Three Cheers for Sweet Strawberry Pasta Salad...and giveaways!

You know how football food is all meaty, and spicy, and cheesy, and heavy?  Don't get me wrong...I've never met a Frito Chili Pie I didn't like, but what about adding something *sweet* to the mix?  How about Sweet Strawberry Pasta Salad?

How about making it with pasta in the shapes of your favorite sports team??!?
How FUN is that?!?  

OK...look.  I know, I know.  It's pumpkin season.  Believe me, I am all. about. the. pumpkin.  BUT.  It's still hot here.  And the strawberries?  They're still delicious.  I'll take them as long as I can get them.
{Someone is revoking my food blogger card as we speak.}

I'm so excited to share this recipe with you...and tell you about the company that makes this ADORABLE pasta:

The Pasta Shoppe is a company out of Nashville, Tennessee and they make the cutest pastas ever.  (We're all about cute around here, right?)  Sports team pasta...that each come with a mix for a savory pasta salad, chicken soup kits with chicken shaped pasta (!!!), golf pasta, support our troops pasta, birthday pasta, holiday pasta.  If you can think of it, I bet they make it.

They also have a fundraising program.  Oh, what I wouldn't have given for kiddo to have sold this pasta instead of wrapping paper, magazines, and inedible pre-popped popcorn! Can you imagine how easy this would be to sell?  I think just about everyone loves pasta.  (They even offer gluten-free!)

 If you went to OU like I did, are you squealing over that Sooner Schooner pasta right now?!?

{Scroll down past the recipe for more on the pasta giveaway.}

Sweet pasta salad.  Maybe it sounds weird.  Trust me on this.  It is so incredibly yummy.  After I took the pictures, I stood in my kitchen eating it straight out of the big pasta bowl.  The dressing (cream, strawberries, vanilla, almond) tastes like strawberry ice cream.  You need to try it.  Promise.

Sweet Strawberry Pasta Salad

1 (14 oz.) package pasta
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
3 TBSP powdered sugar
1 pint strawberries, sliced and divided
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup sweetened, flaked coconut, toasted
1/3 cup blanched, sliced almonds, toasted

Cook the pasta according the package directions.  Drain.  Rinse with cold water and set aside.

In a blender, process the cream, sugar, 1 cup of the strawberries, vanilla, and almond extract until smooth and thickened.

{I was so tempted to just slurp this up with a straw.}

Place the pasta in a large bowl; toss with the coconut and remaining strawberries.  Drizzle the dressing over the top and sprinkle on the almonds.  If extra dressing remains, serve it alongside the pasta salad.

*giveaway closed* 
 
For the giveaway:  The Pasta Shoppe is giving away THREE pasta goodie boxes including the collegiate pasta of your choice + a selection of everyday/seasonal favorites!  Yay...three winners!

To enter, visit The Pasta Shoppe's website and leave a comment telling me one of the pastas you love.
For an extra entry, visit their fundraising page and let me know in a separate comment that you did.

Entries accepted through 11:59pm CST, September 29th.  Good luck! :)

Congrats to Bianca, Kayla and Amanda!!! 
 
*find The Pasta Shoppe on Facebook here.*

This post was sponsored by The Pasta Shoppe. My opinions are my own. I take full responsibility for my love of strawberries during pumpkin season.