This week I experienced the dreaded summer cold. It started with a tickle in my throat and ended up with foggy brain and overall exhaustion. I lucked out and most of my menu items were either old favorites or things Mike could easily help me make. On Friday, I felt a little better and tried this recipe for California Club Pasta Salad. I loved that this was an easy dish that would provide us with some leftovers. I did make a few changes. I omitted the avocado because I don't care for its texture and added in some chicken. I started by cooking my chicken and pasta. I used protein plus pasta, which was a healthier option than traditional pasta, but was tastier to us than the whole wheat variety. Meanwhile, I mixed my dressing of light ranch dressing and light Miracle Whip. I also cut up my tomatoes and lettuce. Once the pasta and chicken cooled, I mixed everything together and let it chill for about an hour. While the salad chilled, I made some bacon and crumbled it up to top the salad. I had high hopes for this salad, but it was just okay. I might try it again and substitute broccoli and cauliflower for the lettuce. However, it was not a complete disaster, considering how bad I felt all week.

The New Austonian