Bowtie Pasta Salad

Onions are native to Asia and the Middle East and have been cultivated for over five thousand years. 

Onions were highly regarded by the Egyptians. Not only did they use them as currency to pay the workers who built the pyramids, but they also placed them in the tombs of kings, such as Tutankhamen, so that they could carry these gifts bestowed with spiritual significance with them to the afterlife.

Onions have been revered throughout time not only for their culinary use, but also for their therapeutic properties. As early as the 6th century, onions were used as a medicine in India. While they were popular with the ancient Greeks and Romans, they were oftentimes dressed with extra seasonings since many people did not find them spicy enough. Yet, it was their pungency that made onions popular among poor people throughout the world who could freely use this inexpensive vegetable to spark up their meals. Onions were an indispensable vegetable in the cuisines of many European countries during the Middle Ages and later even served as a classic healthy breakfast food. Christopher Columbus brought onions to the West Indies; their cultivation spread from there throughout the Western Hemisphere. Today China, India, the United States, Russian, and Spain are among the leading producers of onions.

By http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=45

Perfect lunch or dinner. 

Bowtie Pasta Salad

Recipe adapted from Southern Plate

Ingredients:

1 (12 oz) box bowtie pasta

2 cups ham, diced

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 small red bell pepper, seeded and diced

3 green onion, chopped

1 cup buttermilk ranch dressing

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain in colander, pour running cold water over pasta, cool pasta completely. Allow to drain well before adding to large bowl.

Add remaining ingredients to the bowl, mix well. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Enjoy!

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