Pasta Salad

This is a staple dish at all of our BBQs. If you're ever in need of a yummy, easy, dish...you should give it a try! It can be made the night before, does well in the heat, and makes for great leftovers - if you have any left over. It gets fab reviews every time I make it and the few times I haven't made it people have been pretty bummed out!!

Prep Time: 25-30 min, plus fridge time until cool
Servings: It's a side item so you should get about 12 servings. I normally double this because I always want to have plenty and leftovers.

Here's what you need:
1 lb bowtie pasta
1/2 container cherry tomatoes
1/2 red onion
1 green bell pepper
1 yellow, orange, or red bell pepper (i also threw in 3 mini orange sweet peppers this time)
1/2 block sharp cheddar (i had some leftover fresh mozz so i used a bit of that too)
1/2 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
8 oz of vinaigrette (i used an italian but you can make your own or get any kind really)
crushed red pepper - i use about 1/2-1 teaspoon...but adjust depending on how spicy you like it
ground pepper

Here's what you do:
Cook pasta to al dente, run under cold water to stop cooking when done
Chop veggies and cheese - For dairy free people add cheese last and set aside a batch with no cheese
Mix everything together with dressing and spices
Refrigerate and enjoy when ready!