Creamy Lime-Cilantro Dressing

Recipe by Ourbestbites.com

1 pack (1oz) Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix (regular or buttermilk, and ignore directions on the packet)
1C mayo
1/2 C milk (or buttermilk depending on which packet you buy)
1 lime
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 C roughly chopped cilantro
1/4 C green salsa*
hot sauce

Place milk, mayo, and ranch mix in a blender. Juice the lime in there too, you should get about 2T juice. Toss in the garlic, cilantro and green salsa. Blend 'er up. Sample it and add hot sauce to taste. Make it several hours ahead of time to allow it to thicken.

*A note about green salsa:
There are several brands of green salsa available in most supermarkets and they have various degrees of heat. One of the most commonly seen brands is Hernandez. Hernandez brand is a lot spicier than any of the others I've tried. Even their medium green salsa is way too spicy for my liking. I like to buy La Costena because their medium is actually really mild. That way I get all of the flavor of the tomatillos but I control the level of heat with the hot sauce. If you're not used to buying green salsa, make sure to sample it first before you put it in the dressing so you know what you're getting into!

Wedding Pasta Salad

Garden Rotini Salad (Serves 20 -25)
8 C. Garden Rotini
1 C. shredded carrots
2 C broccoli florets
1/2 C bell pepper, chopped fine
1 1/2 C peeled and shopped cucumber
1 small can sliced or chopped olives, drained
2 C diced tomatoes or cherry tomatoes cut in half
1 C sliced celery
1 bunch green onions, finely sliced, including tops
3/4 C chopped parsley (Italian parsley if available)
2 1/2 C fresh grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 C Italian Dressing
1/2 C Caesar Dressing
1/4 C red wine vinegar

Step 1: Prepare vegetables. Mix them together and add 1/4 C of the Italian dressing and refrigerate.

Step 2: Cook pasta according to package directions. Rinse in cold water.

Step 3: Add vegetables to room temperature pasta.

Step 4: Add remaining dressings, red wine and Parmesan cheese. Save 1/2 C for garnish and serve.

I had this salad at Diana's wedding and loved it so much that I served it and mine and Kory's wedding.
~From the kitchen of Diana D.