BLT Pasta Salad

One of my absolute favorite sandwiches is the BLT (bacon, lettuce & tomato), there is something about that combo that just waters my mouth!  I once tried to use that combo in a normal salad, and while it was not a disaster, it didn't do that much for me, so I thought to myself salad+bacon+tomatoes.........something with a bit of more bite: what about...............PASTA? It is a really great and easy summer dish and the sautéed tomatoes give it a really nice taste. You can use any pasta shape you like but I found that fussily works the best, also you can use only mayo and sour cream or only greek yogurt and mayo, it is pretty much up to you! If you decide to make this salad ahead of time I suggest you don't add the lettuce until the last moment otherwise it will get soggy. 

Ingredients:

• 350g pasta ( I used fussily)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 300g bacon
• 3 medium tomatoes, cut into chunks
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup mayonaise
• 1/4 cup greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 4 tablespoons chopped chives
•  5 cups chopped romaine hearts (you can use any type of lettuce really)

Directions:

1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water as the label directs. Drain and toss with the milk in a large bowl; set aside.
2. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels.  Add the tomatoes, thyme and garlic to the pan and toss until warmed through; season with salt and pepper. 
3. Crumble the bacon into bite-size pieces; set aside 1/4 cup for garnish. Toss the remaining bacon and the tomato mixture with the pasta.
4. Mix the mayonnaise, sour cream, yogurt and 3 tablespoons chives with the pasta until evenly combined. Season with salt and pepper. 
5. Add the lettuce; toss again to coat. Garnish with the reserved bacon and the remaining 1 tablespoon chives. 
6. Serve at room temperature.