A southwestern-style turkey and pasta entrée salad.

Southwest Pasta Salad

8 ounces curly pasta
1 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 jalapeño, seeded and diced (see note)
4 roma tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese
2 cups cooked turkey, chopped

1. Cook curly pasta according to package directions; drain.
2. Combine chopped red bell pepper, chopped yellow bell pepper, chopped green bell pepper, chopped red onion, frozen whole kernel corn, chopped cilantro, diced jalapeno, diced roma tomatoes, red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Stir in cheese, chopped turkey and the cooked pasta.

Makes 6 servings.

Note: Working with jalapeños or other chiles: Capsacian is the ingredient in chiles that causes the burning sensation associated with fresh peppers. It's a good idea to use rubber gloves when handling fresh chiles. (Disposable surgical gloves, available at most drugstores, work best for this.) If you choose not to use gloves, be extremely careful not to touch any part of your body, especially your eyes. After you've finished handling the chiles, wash your knife and cutting board with hot soapy water to ensure that there is no carry-over to other foods that may come in contact with the peppers.