Built for picnics, cookouts, and real connection around the table This isn’t your standard bland side dish. This is a flavor-forward, crowd-moving pasta salad designed to hold its own next to anything coming off the grill. Clean, bold, and built for repeat plates. Ingredients (Serves 6–8) Base: • 1 lb rotini or penne pasta • 1 cup cherry tomatoes (halved) • 1 cup cucumber (diced) • ½ red onion (thin sliced) • 1 cup mozzarella pearls (or cubed fresh mozzarella) • ½ cup black olives (sliced) • ½ cup roasted red peppers (optional, but recommended) Protein (Optional but powerful): • 1½ cups grilled chicken or salami slices Flavor Build (Where it separates): • 2 tbsp Cook With Jax All Purpose Seasoning • 1 tbsp Cook With Jax Gar-Lick • ½ tsp Cook With Jax Rub U Right (for depth and slight smokiness) Dressing: • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil • 3 tbsp red wine vinegar • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard • 1 tbsp honey • Juice of ½ lemon • Sage's Bird Dog to bring the savory ⚙️ Execution 1. Cook the pasta right ○ Salt your water aggressively—this is your first layer of flavor ○ Cook to al dente, drain, and rinse lightly to cool 2. Build the base ○ Combine pasta, vegetables, cheese, and protein in a large bowl 3. Create the dressing ○ Whisk olive oil, vinegar, Dijon, honey, lemon juice ○ Add Cook With Jax seasonings directly into the dressing ○ This ensures even flavor distribution—not patchy seasoning 4. Bring it together ○ Pour dressing over pasta mixture ○ Toss thoroughly—coat everything, no shortcuts 5. Let it work ○ Refrigerate at least 1 hour (overnight is even better) ○ Flavor compounds, seasoning penetrates, texture stabilizes