Recipe: Easy Seafood-Pasta Salad

Easy Seafood-Pasta Salad
rec.food.cooking/Sandy n ne (1999)

Every time we have a potluck, I get a lot of requests for this salad. It has been a favorite of my friends and family for years, and doesn't take a lot of time either.

1 lb package of good quality pasta (rotini or shells works best)
1 cup of frozen peas-blanched
1 (4 oz) can of sliced olives-drained
1 (4 oz) can of chopped green chiles, UNDRAINED
2 or 3 green onions chopped-stems and all (optional)
1 lb package of mock crab meat broken into small bite-size pieces
1 (8 oz) package or frozen salad (popcorn size) shrimp OR 1 can of shrimp drained

Ranch salad dressing - about 2 cups or just a little more

Cook the pasta till done. A quick and easy way to blanch the peas is to put them in the bottom of a colander and them dumped the cooked pasta on top to drain it. Then run cold water over the pasta and peas in the colander until it is cool. Let sit for a few minutes to make sure all excess water is drained out.

Meanwhile, in a big bowl, mix your green onion, the can of chopped green chiles and the can of sliced olives together and pour in the ranch salad dressing and stir it all together. Add the mock crab meat and the shrimp. Now dump in the pasta and peas and stir it all together. Refrigerate.

This salad is BEST when left refrigerated overnight, all the flavors blend in together and it is very tasty!