Taco Pasta Salad

I was browsing around cooking blogs when I found this recipe for Taco Pasta Salad.  The author of The Way the Cookie Crumbles food blog takes amazing pictures, and that is what led me to try this recipe. I knew I couldn't make it for just me, so I made it for our Annual Girls' Weekend trip. It makes a lot, but I feel like the pasta salad gets better the longer it sits in the fridge. This recipe was super easy and very colorful! Hope you enjoy!

Taco Pasta Salad
- 1 pound wagon wheel pasta (I think any pasta will do. I mean pasta is pasta. I used some sort of fusilli pasta)
- salt
- 1 (10 oz.) package frozen corn
- 1 1/2 cups salsa
- 1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 medium tomatoes, diced
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (Most people love cilantro, but it is not my favorite, so I just left it out!)
- 2 cups (8 oz. ) shredded cheddar cheese
- 3-4 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 large (or 2 small) avocado, peeled, seeded, and diced (I left this out since I wouldn't be serving immediately or even in the next few hours)
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 2 garlic gloves, minced (I used you dried minced garlic)
- 1/4 cup olive oil (now that I am looking at this recipe again, I think I forgot this ingredient-Oops!!)

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta. Cook according to package directions. Drain, stir in the frozen corn into the pasta to cool the pasta and defrost the corn. Stir the salsa into the pasta and corn, the add the beans, tomatoes, cilantro, and cheese. Squeeze the lime juice into a small bowl and add the avocado; remove the avocado from the lime juice and stir it into the pasta mixture. Add the spices, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the lime juice (which I also didn't do, so no wonder it wasn't as good as I thought it would be, but I promise it will be better next time!), then slowly whisk in the oil. Stir the dressing into the salad. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 1 day (longer if you don't add the avocado).