As for the dressing, start with 1/2 cup mayo and add Italian dressing a tablespoon at a time, mixing well, until it seems right. Jusy go slow until you get it.

At 92 she has a better memory than I do! So I know her ingredients are right on.

I looked at a couple of cookbooks and the recipes all mentioned instead of steaming either cook the broccoli in the pasta water or add the broccoli to the water with the pasta still in it then drain. Doing it the second way would add a little flavor different to the pasta. Cooking time depends on how firm and what size of pieces you remember.

Something that cooks tend to forget is that the tastes of things have changed over the years. Manufacturers put the same names on the label and perhaps the ingredients but things like sugar and salt amounts may have changed.

My favorite catsup is Brooks but the last bottle even though comparing the old and new the spicy has been reduced. You may have to try several different brands of mayo and Italian dressing.

Well, I made it and DH was my taste tester. He said it was very good! DH said he would like it with peas in it instead of broccoli. Maybe next time. I’m having 12 ladies over tomorrow for lunch and pinochle. We used to meet once a month, but now it is once a year and at my house. I have the room and can afford it. Plus I am younger than most.

We are having pulled pork, taco salad, chicken salad, brownies and sugar free strawberry pie. One year we had breakfast, they were surprised at that one.

Excellent. Not a fan of any pasta salad but this one sound interesting and easy to add or change ingredients.

Someone who's 90-something who had a family with children did her family cooking in an era when "recipes" were really take a container of this prepared food, add to it this other prepared food, yada yada. Some of the older folks here still cook like that because the "recipes" they post go something like that. The thought of combining bottled Italian dressing with mayo sounds disgusting to me when doing something similar with fresh herbs, good olive oil and other real ingredients would be so easy and so much better.

Not so much a pasta salad but a tasty dish in that direction would be fettucine alfredo with peas and ham, made with real ingredients. Or, do your own looking for a fresh chicken pasta salad recipe from the better sources, I'm sure there are many to find. Remember to use good chicken, not something pre-packaged.

I used rotisserie chicken. I was surprised at how good the mayo and Italian dressing mix tasted!

Had all the ladies over today. The chicken salad was a hit! Everything else was too.

i think next year I may just do desserts. I’m exhausted!

DH is a big help tho, moving tables and chairs around and taste testing!