Mediteranean Tortellini Pasta Salad

 It was the day after Christmas, and all through the house children were playing with plenty of arguments over tv time and game systems for their parents to dowse.

The wrapping paper was all picked up and Santa’s supplies packed away with care, when I realized, ‘Oh, crap!’ Dinnertime soon would be there.

The sons’ were all asking, wondering what there was going to be to eat.

And this Mom had nothing. I’d never even thought to pull out any meat….

None. Nada. Zilch.

It was then that a little light from heaven shone down…right into my fridge. And my heart and belly (and my Mommy-conscience) leapt with joy! (Let’s be honest, what was I going to rhyme with Zilch or fridge?!)

Pasta with Cucumbers, Tomatoes and vinegrette dressing…maybe even a little Feta cheese.

An easy, meatless meal? Yes, please.

Oh, had I been craving some good pasta lately. And the lasagna I’d had for dinner on Christmas Eve and again on Christmas day still hadn’t cut it.

And thus to us, a new recipe was born.

Mediterranean Tortellini Pasta Salad

 

1 lb tortellini
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 cucumber, seeded and diced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
4 oz feta cheese, crumbled

For the Dressing

⅓ cup red wine vinegar
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp red pepper flakes
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and black pepper, to taste

Note: Serving a crowd? No worries! The recipe easily doubles. Just don’t cry any crocodile tears over the empty bowl that comes home and the fact that you have no leftovers to enjoy later on.

Directions

1. Cook the tortellini according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. Soak the onions in a bowl of clean, cold water. Drain after 5 minutes.
3. In a large bowl add the onion slices, tomatoes, cucumber, pepper, cheese, and tortellini. Gently toss them together.
4. In a different bowl, whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Slowly add the olive oil and whisk everything together until fully incorporated. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the tortellini salad and gently mix until everything’s nicely coated with the dressing. Serve this salad warm or at room temperature.

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Creamy Tortellini with spinach & tomatoes

So in my head I had this pegged for a meatless Monday meal post, buuuuut Monday was Memorial Day, and you totally know how it is when all those cookout invites from family & friends get in the way of reason and productivity. Tortellini Tuesday? Totally a thing (at least for today).

All star, and easy to follow, this meal was right up our alley.

Creamy Tortellini with spinach & tomatoes

recipe adapted from Bomb Shell Bling

1 lb cheese tortellini
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 cup chopped fresh spinach
1 (14.5 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon onion flakes
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Begin by boiling your tortellini noodles until they are al dente (aka ready). Follow the directions on the package for boiling time.
2. While the tortellini is boiling, roughly chop the spinach.
3. Heat a large skillet using medium heat and put the two minced garlic into it. Sautee it briefly until fragrant, about thirty seconds or so.
4. Add into the skillet the petite diced tomatoes (undrained), spinach, salt, pepper, dried basil, and onion flakes.
5. Cook and stir over medium high heat until the mixture begins to bubble.
6. In another bowl, combine the flour and half-and-half. Whisk until fairly smooth.
7. Add the creamy mixture into the the skillet along with the parmesan cheese.
8. Heat through and reduce the heat to medium low and continue to stir and cook until it thickens, about 5 minutes.
9. Add the drained tortellini and mix together gently.
10. Serve and enjoy!

Tortellini Caesar Salad

 I feel like I need to spread the love and not horde this amazingly simple scrumptious creation. I may be jumping the seasonal ‘gun’ a bit, but this meal just says summer to me. Summer (noun) as in, “it is too hot, and I am too tired to cook”. This meal is freaking awesome! This salad is a delicious combination of complementary flavors. You’ll enjoy the creamy, tangy Caesar dressing in this recipe. Though calling it an actual recipe is a bit of a stretch, it’s still sure to do the trick.

Tortellini Caesar Salad

recipe adapted from Amuse Your Bouche

2 cups tortellini (I used a spinach and ricotta flavor)
1/2 cup lettuce, roughly chopped
1/4 cup  Parmesan-style cheese, shaved
3/4-1 cup of Caesar dressing
black pepper

Directions

1. Boil the tortellini according to the instructions on the packet. Fresh tortellini takes just a couple of minutes to cook, so make sure you don’t overcook it – you want it to be slightly al dente. Once cooked, drain the tortellini and give it a rinse under cold water. Set aside to cool fully.
2. When the tortellini is cool, add it to the remaining ingredients, and mix gently to combine. Serve immediately.
3. Note: if making this salad in advance, only add the dressing when ready to serve. Also, if serving a crowd, this meal easily doubles.

 

 

Italian Alfredo Tortellini with Ham

Sunday was a great day here in Va. It was a balmy 73 degrees. The Sun was shining. We spent the day outside just soaking it all in, with good reason. Monday morning brought us 5 inches of snow, literally dumped on us in just a few short hours. It was 8 degrees last night. 8! Baby, it’s cold outside! But today the Sons and I are staying warm with this cozy tortellini for lunch. It’s quick, easy, and oh-so creamy. And cheesy. We can’t forget the cheese. It’s basically one of the most perfect things to serve on a Snow Day. We’re making sure to get in some of our Winter favorites now, since Spring, believe it or not, is right around the corner. Stay warm and enjoy this last bit of Winter. Good hot food, and steaming mug of hot chocolate will help. Just remember, while you may  find yourself, like me, complaining about the cold now and are so excited for Spring’s arrival, that it will only be a few more months and we will all be griping again. This time about, and trying to find a way to beat, the Summer heat.

Italian Alfredo Tortellini with Ham

recipe originally from Kevin & Amanda

1 (8 oz) pkg cheese tortellini
1 cup ham, diced
(8 oz) cream cheese
1 pkg dry Italian dressing
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup milk
1/2 stick butter

Directions

1. Add tortellini to a large pot of boiling salted water and let cook for 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat a skillet to medium heat. Add the cream cheese, butter, cream of chicken soup, Italian dressing, and milk and stir until smooth. Once smooth, add in ham and stir to coat.
3. After the tortellini finishes boiling, drain, then add to cream sauce. Stir to evenly coat and serve warm.