Tortellini Salad

Tortellini Salad
(File Photo)

Like so many of you, my friends, I've been cooking up a storm!  As you can see, I have not had a chance to blog lately.  So, taking a current photo of food is... well... a dream.  I had a little bit of Baking Powder left and this week like magic, I have it.  What a different "new norm"!  I realize you have been finding the same situations at any time during the week.  People are cooking and/ or learning to cook! 

Hopefully, if we all wear our masks and use precautions things will change again to a more comfortable norm. 

One day last week we enjoyed Tortellini Salad as a side dish at dinner.  There was a bag of frozen tri-colored tortellini waiting in the freezer.  Waiting for me to prepare it!  It's one of my favorite pasta salads in the warmer months.  There is something great about biting into a cheese filled Tortellini that's surrounded by Italian Dressing.  The seasonings from the dressing just coat each little Tortellini!  Did I mention it is easy to prepare?  It is!  Very easy!

Sometimes, I add black olives, whole or sliced to this pasta salad.  They are optional.    

Tortellini Salad  

Ingredients:   
(1) 12 ounce bag Frozen Cheese Tortellini- may be lesser quantity
Italian Salad Dressing
Parsley Flakes
Garlic Powder

Method:

1. Prepare Tortellini following directions on bag. 
2. Drain, rinse with cold water.  Drain again.
3. Place in bowl.
4. Add about 1/2 Cup Italian Salad Dressing, combine.
5. Add desired amount of Parsley Flakes and Garlic Powder.
6. Cover and refrigerate overnight or for at least 6 hours.
7. Before serving, stir.  Add a little more Italian Dressing if needed.

It is that easy!  If you don't have the tortellini in your freezer, remember this recipe to prepare another time in the coming months!

Enjoy!
Yummy!

Tomato & Grilled Zucchini Salad

Tomato & Grilled Zucchini Salad

When preparing dinner I usually take out my iPad, place it on my kitchen counter & cook- using recipes on my blog or others I've saved.  There are countless yummy foods that I've posted that we like.  The ingredients are usually on hand, too.          

Now, it's the time of year to BBQ!  Zucchini is a veggie that we like sauteed, but during the warmer months it finds a place on our grill whenever we're grilling dinner.  Oregano, Basil & Garlic Powder added to the Baking & Sauteing Olive Oil give that veggie great flavoring!  Usually 3 or 4 Zucchini are prepared.  They are so good! 

One of the Grilled Zucchini are not eaten at dinner.  It's saved for Tomato & Grilled Zucchini Salad the next day!  This cold salad is just yummy with a little Balsamic Vinaigrette drizzled on top!

Tomato & Grilled Zucchini Salad

Ingredients:
1- 2 Grilled Zucchini, cold (Directions for grilling) 
1 Large Tomato- cut into chunks
Feta Cheese
Balsamic Vinaigrette

Directions: 

1. Cut Grilled Zucchini into slices.
2. Cut Tomato into chunks.
3. Place into serving dishes.
4. Sprinkle on Feta Cheese.
5. Drizzle Balsamic Vinaigrette on top.

It's a delicious cold salad!

Enjoy!
Yummy!

        

Chicken Salad Platter

Chicken Salad Platter

Chunks of Grilled Chicken, juicy Nectarines & creamy Avocado resting on a bed of shredded lettuce!  Add a few whole Pecans, some shredded Red Cabbage & Carrots with Feta Cheese resting on top.  Now that is colorful!  Now that is so nutritious & yummy, too!

Then Raspberry Balsamic Vinaigrette drizzled on top.  This is definitely my kind of Salad Platter for dinner.  It's been HHH lately, so after enjoying Grilled Chicken, Grilled Zucchini & a microwaved "Baked Potato" one night at dinner, a cold Chicken Salad Platter the next evening is oh so good!

The OXO salad dressing shaker is filled with:

Raspberry Balsamic Vinaigrette

• 1/4 Cup Balsamic Vinegar

• 1/2 Cup Olive Oil for salads

• 2 teaspoons Raspberry Jam or Jelly

Then, shake, shake, shake & shake that container again!
Repeat & repeat again until the Jam/ Jelly is dissolved.

If I had cold Grilled Zucchini left, I'd add it to the Salad platter, too! This is a great refreshing nutritious dinner on an HHH night!

Yummy!
Enjoy!

