Ah, summertime and the livin' is easy.  It's the time of year for picnics and backyard meals.  Here's an easy pasta salad to make ahead of time and serve warm or cold.  It’s a great dish for a summer outing or a potluck, especially with the al dente vegetables and light dressing. 

If you like, you can always add some "Just Chicken" to the pasta salad.  If you're not familiar with "Just Chicken" at Trader Joe's, it's just that: precooked chicken with no preservatives or artificial additives, available in the refrigerated section.  There's the original Charbroiled version as well as Caesar and Teriyaki.  It's really convenient for things like chicken salads, quesadillas, or even baked casseroles.

Picnic Pasta Salad

3 cups (1/2 bag) spiral pasta, such as Organic Pasta, Fusilli
1 bag (16 oz) Broccoli and Cauliflower Duet (or 4 cups broccoli and cauliflower florets)
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 can (about 2 cups) Whole Kernel Corn
½ jar (1 cup) diced Fire Roasted Red Peppers
¼ cup Balsamic Vinaigrette or Red Wine Vinaigrette dressing
1 cup freshly shredded parmesan (bagged in store) or grated parmesan (container in store)

Boil pasta according to instructions, but during the last minute, add the broccoli and cauliflower florets to the pot, blanching them.  Drain the pot and rinse in cool water.  Add the corn, red pepper, parsley, parmesan and toss with dressing.

 
Prep and cooking time: 15 minutes
Yield:  6-8 servings