Monday Munchies: Spicy Summer Pasta Salad

There are many variations to this fantastic and versatile summer pasta salad, but this is the one we’re having for lunch tomorrow:

Ingredients:

1 box bow-tie pasta

1 cup feta cheese

2/3 cup Texas Pineapple Habanero pepper jelly  (more if you like it “goopy,” less if you don’t)

1/4 cup diced onion

1/2 cup shredded pineapple

1/2 cup shredded cooked chicken (if desired; it’s great without any meat, too)

What to do:

Boil the pasta according to the directions on the box.  Drain.

When the pasta has cooled, add all the other ingredients and toss lightly until pasta is coated and other ingredients are evenly distributed.  Don’t mix too roughly or you’ll tear the bow-ties.  (Don’t try to mix this pasta salad while the bow-ties are hot; you’ll melt the pepper jelly!)

Pasta salad is great served immediately, but my family likes it better after it’s been refrigerated for several hours.

Spicy Summer Pasta Salad is a great summer meal all by itself, but it’s also an excellent side dish.  We’re having it tomorrow with corn on the cob.  That’s a lot of starch, I suppose, but hey, it’s summer.  They’ll run it off.

(Sometimes I add some diced green pepper, if I have a green pepper.  This time I didn’t have one.)