     Boil pasta in medium pot with a dash of salt and oil to boil and remove and strain once cooked but not too soft (approx 11 mins) and rinse lightly with cold water

2)     Transfer pasta to mixing bowl and toss in the celery, green pepper, red pepper, onion and crab meat

3)     In small mixing bowl, combine ranch, sour cream, mayo and fresh dill. Crack ground pepper over dressing and keep mixing. Combine the mixture into the pasta salad. Cover and refrigerate for 30 mins to an hour and serve either as a side dish or main meal!