This salad, concocted by Lizard Breath, was one of the “hits” of summer 2006:

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. box penne rigate pasta, cooked al dente
• one small bunch asparagus, lightly steamed
• kalamata olives, halved and pitted (to taste)
• 1/2 green pepper, chopped
• 1/2 red pepper, chopped
• chopped carrots (about a half cup’s worth works)
• chopped celery (about a half cup’s worth works)
• 1 chopped tomato
• 3-4 hard boiled eggs, in chunks
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• parmesan cheese to taste
• Dressing ingredients (whisk together):
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 1-2 tsp. oregano
• 1-2 tsp. basil
• 1-2 tsp. celery seed
• black pepper to taste
• salt to taste (optional)

Toss everything together (this takes a pretty big bowl).

Serves at least 12.

Lizard notes: “basically anything you want to put in, but i think the asparagus and olives are key.”

Another note: Aimée did a similar thing with smoked salmon from the St. Janet. She used asiago cheese instead of parmesan. There weren’t any black beans. I can’t remember about olives. We ate her version hot and then cold for lunch the next day. The point being, anything really goes. Be creative.