try it with ranch

Bacon ranch pasta salad. Americans are unique in that they put ranch dressing on just about everything, isn't that true? I suspect folks in Greece or Switzerland aren't dousing their foods with it, but I could be wrong.

I had some friends in college who lived for ranch dressing--we all agreed that they should really just order a large bowl of ranch dressing with a side of fries or chicken or whatever else could feasibly (or unfeasibly, if we're being honest) be dipped into it. It's not like our cafeteria food was bad and needed to be masked with the dressing; they just really loved the flavor.

That seems to be true for many folks, so a pasta salad moistened with a bit of ranch dressing and smattered* with bits of bacon and veggies is sure to be a hit at any type of potluck or picnic. It's easy to tweak--feel free to add much more bacon or olives or tomatoes or cubes of ham or cucumber, and definitely adjust the consistency to your liking with extra milk. If it isn't ranch-y enough for you, add more mix! (I have a feeling my friends would add quite a bit more.) I do love an adaptable dish.

Ranch Lover's Pasta Salad
(printable recipe)
Serves 8-10
Ingredients:

• 1 (12 ounce) package uncooked miniature pasta shells (or really whatever shape you like!)
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup milk, plus more as needed
• 3 tablespoons dry ranch salad dressing mix
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 cup bacon bits or 5 pieces of crispy bacon, crumbled
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions.
Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water.
While the pasta is cooking, in a large bowl, mix mayonnaise, sour cream or Greek yogurt, milk, ranch dressing mix, garlic powder, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
Add the cooked pasta, chopped pepper, peas, bacon, and cheese and gently mix to coat with the dressing.
Add more milk as needed to reach the desired consistency (you may have to add even more after the salad is thoroughly chilled).
Add salt and pepper to taste, then cover and chill at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.