Extraordinary sides for a red-hot BBQ

Family Features

When it’s time for a backyard barbecue, you want the side dishes to get just as many raves as what’s hot off the grill.

You can make your side dishes sizzle, too, with a few simple ideas and the perfect pasta salad.

Grill more than meat. Grilled fruits and veggies showcase the flavors of the season. Try grilling peppers, onions, corn on the cob, or summer squash for a fresh veggie platter. Skewer peaches, pineapple, mangos and watermelon for some sweet and smoky fruit kebabs.

Keep your cool. Fresh and creamy pasta salads balance the heavier meat options — and help you beat the heat. These recipes start with Suddenly Salad pasta salad mixes, then get taken to a whole new level of goodness with delicious ingredients you already have on hand. They make it easy to customize a cool pasta salad that will be the red-hot star of the barbecue.

Make your barbecue extraordinary with great grilling recipes and money saving offers from www.suddenlysalad.com.

Chicken Pasta Salad with Grapes and Poppy Seed Dressing

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

1 box Betty Crocker Suddenly Salad Classic Pasta Salad Mix

1/2 cup refrigerated poppy seed dressing

11/2 cups cut-up cooked chicken

3/4 cup halved red grapes

1/2 cup thinly sliced celery

1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Empty pasta mix into 3-quart sauce pan 2/3 full of boiling water. Gently boil uncovered 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Drain pasta; rinse with cold water. Shake to drain well.

In large bowl, stir together seasoning mix and dressing. Add pasta and remaining ingredients; toss to combine. Serve immediately, or refrigerate.

Notes: To toast almonds, sprinkle in ungreased heavy skillet. Cook over medium heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently until almonds begin to brown, then stirring con stantly until they are light brown.

Dried cherries can be used instead of the red grapes.

You can use frozen diced cooked chicken, thawed, or cut-up deli rotisserie chicken.

Garden Ranch Pasta Salad

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 6 servings

1 box Betty Crocker Suddenly Salad Ranch & Bacon Pasta Salad Mix

1/2 cup Hidden Valley Original Ranch dressing

1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed

11/2 cups small broccoli florets

1/2 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper, cut into bite-size strips

1/2 cup cucumber slices, halved

4 medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)

Empty pasta mix into 3-quart sauce pan 2/3 full of boiling water. Gently boil uncovered 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Drain pasta; rinse with cold water. Shake to drain well.

In medium bowl, mix season ing mix, dressing and dill weed. Stir in pasta and remaining ingredients.

Store any remaining salad covered in refrigerator.

Stir 11/2 cups cut-up cooked chicken or ham into finished salad for a main-dish salad.

Note: Make the salad a few hours before serving or a day ahead. Stir in a few drops of milk to moisten the salad.

Zesty Potluck Pasta Salad

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 14 servings

2 boxes Betty Crocker Suddenly Salad Classic Pasta Salad Mix

3 cups Green Giant Select frozen broccoli florets

2/3 cup Italian dressing

1/3 cup cold water

2 cups cut-up cooked chicken or ham

11/2 cups halved grape tomatoes

Empty contents of pasta pouch (from salad mix) into 3-quart saucepan 2/3 full of boiling water.

Gently boil uncovered 12 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding broccoli during last 2 minutes of cooking.

Meanwhile, in large bowl, stir contents of seasoning mix packet (from salad mix), the dressing and cold water until blended; set aside.

Drain pasta with broccoli; rinse with cold water. Shake to drain well. Stir pasta with broccoli, chicken and tomatoes into dressing mixture. Serve immediately, or refrigerate until serving.

Note: Make it your own. Stir in cubed cheese, chopped red or green bell pepper or sliced ripe olives with the chicken.