Picnic Pasta Salad

This is a wonderful recipe I got from over at Teri's Kitchen. My hubby went back like 4 times and said I really needed to blog about it!!! So, how could I not?! The addition of Parmesan cheese to this pasta salad gives it a very unique flavor and the tomatoes add texture and an unexpected burst of freshness! This would be great to take to a church potluck or your last picnic of the summer!

Pasta and Parmesan Cheese Salad

8 oz. elbow macaroni or pasta shells, cooked al dente
3/4 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped dill pickles
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. prepared yellow mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 cup chopped tomatoes

Combine all ingredients, preferably while pasta is still warm, except for the mayo and tomatoes; toss lightly. Add the mayo and mix well. Refrigerate for at least several hours or overnight. Before serving, add the tomatoes and toss. Bring to room temperature. Taste for seasoning and, if needed, add a little more mayo or cheese. Serves: 6

Notes from Teri... If you are serving the salad within several hours, you can add the tomatoes in the beginning. She prefers to use halved cherry or grape tomatoes. Since the dill pickles and cheese are salty, taste carefully before adding salt to the salad. She usually adds a little of the pickle juice and, when it is in season, some chopped fresh dill. To make life a little easier, dill cubes can be used. Other pasta shapes, such as small penne rigate or larger elbows can be used. As for the Parmesan cheese, her Mom's original recipe called for the canned variety. At the time, they thought it was very good, and would not hesitate to use it in this recipe. However, now she prefers freshly grated cheese of higher quality, such as Parmigiano-Reggiano. It costs more, but you will need less because it has so much flavor. The choice is yours. This recipe can easily be made in any amount.