Pictured above: the mixins.

This is a quick and easy pasta salad. And quite refreshing too.

(Too bad, it’s cool and wet outside today!)

Ingredients
2 cups elbows or penne pasta noodles ($.50) Almost out of my $.50 boxes of pasta!
6 strips of bacon or turkey bacon ($.50) Bought this past week for $1.5o/package ^[5].
2 heads broccoli, cut into florets ($.79)
1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes ($.19)
About 1/2 cup homemade ranch dressing ^[6] (or your favorite store bought!) ($.40)
Fresh fruit ($.50) We had apple slices.

Directions
1. Cook the pasta as directed on the box. Drain and rinse with cool water.
2. Cook the bacon in a skillet or in the microwave on paper towels. Let cool, then crumble.
3. Steam the broccoli florets for just 2 or 3 minutes, in a stovetop steamer or in the microwaveable bowl with 1/2 cup of water, covered with plastic wrap.
4. Place the cooked and cooled pasta in a large mixing bowl and toss with the crumbled bacon, broccoli florets, diced tomatoes and homemade ranch dressing. ^[6] Toss. Toss. Toss.
5. Serve BBT Pasta Salad with fresh fruit.

Cost $2.88