Mrs. Ca's Pasta Salad

Aaron and I brown bag it for lunch most days of the week. While he loves to take leftovers, I can't do re-heated meat for some reason, so I tend to take soup, sandwiches, and/or salads. I love all types of salads, and try to keep a few ready to go in the fridge for easy lunch or dinner sides. One I frequently make as a way to keep something there and to use up vegetables is this quick and simple vegetable salad. You can substitute in any vegetables you have on hand, but these are the veggies I usually throw in.

Mrs. Ca's Pasta Salad

1 lb. elbow macaroni, cooked al dente in well-salted water

4 oz. cheddar cheese, cubed

1 to 2 tomatoes (depending on size), diced

2 green onions, sliced thin

1 medium cucumber, diced

1 green pepper, diced

2 to 3 carrots, sliced thin

Prepared Italian salad dressing, to taste (I like Newman's Own Family Recipe Italian)

Ground pepper, to taste

(Sometimes to spice it up, I add in some diced salami, but only if I have it on hand.)

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Chill.