Green Bean, Grape, and Pasta Toss

Prep: 25 min., Bake: 7 min., Cook: 12 min., Chill: 3 hr. If you're a broccoli salad fan, you'll love the combination of these colorful ingredients. Cook the pasta al dente, so it's firm enough to hold its own when tossed with the tangy-sweet salad dressing.

Yield: Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1  cup  chopped pecans
• 8  bacon slices
• 1  pound  thin fresh green beans, trimmed and cut in half
• 1  (8-oz.) package penne pasta
• 1  cup  mayonnaise
• 1/3  cup  sugar
• 1/3  cup  red wine vinegar
• 1  teaspoon  salt
• 2  cups  seedless red grapes, cut in half
• 1/3  cup  diced red onion
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Arrange pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet, and bake at 350° for 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant.

2. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes or until crisp; remove bacon, and drain on paper towels. Crumble bacon.

3. Cook beans in boiling salted water to cover 5 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain. Plunge beans into ice water to stop the cooking process.

4. Meanwhile, prepare pasta according to package directions; drain.

5. Whisk together mayonnaise and next 3 ingredients in a large bowl; add pecans, green beans, pasta, grapes, and onion, stirring to coat. Season with salt to taste. Cover and chill 3 hours; stir in bacon just before serving.