~A Promotion in My Kitchen~

Drizzled with Raspberry Balsamic Vinaigrette

Winter here in Massachusetts has been harsh & quite trying at times. The Boston area has had a harder time than we in Western MA.  I was watching the Boston College basketball game last week & was surprised when I heard one of the ACC commentators say that Boston always has these extreme weather conditions.  Woah!  He must have cut way too many Geography classes in high school.

My "Bubble Charts"

Sprinkled in with weekly snowstorms was scheduled cataract surgeries & Eye Dr. appointments.  I lived by my "Bubble Charts" that were given to me by my wonderful Ophthalmologist.  Keeping track of needed Rx eye drops was much easier.  Then, an unexpected surprise!  Breaking a finger in my right hand.  So, as time moves on, my vision is now so clear & distinct!  Woohoo!  And, I'm typing with my left hand.  Both my grandson & I are learning how to print- but he's right handed.  :)

Now, a girl's gotta eat!  Her DH, too!  That brings the promotion in the kitchen.  Jim's been cooking!  My blog sure comes in handy to continue eating healthy foods that are easy to prep.  So my friends, that's why there's been a lack of foodie posts lately.

Simple is good!  We enjoy dinner salads in the warm summer months, & this is one yummy salad that's  drizzled with Raspberry Balsamic Vinaigrette.  We're enjoying it this winter!  Defrosting the cooked frozen medium sized shrimp in the microwave was a new adventure, too.

Raspberry Balsamic Vinaigrette 

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Olive Oil for salads & marinades
1/4 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
Dash Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon Raspberry Jam or Jelly

 ***Salad Dressing Mixing/ Shaking Container

Method:

1.   Place Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar in shaker container.
2.   Add dash of Black Pepper.
3.   Add 1 Tablespoon Raspberry Jam or Jelly.
4.   Place cover on container.
5.   Shake, shake, shake & shake again.  Repeat until jam/ jelly is dissolved.
6.    Drizzle over salad.
7.    Enjoy!

Store Vinaigrette in fridge.  About 1/2 hour before using again, remove from fridge & sit on counter.  Shake, shake, shake & shake again before using.  This small batch is made often.  It's delicious!

Enjoy!
Yummy!

Blueberry or Raspberry Balsamic Vinaigrette

With a drizzle of Blueberry Balsamic Vinaigrette

The flavor started to grow on me!  Balsamic Vinaigrette!  I'm not sure when, but whenever we ate dinner out this dressing was my choice for salads.  Then, I purchased a bottle of a commercial brand for my salads at home.  When I discovered the OXO Salad Dressing Shaker for making/ storing salad dressings, I purchased one.  That's how it all started.  Balsamic Vinaigrette is quite simple to prepare.  The ingredients are placed into a container & shake, shake, shake and shake again.  Repeat if necessary!

Then one evening while dining out I enjoyed Raspberry Balsamic Vinaigrette.  Oh, the sweetness combined with the tang & flavor of raspberries!  Yum, yum, yum!

Now fast forward... it's Blueberry season!  Blueberry Freezer Jam time, too!  Last night I took out the handy green OXO Salad Dressing Shaker and made another delicious Balsamic Vinaigrette - Blueberry Balsamic Vinaigrette.  Drizzled over our cold grilled chicken salad plate it was delicious!

Grilled Chicken Chunks Salad
with Blueberry Balsamic Vinaigrette

 

 

 

 

I haven't purchased dressings in quite a few months, because I'm totally hooked on Balsamic Vinaigrette.  What can be better than a dressing made with Olive Oil???   And making it yourself???  And controlling the ingredients???

About 20- 25 minutes before using a Balsamic Vinaigrette, I take it out of the fridge to warm it up a bit, before shaking it & drizzling.  Then back into the fridge it goes. 

Blueberry Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Olive Oil for salads & marinades
1/4 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
Dash Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon Blueberry Jam or Jelly

***Salad Dressing Mixing/ Shaking Container

Method:

1. Place Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar in shaker container.
2. Add dash of Black Pepper.
3. Add 1 Tablespoon Blueberry Jam or Jelly.
4. Place cover on container.
5. Shake, shake, shake & shake again.  Repeat.
6. Drizzle over salads.

For Raspberry Balsamic Vinaigrette use Raspberry Jelly.

Do you enjoy the taste of a Balsamic Vinaigrette?  Try it, you'll like it!  Plain, Blueberry or Raspberry!  A little drizzled over a salad goes a long way!

Enjoy!
Yummy!