Chicken Pasta Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

this is YUMMY, everyone likes it, and it's great on a hot summer day (which most of YOU have) it's really a "eyeball it" type salad...use the proportions you like

INGREDIENTS
about 1/2 of a costco rotisserie chicken - or about 3 chicken breasts,
baked, and cut in small pieces
12 oz. or rotini pasta, cooked, drained, and cooled with water (i think i use
a little less)
1 large can pineapple chunks (i like the tidbits) drained, or you can use fresh!
3/4 lb large red grapes, seedless of course, cut them in half
2 green onions (ALL of it) sliced very thin
Poppy seed dressing (see below)
1 - 1 1/2 c. cashews, add just before serving

Combine all ingredients except the cashew, the toss with the Poppy Seed Dressing. Cover and keep in the refrigerator till ready to serve. Just before serving, ad the cashews and toss, or put them in a small bowl and let guests add their own. (they get soggy in the leftovers) It's nice if it is made an hour ahead of time, then the flavors of the dressing seep in. either way it's great

Poppy Seed Dressing
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 t. (to taste) powdered mustard (i may add more)
1 t. salt
1/3 c. cider (or red wine) vinegar
1 c. vegetable oil
1 1/2 T poppy seeds

in a blender, pulverize the sugar. Add the mustard, salt, vinegar, and blend. with the machine running on low - SLOWLY add the oil...a little at a time. Pulse till smooth and creamy. Stir in the poppy seeds.

*this dressing is also great with a Strawberry Spinach and bacon salad, or make a salad with lettuce, mandarin oranges and crisp -baked chicken nuggets cut in half; and toss with dressing, and add a few sliced or slivered almonds. this was one of Gma and Gpa's favorite salads at the little sandwich and salad shop they'd go to.