Recipes

[novamc1]

@BeccaLou

Cold pasta salads with cheese tortellini are delicious and easy to make with whatever your favorite ingredients happen to be.

I just pulled out my saved recipes for  this tortellini concoction and to summarize the possibilities....

--Throw in cubed provolone and/or mozzarella, cubed cooked turkey, shredded carrots, red and/or green pepper, olive or vegetable oil, cider or red wine vinegar, grated parmesan

--Throw in blanched broccoli and/or green beans, mushroom caps,  canned artichoke hearts, chopped red onion, cherry tomatoes, chopped red and green pepper.  Dress with a vinaigrette of olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper.

--Throw in halved cherry tomatoes, bite-sized broccoli florets, yellow bell pepper, shredded Parmesan cheese, cubed pepperoni sausage or slivered hard salami, Italian-style dressing, such as Newman's Own or my own current store-bought favorite, which is  found refrigerated in produce departments---creamy Olive Garden Signature Italian.

[BeccaLou]

Thank-You So very much, sounds delicious, very much appreciated !! Happy Memorial Day 

[BeccaLou]

Are the mushroom caps canned or fresh ? And are the greenbeans canned or fresh ? Thank-You in advance .

[Tigriss]

I made mini-bowtie pasta with red, yellow, and orange bell peppers, grape tomatoes halved, garden peas, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and tossed with Olive Garden Italian dressing. YUM! You could add diced chicken, ham, turkey, even steak or bacon for a bit of protein. I eyeballed everything to a pound of mini-bowtie pasta.

[novamc1]

@BeccaLou

The mushroom caps should be fresh.  The fresh green beans should be blanched, just like the broccoli if that is used.

Blanching means quickly boiled until crisp-tender, then plunged into ice water to stop the cooking.

[BeccaLou]

Is the tortellini dry, or frozen ? If frozen how do you prepare it, just defrost or  boil it ?

[novamc1]

Follow package instructions for preparing cheese-filled tortellini.  You can buy it dry, frozen,  or fresh in the refrigerated food area (Buitoni brand is one to try).

You might want to do an internet search for Tortellini Salad or pasta salad recipes.  They're easy to find and plentiful.

[deepwaterdotter]

20 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini

14 1/2 oz can quartered artichokes

9 oz  baby spinach

3 oz sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup crumbled feta 

1/4 cup diced red onion

9 tbsp balsamic vinegar

3 tsp minced garlic

1 1/2 tsp oregano leaves

1 1/2 tbsp tomato paste

1/8 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

3/4 cup olive oil

Cook tortellini to al dente, drain, toss with 1 tsp olive oil in colander, and let cool.  Toss together cooled pasta, artichokes, spinach, tomatoes, feta, and onion in big bowl.

Process vinegar, garlic, oregano, tomato paste, salt, and pepper in blender until smooth.  Mix in oil in running blender.  Toss in bowl with salad.    

[ScrapHappy]

I've been making macaroni salad for years.  My Mom made it this way, her mom made it this way.  It's nothing fancy.  Just good old homestyle macaroni salad.  Everytime I serve it, I always get asked how to make it.  I don't measure anything. 

Elbow macaroni

mayo

diced celery

diced carrot

onion (I don't use a lot)

egg (diced)...I don't always put in egg

salt & pepper

Like I said, it's no frills.  But my family won't eat any other.  If I cook a lot of macaroni, I add more carrot, celery, etc.  If less, then I cut back.  Sometimes I make large batches, sometimes just to last a day or two. 

[BeccaLou]

Easy and simple works, just wanted to jazz it up a little. Thank-You !!