Mermaid Pasta

• 1 gallon water
• 16 ounces uncooked pasta shells
• 4 teaspoons kosher salt
• Hot pink, purple, and turquoise gel food coloring
• 3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon finely shredded fresh basil

1. Bring water to a boil in a Dutch oven over high. Add pasta shells and salt to boiling water. Cook, stirring often, until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.
2. Divide pasta among 3 ziplock plastic bags. Add 2 drops of pink coloring to 1 bag, 2 drops of purple coloring to second bag, and 2 drops of turquoise coloring to third bag. Add 1 tablespoon melted butter to each bag. Seal bags, and toss to coat pasta in color.
3. Combine all pasta in a serving bowl, and toss with Parmesan cheese as "sand". Garnish with basil as "seaweed".

gallon water, pasta shells, kosher salt, pink, butter, parmesan cheese, fresh basil

Taken from www.myrecipes.com/recipe/mermaid-pasta (may not work)