Christmas Antipasto Picnic Salad Recipe

Everybody just loves this tempting blend of meats, veggies and pasta. It goes together in no time, serves a crowd and tastes as delicious at room temperature as it does cold. Also, it’s chunky enough for the kids to pick out any individual ingredient they might not like! --Michele Larson, Baden, Pennsylvania

1 package (16 ounces) medium pasta shells

2 jars (16 ounces each) giardiniera

1 pound fresh broccoli florets

1/2 pound cubed part-skim mozzarella cheese

1/2 pound hard salami, cubed

1/2 pound deli ham, cubed

2 packages (3-1/2 ounces each) sliced pepperoni, halved

1 large green pepper, cut into chunks

1 can (6 ounces) pitted ripe olives, drained

DRESSING:

1/2 cup Crisco® Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, drain giardiniera, reserving 3/4 cup liquid. In a large bowl, combine the giardiniera, broccoli, mozzarella, salami, ham, pepperoni, green pepper and olives. Drain pasta and rinse in cold water; stir into meat mixture.

For dressing, in a small bowl, whisk the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, pepper, salt and reserved giardiniera liquid. Pour over salad and toss to coat. Refrigerate until serving. Yield: 25 servings.

Giardiniera, a pickled vegetable mixture, is available in mild and hot varieties and can be found in the Italian or pickle section of your grocery store.