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Mac and Jack Salad

Ingredients

  • 1 pound macaroni elbows or cavatappi, corkscrew-shaped hollow pasta

  • Salt

  • 1 cup frozen corn, defrosted

  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped

  • 1 small red onion, chopped

  • 4 ribs celery, chopped

  • Black pepper

  • 1 8-ounce brick pepper Jack cheese, diced

  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar (eyeball it)

  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

  • 1 cup store-bought tomatillo salsa (mild, green) or chipotle salsa (hot, smoky red)

  • 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves or flat leaf parsley, chopped

Directions

Bring water to a boil, salt it and add pasta.

While pasta water is coming up to a boil and cooking, combine corn, red bell pepper, onion and celery in a bowl with pepper Jack cheese. Season the veggies with salt and pepper.

Run pasta under cold water to cool it and drain it well. Add pasta to vegetables and cheese.

Place vinegar in a small bowl and whisk in EVOO (eyeball it), then fold in salsa. Pour sauce over salad and toss to coat evenly. Garnish salad with cilantro or parsley and serve.