Picnic Pasta Salad

This tangy pasta salad is great for picnics and potlucks. I made it today (the Fourth of July) to go with our veggie burgers & grilled asparagus later this evening. Originally, my mom made this with tons of cheese, so I've basically cut out the cheese and added more veggies, plus made the dish a little smaller. It'll still easily serve four to six people, but double the recipe if you have lots of people to feed.

Ingredients

2 cups bite-sized pasta, your choice
2 oz chopped olives (half of one of those little cans... or just use the whole thing if you really like olives)
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup fresh chopped basil
1/8 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
a pinch of sugar
salt & pepper

Cook the pasta until al dente, drain & rinse with cold water to keep it from cooking longer. Whisk the dressing together, then pour over pasta, enough to coat. Season with salt & pepper. Chill in the fridge for a while, then enjoy!