“This festive pasta salad is full of pasta, blue cheese and tomatoes that makes a big hit to any meal.”

Serving: 12 | Prep: 30m | Ready in: 1h45m

Ingredients

• Dressing:
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 1 1/2 tsps. milk
• 1/2 tsp. honey mustard
• 1/2 tsp. white vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
• Salad:
• 2 1/2 cups penne pasta
• 2 tbsps. olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3/4 tsp. minced fresh basil
• 2 1/2 cups cauliflower florets
• 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 4 oz. mozzarella cheese, cut into 1-inch strips
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 2 tbsps. grated Parmesan cheese

Direction

• In a bowl, whisk together the cayenne pepper, black pepper, garlic powder,

salt, vinegar, honey mustard, milk, blue cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise.

• Bring lightly salted water in a big pot to a boil, then stir in penne and bring back to a boil. Cook the pasta without cover for about 11 minutes, until cooked through but still firm to the bite, while stirring sometimes. Drain and move to a bowl.
• In a skillet, heat the olive oil on moderate heat. Cook and stir the basil and garlic for 3-4 minutes, until aromatic. Pour the garlic mixture over the penne, then combine the Parmesan cheese, green onion, mozzarella cheese, red bell pepper, tomatoes and cauliflower into the penne mixture; toss until coated. Cover and chill for about 1 hour to blend the flavors.

Nutrition Information

• Calories: 285 calories;
• Total Carbohydrate: 38.3 g
• Cholesterol: 13 mg
• Total Fat: 10.7 g
• Protein: 10.5 g
• Sodium: 250 mg