Tortellini Salad...

 

Summer.

It's almost here.

I love that we will have a break from school. I love that we get to go on vacation. I also love that summer means BBQ's, fun cold desserts, and fresh salads.

Who wants to have the oven going for each and every dinner during summer!?!

Not me, that's for sure!

I love fresh salads for dinner... they are easy and light. If we are out and about in the warm weather all day, I usually don't want to come home and stress over an elaborate dinner.

If you feel the same as me, this is the recipe for you...


Tortellini Salad

• 1 9oz. Package of Cheese Tortellini
• Fresh Spring Salad or Spinach Salad Mix
• 12 Cherry Tomatoes, Sliced Lengthwise
• Good Quality Balsamic Vinegar
• Good Quality Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
• Pinch of Fine Sea Salt
• Pinch of Coarsely Ground Black Pepper
• Parmesan Cheese, Grated

Boil water and prepare the tortellini according to the package directions.

Drain the tortellini well. Place in a medium bowl with a few large handfuls of the salad and the tomatoes. Carefully splash the balsamic vinegar and oil over tortellini, salad, and tomatoes. Add the salt and pepper. Gently toss to coat, and adjust the flavors to taste. 

Divide between two bowls or plates. Grate fresh Parmesan on top, to taste. Serve with a baguette or garlic bread. 

This recipe can easily be doubled, even tripled, for a large family dinner or get-together! 

Enjoy!

Perfect Pasta Salad...and Project Simplify

 

Living in a place where the climate is warm year round means lots and lots of BBQ's! I love making pasta salads to take since they are so easy to throw together. It also helps that I grew up in the 80's. And we all know that pasta salads and jello salads were hot items to bring to BBQ's and potlucks back in the day. I'm pretty sure that gives me a leg up on making them... right?

So, the next time you go to a BBQ, please make this pasta salad. You'll enjoy it and others will too.

Also on the agenda is Project Simplify hosted by Simple Mom.

My husband and I have, for months, been talking about decluttering our house and selling or donating what we don't need. Then I saw the Project Simplify link shared by Confessions of a Cookbook Queen on Facebook this afternoon.

Perfect! I can declutter along with others... and be entered in a weekly giveaway... major motivation!

If you're interested in all the juicy little details just click on the button under Upcoming Events to the right.

If not, you can follow along as I blog about my decluttering journey.

I promise you it will be an exciting journey... who knows what I'm gonna find hiding underneath stuff.

On second thought, I cringe to think...


Perfect Pasta Salad

• 1 pound Ditalini Pasta, cooked until al dente and cooled
• 1 dozen hard boiled eggs, cooled and chopped
• 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 of a red onion, finely diced
• 1 1/2 cup of mayonnaise
• 1/2 teaspoon of season salt

Place the cooked and cooled pasta in a large bowl. Add the chopped eggs, cheese, diced onion, and mayonnaise. Stir to combine. Finally add the season salt. Mix until well incorporated. Store at least 2 hours in the refrigerator before serving. This can be made the night before. You may need to add a little more mayonnaise and season salt if doing so.

I like to boil my eggs, peel them, and store them in the refrigerator a day before assembling the pasta salad. After draining my cooked pasta, I like to run it under cold water to cool it faster.

Printable Recipe here on Tasty Kitchen
Enjoy!