Bacon and Pasta Salad

My husband isn't into pasta salads, but with the Dijon mustard and bacon to give this one a bit of a zip, he loves it, and will eat it as often as I make it!

Ingredients:
8 oz. Sea Shell Pasta
1/2 c. Frozen Peas
4 - 6 slices of bacon
1/4 c. cream cheese, softened
2 T. mayonnaise
1 T. sour cream
1 T. Dijon mustard
1 T. lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp. white vinegar or white wine vinagar
salt to taste
pepper to taste
1 Red Bell Pepper
4 - 8 oz. block of sharp cheddar cheese (depending on how much cheese you like)

Preparation:
Cook the pasta according to package directions.  Add frozen peas during the final 3 minutes pasta is boiling.  Meanwhile cook the bacon on a griddle until crisp enough to break apart easily, then set aside on a paper towel to dry.  Combine the next 8 ingredients to make the dressing.  Dice the Red Pepper and cut the cheese into little cubes.

Drain the Pasta and peas into a colander, and then rinse thoroughly with cold water to cool it completely.  Combine pasta, bell pepper, cheese, and dressing in a large bowl or casserole dish.  Finally, crumble the bacon on top.  Serve immediately, or chill and then serve. Refrigerate left overs.

Serves: 4 - 6

Tip: Sometimes I have left overs when I make this (because I cook for 2), and I tend to like less dressing, so I often reserve some of the dressing to add when I'm going to serve the left overs and the noodles have absorbed much of the dressing.  This makes it just as good the second time around!