For the Elote Pasta Salad:

1. Start by cooking your pasta in salted water according to package instructions. Drain and rinse immediately with cold water to stop the cooking process.

2. Cook the bacon. To cook in the oven, place the bacon on a foil lined baking sheet or wire rack and add to a cold oven. THEN, preheat the oven to 400 degrees and cook for about 15-20 minutes or until crisp. Starting the bacon cold allows the fat to render more slowly and crisp up perfectly without a messy stove. You can also still use some of the bacon fat from the baking tray to cook the corn! For skillet method, add bacon to a cold cast iron skillet and cook on medium heat, flipping as needed, until crispy. Drain on paper towels and cut into bite sized pieces. 

3. Add a thin layer of bacon grease in your cast iron skillet for the corn. Add the corn to a cast iron on medium high heat. Cook for 2-3 minutes until defrosted, then pat down into a compact layer and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes or until the corn starts to pop and you see some charring. Remove from heat and cool.

4. In the same bowl you’ll serve your pasta salad, whisk together greek yogurt, mayonnaise, lime juice, adobo sauce, cumin, chipotle powder, and pepper. Taste for salt after adding the ingredients since the pasta, bacon, and cotija will add their own salt.

5. Add pasta to your dressing, and add in the corn, bacon, jalapeño, green onions, cilantro, and cotija cheese. Toss together until your dressing is well incorporated and serve!