Pesto Tortellini Salad
Pesto Tortellini Salad ~ easy 5 ingredient cold salad made with cheese tortellini, tomatoes and fresh mozzarella tossed with bright, herby pesto. Perfect for parties; easy enough to make any night. For meatlovers, add prosciutto or soppressata!
For me, Memorial weekend kicks off the start of summer even though the calendar says otherwise. Barbecues, swimming and the beginning of a whole new menu that includes some cold salads I haven’t seen in months.
My 9 year old neighbor insists summer starts on the last day of school. Long days playing outside, watching for the ice cream truck and staying up a later at night. Who could argue with that?
For a foodie, the return of some favorite foods is like an old friend, especially this Pesto Tortellini Salad. Even though I haven’t seen it in months, we pick up right where we left off.
Grilled Potatoes in Foil
Grilled Potatoes in Foil ~ ranch seasoned diced potatoes and onions grilled in foil until tender and browned, topped with bacon and gooey melted cheddar cheese then finished off with a dollop of sour cream. This easy hobo pack is ideal for camping but can also be made in the oven.
Today we’re going old school to a recipe I used to make years ago so often we burned out on them. I resuscitated the potatoes later on a camping trip to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. My friend added onions to the foil packet and from that day forward they were dubbed Fletcher Potatoes after our friends.
I’m going to go out on a limb and say that most people won’t search Google for Fletcher Potatoes so even though I’ve added even more goodness to an already delicious side dish, I went with a basic name that spells out exactly what they are: Grilled Potatoes in Foil because why overcomplicate things?
Sauteed Corn with Bacon
Sauteed Corn with Bacon ~ cooks in 10 minutes ~ sweet corn, crispy bacon, bell peppers and fresh basil for an easy summer side dish.
Once corn is ‘in season’ here in the Midwest, it’s literally everywhere. Driving up north you’ll come upon one roadside stand after another selling this delicious piece of summer for literally pennies an ear. You can’t beat it.
This side dish incorporates sweet corn with crispy salty bacon and fresh herbs in an easy corn recipe you can enjoy all summer.
Italian Pasta Salad
Italian Pasta Salad ~ this easy recipe combines cheese-stuffed tortellini and bursting with flavor from all your antipasto favorites: salami, pepperoni, cheese, peppers, olives and onions dressed in a simple homemade vinaigrette.
Even if the weather hasn’t officially said summer, this salad does. We’ve had our fill of cold days and plates loaded with comfort food.
It’s time for summer fare, dips in the lake, toasted s’mores, staying out after the streetlights come on and Italian Pasta Salad with tortellini and the BEST Italian salad dressing.
Brown Butter Honey Glazed Carrots
Brown Butter Honey Glazed Carrots ~ tender carrots oven roasted and glazed in a delicious nutty, brown butter honey-garlic sauce.
Almost every family has a picky eater. Mine ate peanut butter and jelly every single day of first grade. Growing up, she stubbornly refused to eat a vegetable other than corn and potatoes. She called carrots “the devil’s vegetable”.
She loved chicken (still does) and couldn’t pass up a french fry if her life depended upon it (still can’t). For the record, she still won’t eat a carrot but if you do and you’re looking for a simple, gourmet level side dish, this is it.
Au Gratin Potatoes
Au Gratin Potatoes ~ easy classic recipe for tender sliced potatoes blanketed in layers of creamy, cheesy sauce and a golden, slightly crispy top.
If you’ve already started planning your Easter menu a big high five to your organizational skills. To the rest of us frantically scrolling through Pinterest the day before the holiday, we’re kindred spirits. We’re not alone and I have us all covered.
There’s no better sidekick to that Easter ham than pretty much anything blanketed in layers of creamy, über cheesy sauce. Enter: Au Gratin Potatoes or if you got an instant pot for Christmas and are still waiting to take it for a spin, how about the BEST Mac and Cheese.
Smoked Gouda Mashed Potatoes
Mashed Potatoes ~ creamy, buttery bursting with smoked Gouda cheese flavor. The ultimate side dish for the holidays.
For a foodie, it doesn’t get much better than the Wine and Food Festival in Epcot at Walt Disney World but if you think it’s nothing but ‘park food’, think again.
Disney rolled out a foodie’s red carpet as only Disney can do. Inspiration was everywhere. We paced ourselves sampling so many delicious dishes but still weren’t able to taste everything we wanted to. I guess that’s the best reason to go back.
My favorite dish was lick-your-plate good: Smoked Gouda Mashed Potatoes that served as a base for fork-tender, Beer Braised Beef served in ‘Belgium’. When I got home I couldn’t wait to make both.
Traditional Bread Sausage Stuffing
Traditional Bread Sausage Stuffing ~ a classic recipe baked outside the bird with delicious fresh herb and sausage flavors. Serve with turkey, chicken or pork.
Whether you call it stuffing like we do in these parts or dressing because it’s baked outside the bird, this Traditional Bread Sausage Stuffing is the dish that says Thanksgiving. It’s not a holiday without it. I love the crispy bread parts best, but that doesn’t stop me from scooping into the moist center because it’s all flavored with the same fresh herbs, vegetables and sausage. Mmmmm.
I’ve been making stuffing more years than I can count, but I always cooked it inside the bird. Today that’s said to be a big no-no, but we never had any issues.
A couple of years ago my daughter started hosting the family Thanksgiving dinner and she opted to cook two turkeys in the air fryer. Both delicious with crispy skin, juicy meat, one with traditional seasoning, the other Cajun. But that meant the stuffing needed to be baked separately in the oven without sacrificing all that crazy good taste. Challenge accepted.
Traditional Bread Sausage Stuffing is the best stuffing I’ve ever eaten. I’ve perfected the recipe over the years. It’s simple, with classic flavors and the only recipe you’ll need.
Easy Hummus Recipe Without Tahini
Watch the VIDEO to make this easy HOMEMADE Hummus Recipe Without Tahini! Delicious, creamy with fresh garlic, chickpeas and a hint of lemon. No tahini needed. This healthy appetizer comes together in a jiffy!
I haven’t sworn off tahini and have nothing against it, but the last time I bought it I could only find it in a super size jar that could have easily come off the shelves of Sam’s Club (but didn’t). I couldn’t use it all before the expiration date and ended up throwing a good portion of it away.
When we were in Florida last March, I bought a container of the local grocery store’s own hummus and was really disappointed ~ thick, tasteless and a little clumpy ~ whaaat? I swore when I got home I would make the kind of hummus I like to eat ~ creamy, full of flavor with just a hint of lemon.
This Easy Hummus Recipe rivals any I’ve had with tahini and since I usually have everything on hand to make it, it’s easier than a trip to the store for pre-packaged and takes about as much time.
Greek Tortellini Pasta Salad
Greek Tortellini Pasta Salad ~ three cheese tortellini blended with fresh vegetables, roasted red peppers, olives and feta, tossed in a simple homemade Greek dressing.
My daughter reminded me recently that even though I don’t need an excuse to eat Pickled Red Onions right out of the jar, there are many people that would actually like to put them in something ~ like this Greek Tortellini Pasta Salad.
If you haven’t made them yet (whyyyy?) you can still make this salad with great results using sliced red onions. But if you happen to have the few ingredients the pickled onions call for and a Mason jar . . . swoon.
Of course this salad isn’t all about the onions. It all starts with tortellini ~ tender bite size pasta pillows filled with three kinds of cheese and combined with fresh summer veggies in a simple homemade Greek Dressing. Give it a try. The combination of flavors is unbelievably good.
