For the pasta salad:

• 8 ounces short pasta shapes (Orecchiette, farfalle or rotini work well!)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or fine sea salt, plus more for salting water
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
• 1/2 cup sliced green olives (can be garlic stuffed if you prefer!)
• 4 celery stalks, diced
• 1/2 cup jarred pepperoncini peppers, drained and chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, plus more to taste
• 1/2 cup crumbled bacon bits (optional but strongly recommended!)
• 1/2 cup tiny cooked shrimp (optional)

For the Bloody Mary vinaigrette:

• 1 heaping cup rough chopped tomatoes (2 small Romas work well)
• 1/2 cup jarred sun-dried tomatoes, drained of oil
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons pepperoncini juice from the jar
• 2-3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
• 2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon celery salt (optional)
• 7-8 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, the oil from the sun-dried tomato jar, or a mixture of both