Two more for your perusal: GREEK PASTA SALAD 1 lb. medium-size shell or other short pasta (4 cups) Salt 2/3 cup olive oil 2 Tblsp. fresh lemon juice (1 lemon) 2 small cloves garlic, crushed in a garlic press 1 tsp. dried oregano Freshly ground black pepper 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half 1-1/2 cups chopped cucumber (2 medium-size or 1 large cucumber) 1 cup chopped red onion (1 medium-size onion) 1 cup (4 oz.) crumbled feta cheese 1/2 cup chopped pitted Kalamata olives 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint or parsley Pickled banana or cherry peppers or steamed shrimp (optional), for garnish Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Stir in the pasta and 1 tsp. of salt, reduce the heat to medium-high, and cook the pasta, uncovered, according to the package directions until just done, 8 to 9 minutes. Meanwhile, place the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and oregano in a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Set the salad dressing aside. Drain the pasta well in a colander, shaking it to remove the excess water. Transfer the pasta to the large mixing bowl with the dressing. Stir to coat and let the pasta come to room temperature, about 20 minutes. When the pasta is cool, fold in the tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, feta cheese, olives, and mint or parsley. Stir to combine well. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and/or black pepper if needed. Transfer the salad to a serving bowl and serve at once garnished with the banana peppers or shrimp, if desired, or cover and refrigerate the salad until serving time. Serves 8. Big Batch: This salad is easy to double or triple, but cook the pasta a pound at a time, and mix the salad one batch at a time. Tote Notes: Tote this salad right in its serving bowl and bring the optional garnish of peppers or shrimp in a separate container, if you like. Cover the serving bowl with plastic wrap that sticks securely to the rim of the bowl to make traveling less messy. If possible, let the salad come to room temperature before serving. Then stir the salad again and top it with the garnish, if using. From What Can I Bring by Anne Byrn. SANTA FE PASTA SALAD This salad is simply fabulous! The flavor blend is right on. Add some diced, cooked chicken to make a delicious meal-in-one salad, or serve as is on the side. 1 pkg. (16 oz.) rotini pasta 1-1/4 cups tomato juice 1-1/2 Tblsp. olive oil 1 Tblsp. red wine vinegar 1 tsp. chili powder 1/2 tsp. paprika 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. garlic powder 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup cooked corn kernels 1/4 cup chopped scallions 1/4 cup chopped cilantro 2 Tblsp. diced green bell pepper 2 Tblsp. diced Roma tomato Boil pasta according to pkg. directions. Rinse under cold water and drain well. Stir together tomato juice, olive oil, vinegar, chili powder, paprika, salt, garlic powder and black pepper. Toss with pasta in a large bowl. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Combine Parmesan cheese, corn, scallions, cilantro, green pepper and tomato. Combine with chilled pasta; cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours. Season with cracked black pepper before serving if desired. Yield: 8 servings.

If you are concerned that there will be too many, too similar pasta salads, you could push the bounds of your assigned dish slightly, and make couscous (Is couscous "pasta"?) I make a quick and easy Curried Couscous dish that won "The Best Side Dish" at the hunt club picnic last summer, and it is very easy to double or triple this recipe. CURRIED COUSCOUS Serves 8-10 people 2 boxes Near east Mediterranean curry couscous 2 cups broccoli flowerets (about one large head) 1 carrot, sliced thinly 6 medium white mushrooms (sliced) 5 tbsp olive oil 1/3 cup raisins 2 tbsp mild curry powder 1/2 cup homemade balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing 4 oz feta cheese (cut into ¼ inch cubes) Prepare couscous according to package directions. (Open package, empty spice envelope into 2 1/2 cups water, add 2 tbsp olive oil, bring to boil. Remove from heat, add couscous) In a separate pan, cook broccoli and carrots in 3 tbsp olive oil over medium heat, stirring frequently. When partially cooked add curry powder and stir until well mixed, dump cooked broccoli and carrots into couscous. In a separate pan heat two more tbsp of olive oil and cook mushrooms for 3-4 minute, add to couscous. Stir in remaining ingredients. Either serve immediately or refrigerate.

Jackie, Here is the recipe. Use it as a guideline. I love all things greek, so I like the olives, feta and artichoke. But you may prefer other things instead. Enjoy! Orzo Summer Salad 1 box orzo pasta 1 large red onion, chopped 1 green pepper; chopped 1 yellow pepper; chopped 1 can artichoke hearts, coarsely chopped 1 container grape tomatoes; halved 1 cup (+ /-) feta cheese; cut into small cubes 1 cup mixed fresh olives; coarsely chopped ½ bottle Paul Newman Balsamic Vinaigrette salad dressing Cook pasta; rinse with cold water; drain and toss with the salad dressing. Add all other ingredients except feta cheese. Mix well. Then toss in feta cheese. (Adding the feta last helps it to stay white). Serve cold. Better the next day. Jo

The wraps are from Wizardnm and she posted these a while ago and they're very good! Cream cheese filling for wraps 8 oz pkg. cream cheese 2 green onions (white part and about 1 inch of the green part) 2 tbsp. dry ranch dressing mix 2 to 3 tbsp white wine (optional) Combine all in a food processor and process until smooth. Spread a couple tbsp of mixture on each tortilla. Fill using leaf lettuce, sliced deli meat of choice. A great cocktail pinwheel can also be made using the above mixture and the following. Olive and Green Chili Blend ¾ C chopped green olives ¾ C chopped black olives 1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chili's Combine the olives and green chili's. Spread a tortilla with the cream cheese mixture then spread with olive mixture. Roll up tightly and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 2 hrs or longer. Unwrap and slice into pinwheels about 1 inch thick. During the holidays I like to combine cream cheese with a bit of cranberry relish, spread on a tortilla and place deli thin sliced smoked turkey on it. Roll up and refrigerate as above. Yummy! Nancy Here is a family favorite pasta salad. ORZO WITH ROASTED VEGETABLES 1 small eggplant, peeled, 3/4" dice 1 red pepper, 1" dice 1 yellow pepper, 1" dice 1 red onion, peeled, 1" dice 2 garlic cloves, minced 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/2 lb Orzo, cooked 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon salt 1-1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 3 scallions, minced 1/4 cup toasted Pignoli nuts 3/4 lb Feta cheese, 1/2" dice 15 basil leaves, chiffonade Mix first 7 ingredients together and place in one layer in large roasting pan. Roast @ 425 degrees for 40 minutes, turning once. Mix warm orzo with warm cooked vegetables and all of their juices. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper and toss together and let cool to room temperature. Add scallions, nuts, Feta and basil and serve. Serves 6