ONLINE EXTRA -- SUMMER PASTA SALADS: Thai Beef Pasta Salad . . . Summer Vegetable Pasta Salad . . . Summer Italian Pasta Salad, etc.

Thai Beef Pasta Salad

¼ pound fusilli (cork screw) pasta (about 1½ cups)

4 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise

2 tablespoons Thai peanut sauce

½ pound deli roast beef, thick sliced (about ¼-inch), cut into cubes

Salt and freshly ground pepper

4 cups ready-to-eat salad greens

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 cup)

1 cup fresh pineapple cubes

2 tablespoons dry roasted peanuts

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (optional)

Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Cook pasta 10 minutes, or according to package instructions.

Meanwhile, mix mayonnaise and peanut sauce in a medium-size bowl. Drain pasta well and add to the bowl along with the beef; toss well. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.

Arrange greens on 2 dinner plates, and spoon on pasta and beef. Top with bell pepper and pineapple cubes. Sprinkle with peanuts and cilantro.

Yield: Serves 2.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 656 calories (32 percent from fat), 23.3 grams fat (4.6 grams saturated, 7.2 grams monounsaturated), 99 milligrams cholesterol, 44.8 grams protein, 67.5 grams carbohydrates, 7.6 grams fiber, 602 milligrams sodium.

Summer Vegetable Pasta Salad

1 cup Miracle Whip salad dressing

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1/3 cup chopped parsley

¼ teaspoon salt

2 cups colored corkscrew or wagon wheel pasta, cooked and drained

1½ cups chopped cucumber

1 cup chopped tomato

½ cup thin carrot slices

½ cup chopped green pepper

¼ cup green onion slices

Lettuce

Combine salad dressing, cheese, parsley, and salt. Mix well. Add pasta and vegetables, mix lightly. Chill. Serve in lettuce-lined bowl.

Yield: Serves 6 to 8.

Summer Garden Pasta Salad

2 tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

4 medium bell peppers, seeded and cut into strips, preferably one each of red, green, yel-low and orange

1 teaspoon dried or 1 tablespoon fresh minced oregano

Pinch red pepper flakes

½ teaspoon salt

Pepper to taste

2 medium plum tomatoes, seeded and cut into strips

1/3 cup dry white wine

8 ounces pasta, cooked according to pkg. directions

1/3 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese (or more to taste)

Heat olive oil over medium heat in large skillet. Add garlic; saute 2 minutes. Add peppers, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Saute vegetables 3 minutes; add tomatoes and heat through for 1 minute. With slotted spoon remove vegetables to a plate.

Pour wine into pan and boil until slightly reduced (2 minutes). Drain pasta and put back into the hot pot. Stir in vegetables and wine and Parmesan cheese. Stir to coat and serve immediately.

Yield: Serves 4.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 291 calories, 10 grams fat.

Summer Italian Pasta Salad

3 cups American Beauty elboroni, uncooked

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 8-ounce bottle Seven Seas Viva Italian dressing

3 cups broccoli flowerets

¾ cup red bell pepper, slices

½ cup red onion, slices

½ cup pitted ripe olives, slices

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Rinse with cold water to cool quickly; drain well. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, refrigerate several hours.

Yield: Serves 8 to 10.

Summer Pasta Tuna Salad

1 7-ounce package curly macaroni, cooked, drained & chilled

2 cups thinly sliced cucumbers

1½ cup diced tomatoes

2 6½-ounce cans tuna, drained

½ cup chopped celery

¼ cup chopped green pepper

¼ cup chopped green onions

1 cup mayonnaise

½ cup bottled Italian dressing

1 teaspoon dill weed

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 hard-cooked egg, sliced

Combine pasta, cucumbers, tomatoes, tuna, celery, green pepper and green onions in bowl.

Stir together mayonnaise, Italian dressing, dill weed, salt and pepper. Add to pasta mix-ture, tossing gently. Chill covered until ready to serve. Garnish top with sliced egg.

Yield: Serves 8.

Confetti Pasta Salad

1 box vegetable rotini or fusili

1 can summer sweet kernel corn (drained)

½ cup grated mozzarella cheese

½ cup graded Cheddar cheese

1 cup chopped broccoli

1/3 cup chopped red onion (or to taste)

1 cup ranch dressing

Sliced black olives (optional)

Prepare pasta according to directions on box. Drain and run under cold water to cool pasta. Drain and add remaining ingredients.

Serve.

Low-Cal Pasta Salad

2 cups cooked macaroni shells, drained and chilled

2 cups cooked fusill (spiral), drained and chilled

4 ounces cooked ham, cut into julienne strips

½ cup green pepper, cut into rings

4 ounces) skinned and boned poached chicken breasts, diced

½ cup summer squash, julienne strips

½ cup green beans, frenched and blanched

½ cup sliced fresh mushrooms

¼ cup radish slices, quartered

6 cherry tomatoes, halved

¼ cup small red onion rings

¼ cup red bell pepper, julienned (reserve 2 tablespoon for garnish)

½ cup broccoli flowerets, blanched

The vegetables in this salad can be varied according to season. Combine all ingredients and toss gently; cover and chill while making dressing. When ready to serve pour dressing over pasta and vegetables and toss; garnish with red pepper.

Herb Dressing

3 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1½ teaspoons chopped fresh parsley

1½ teaspoons fresh basil (or 1 tablespoon dried)

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1 large garlic clove, minced

½ teaspoon minced chives

½ teaspoon water

Mix all ingredients for dressing.

Multicolored Pasta Salad

1 pound cooked tri-colored pasta

4 stalks celery, chopped

3 carrots, chopped

Green pepper, seeded and chopped

Red (sweet) pepper, seeded and chopped

Yellow pepper, seeded and chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 small zucchini or summer squash, chopped

1 jar green olives, drained

1 small can black olives (optional)

Mix all ingredients above in large bowl.

Prepare Dressing.

1 cup oil

1/8 cup lemon juice

1/8 cup vinegar (tarragon)

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

½ teaspoon sugar

¼ teaspoon dry mustard

½ teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon oregano

1/8 teaspoon thyme

½ teaspoon parsley

2 cloves garlic, crushed

Mix dressing ingredients, toss with pasta and vegetables. Chill.

Summer Harvest Pasta

1 pound tri-color pasta

1 cup chopped ham

1 can pitted black olives

1 tomato, cubed

1 cucumber

1 pepper

1 cup each broccoli and cauliflower, only the tops

Fresh basil to taste

Parsley to taste

Grated cheese to taste

1 large bottle Wish-Bone Italian Salad Dressing

Cook pasta al dente, rinse with cold water. In extra large bowl, add all ingredients and top with dressing. Toss and serve cold.