Southwest Macaroni Salad - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 (14 1/2 ounce) box barillaplus rotini pasta
1 tablespoon lime peel, finely grated
3 tablespoons lime juice, fresh
1 (1 1/4 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half (or grape tomatoes)
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, made with 2 percent milk, finely shredded
2 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped
2 medium green onions, sliced
1 (16 ounce) can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (4 1/2 ounce) can chopped green chilies, drained
1 (1 ounce) packet ranch dressing mix, use 1/2 package
1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/2 cup nonfat milk
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
1/4 cup light sour cream

Preparation

Cook pasta according to directions on the package. Rinse with cold water to cool and drain .
In a small bowl whisk together the ranch salad dressing mix, buttermilk, fat-free milk, light mayo and light sour cream. Stir in lime juice, lime peel and taco seasoning mix.
In a large bowl, toss the cooked pasta with tomatoes, beans, cheese, green onions and green chilies. Pour dressing mixture over the salad and toss gently to mix.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.