Creamy Southwestern Penne Pasta Salad

This Creamy, smoky, salty, & yummy pasta salad is HIGHLY ADDICTIVE!!

I created and quickly threw together this salad from the meager contents of my refrigerator for a pot-luck type gathering my Sister's for the Journey bible study group holds at the end of each study.

 

("Kingdom Woman" by Dr. Tony Evans and his daughter Crystal was the study we had just finished & it is Soo Awesome btw!) 

The ladies loved it soo much they each had seconds!! I snacked on the miniscule bits of the salad the next day and it was even better! 

 

I decided I had better write it down so I can re-create it it!

As you can see it was eaten so fast I didn't capture it on film, this looks very close! Picture Source

1 LB penne pasta, cooked el dente` in salted water, & rinsed
3/4 Lb grape tomatoes, sliced width-wise 3-4 times
1/4 LB baby carrots sliced in coins thinly
1-2 Cups Mixed Baby Greens (I used Spinach, Swiss Chard, & Kale)
4 oz- Finely Crumbled Feta Cheese
2 Palm-fuls Dried Dill
1 Palm-fuls Dried Parsley
2 Palm-fuls Garlic-Garlic Tastefully Simple Seasoning
1T Cumin
1 T Smoked Paprika
1 T Chili Powder
1/2 t Sugar
1 Cup Olive Oil Mayonnaise
1/2 Cup  plain Greek Yogurt
1-2 T 2% Milk, as needed
Salt to taste, if even needed
Fresh Cracked Black Pepper to taste

• While pasta cooks, whisk together Olive Oil Mayonnaise, sugar & plain Greek Yogurt to a large bowl. 
•  Add Cumin, Smoked Paprika, Chili Powder, Dried Dill, Dried Parsley, Garlic-Garlic, & Black Pepper. Taste for seasoning, adjust if necessary.
• Slice Tomatoes, Carrots, & add to Mayo-Yogurt mixture along with 1/2 of the feta cheese, finely crumbled - set aside
• Fold in pasta immeadiately after cooked and rinsed in cold water.
  
•  The key to the flavor of this amazing pasta salad is adding the slightly warm pasta to the "sauce" so the pasta can absorb all the delicious flavor!
• Fold in greens, then sprinkle in remaining feta cheese.
• Cover and refrigerator for at least an hour for flavors to develop.

Just before serving toss salad and sprinkle dried dill on top for color and presentation.