Spaghetti Salad

Spaghetti Salad For the salad 1 pound spaghetti noodles broken in half 1 cup quartered and sliced cucumber 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved 1/3 cup finely diced red onion 2/3 cup sliced black olives 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese 1 1/4 cups homemade or store bought Italian dressing dressing recipe follows salt and pepper to taste For the dressing 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup white wine or red wine vinegar 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese 1 1/2 tablespoons finely minced red bell pepper 1 tablespoon dried parsley 1 1/2 teaspoons minced dried onion or 1 teaspoon fresh minced onion 3/4 teaspoon dried basil 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon black pepper For the dressing: Combine all of the ingredients in a jar and shake vigorously to combine. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use. For the salad: Cook the spaghetti in salted water according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cool water. Place the spaghetti in a large bowl and add the cucumber, red and green bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, red onion and olives. Pour the dressing over the pasta and vegetables and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste if desired. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese and parsley over the top right before serving. Salad can be made up to 4 hours in advance.