Nancy's Pasta Salad

Summertime and even into Labor Day means potato salad, macaroni salad and pasta salad. 

Up until a few years back I didn't like any of those. 

I'm not a mayonnaise fan, so I don't like a lot of salads, and for some reason I just wasn't a pasta salad fan. 

That was until I had my mom's friend Nancy's pasta salad. 

Not only was it delicious, but it makes a ton and is super easy to make. 

Items Needed:

Pasta Noodles (I use the corkscrew multi color ones)

Red Pepper

Green Pepper

Hot Pepper Rings

Cucumber

Cheddar Cheese 

Mozzarella Cheese

Pepperoni

Salami

Italian Dressing

Catalina Dressing

1. The first thing that I do is boil the noodles, drain and set them aside. 

Make sure you rinse them with cold water and dump them into a bowl, so that they don't get mushy and stick together. 

2. Next I dice all of vegetables, cheese and meats.

This is my favorite product to use when I'm dicing vegetables.

Only $20 at Bed Bath and Beyond.

via

The vegetables are so quick to do with this tool. 

After that I dice the meat and cheese by hand. 

3. Next I add the vegetables, meat and cheese to the bowl with the pasta. 

4. Then I add a whole bottle of Italian dressing and a half bottle of Catalina.

5. Mix it all together and there you have it. 

This makes A LOT!

So you can keep some and give some to a neighbor!

What's Up Wednesday: So Long August!

Hey there friends!

August is the best and worst month combined in one. 

It always means that school is here, yet at the beginning it means enjoying the last few weeks of summer, and I can't forget that this was the month I was born, so I have to love it!

At the end of each month Mel, Shay and Sheaffer share 

What's Up Wednesday!!!
We answer a series of questions and one extra one special to that month.
This month we're answering...

What are your best back to school lunch ideas and/or tips!

What we're eating this week:

Lots of homegrown corn!

Yummy salads!

Chicken salad on fresh wheat buns!

Taco Salad!

Last night's steak, potatoes and corn was delicious, but I forgot to grab a picture before I devoured it!

What I'm reminiscing about:

I've been thinking a lot about all of the times that I've started school.
13 years of K-12.
Then, 4 years of college.
Now, 6 years of teaching.

To top that my birthday is August 29, so I've started school on my birthday many times and have enjoyed the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th day of school as my birthday as well.

What I'm loving:

I love growing beautiful plants!
I'm enjoying the last few weeks with them, as the heat has passed and we're enjoying much cooler days that is causing them not to grow as much.

What we've been up to:

I've been getting into the routine of back to school,  an early bed time and an early alarm.

What I'm dreading:

At this point in time I'm trying to enjoy every single day.
I typically dread going to bed so early so that I can get up early, but I love being productive in the mornings, so I'm trying to look at it as a positive!

What I'm working on:

I'm working on lesson plans and getting to know my new students.

I'm also working hard on planning for what will hopefully be a memorable fall!

What I'm excited about:

NYC!
I can't wait for our fall trip to the Big Apple!
I'm not sure how many times I've been there, but there's always so much to see.
Any places you think we should visit?!

What I'm watching/reading:

I've been doing lots of reading because that's what my job is all about. 

The first three books were suggestions from Allie. 

I'm going to be using them in my classroom during this year, and the last book was just for fun. 

I just started The Glass Castle, and WOW!

I cannot even fathom what these poor children went through. 

Cooking your own hot dogs over a stove at THREE years old and you accidentally catch yourself on fire?!

This is just one of the many incidents in this book, and I'm not even 50 pages in. 

I seriously read with my mouth hanging open. It's that horrendous!

What I'm listening to:

l really don't listen to much. 
I've been hearing whispers, shouts and screams from 7th and 8th graders during the day, and then at night I hear birds, crickets and locusts.

What I'm wearing:

At the beginning of August I was all into swimsuits and cover-ups. 

Now I'm all into cool yet professional outfits.
This school year I've been trying to wear more skirts.

What I'm doing this weekend:

Hooray for an extra long weekend!
We are going to enjoy our extra day off, probably my last time at the pool and celebrate me turning 27!

What I'm looking forward to next month:

I'm sad to see my flowers go, but next month shouts Fall!
I'm looking forward to pumpkins, Indian Corn, cornstalks and gourds!
Also, I love candles more in the fall and winter.
I haven't been burning many lately, but I'm excited for fall cozy scents.

What else is new:

I'm back to school, so I'm in a routine again.
It's an adjustment, but I enjoy staying busy.

I'm also putting some finishing touches on my new side business.
I can't wait to share all about it in October!

What's your best back to school lunch ideas and/or tips?:

I pack my lunch every single day, so I'm all about tips for saving time. 

I ALWAYS pack my lunch the night before. 

If I wait until the morning one either I won't do it or I will pack junk. 

I, also, ALWAYS over pack. 

I often think that I won't be that hungry, and then it's 8 am and I'm starving! Ha!

My last tip is to change it up. 

Don't pack the same thing over and over again. 

I often get tired of the same foods. 

I swear that I packed Doritos for a month straight in JH, and now I never want to eat one again unless it's on my taco salad. 

So there goes August, let's see what September has in store!

Show and Tell: Best Day!

Hey ladies! 

I've survived over a week of school and am getting back into the groove of things. 

Blogging and real world living sometimes collide, but I'm working on my schedule and getting post done ahead of time. 

It's Show and Tell Tuesday!

Andrea from Momfessionals has a linkup two Tuesday's a month. 

Today's topic is What Your Best Day Would Look Like!

What a great topic as I reminisce my Best Summer Day's!

If you're interested in linking up later on or what to see what the topics were so far this year, check out the graphic below. 

So, I pretty much live my best days from the end of May to the middle of August. 

It's such a blessing to have a job that has an end and a beginning each and every year. 

Don't get me wrong the days in between can get crazy and stressful, but there's always light at the end of the tunnel. 

During the summer I do me!

I live up everything that I love to do and relish each and every day. 

I think I did that the most this summer because I really didn't have much to do.

So, let's take a look at some of the things that make my days the BEST during the summer!

Early Mornings

I love early mornings. 

Throughout the year my alarm rings at 4 am. 

During the summer I'm up early but not that early. 

I love watching the sun rise and feel more productive when I'm up and getting things accomplished before 9 am.

Working Out/Running

My day would not be complete without sweating a bit. 

Whether it's in the basement doing a workout video or going for a run, I need exercise in my life!!

A Little Laughter

I mostly despise the television. 

I believe it robs so many people of their potential, but I love getting a good smile or laugh. 

This is why I mark out 9 am during the summers. 

I catch a little Kelly for 15 minutes and am amped and ready to go!

Baked Goods

I love homemade goodies. 

The best day would involve snacks like these...

   Pool time

 The best days allow me to sit by the pool and read and doze off for a little nap.

Flowers

No day would be complete unless it involved pretty blossoms. 

Whether it's buying some at a local market or store and growing them yourself, I NEED flowers in my life!

Wildlife

My best day involves little and big creatures visiting.

Morning/Evening Walks

My best day would allow me to go for a morning or evening walk that has a pretty view.

I pretty much get 11 weeks of my Best Day during the summer. 

I'm so sad that those days are behind me, but I'm looking forward to them in only 9 more months!!