Summer Tortellini Salad

I made this salad for our annual Bear Lake camping trip with the Billquist's. My sister-in-laws loved it and requested the recipe, so I thought I would share with everyone!

This recipe comes from The Pampered Chef.

Summer Tortellini Salad

1 package (9 oz) uncooked refrigerated cheese-filled tortellini
1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
4 green onions with tops, thinly sliced
1/4 cup snipped fresh parsley
1/2 cup fat-free ranch salad dressing
2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese

1. Cook tortellini according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Set aside in a large bowl. Chop up vegetables.
2. Add vegetables to tortellini. Pour salad dressing and grate Parmesan cheese over the salad. Mix gently. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Nutrition Information:
Serving Size: 1 cup; 180 calories, 3 g fat, 21 g carbohydrate, 7 g protein, 290 mg sodium, 3 g fiber


**I did a few alterations to my recipe - I used an entire 20 oz package of tortellini (adds more carbs, but I love pasta!). If I had used the 9 oz package of pasta, I would have used less dressing. I like to taste the things in the salad, not just the dressing! I also sliced up several baby carrots instead of using one large carrot.

Pizza Pasta Salad

I made this salad for the get-together with my family over Memorial Day. Everyone said they loved it! My brother-in-law, Travis said it tasted just like a supreme pizza. I have to agree!

Pizza Pasta Salad

12 ounces tricolor spiral pasta
2 cups cubed part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 large sweet red pepper, chopped
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
2 cans (2-1/4 ounces each) sliced ripe olives, drained
6 green onions, sliced
3-1/2 ounces sliced pepperoni, halved
1/2 cup canola oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper


Cook pasta according to package directions; rinse with cold water and drain well. In a large serving bowl, combine the cheese, peppers, mushrooms, olives, green onions, pepperoni and pasta.

In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients. Pour over salad; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Toss before serving.

Yield: 14 servings

Spinach Salad

One of my favorite Pampered Chef recipes:

Summer Spinach Salad

2 firm, ripe medium nectarines* or peaches
6 ounces baby spinach
1 cup raspberries
1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
Raspberry Vinaigrette (recipe below)

1. Slice nectarines or peaches into thin wedges.
2. Place baby spinach in a bowl. Add nectarine or peach slices, raspberries and almonds; toss gently. Serve with Raspberry Vinaigrette.

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This recipe can also be altered for those of us who sometimes don't have access to summer produce -

Winter Spinach Salad

1 firm red apple (such as Braeburn)*
6 ounces baby spinach
1/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1/4 cup toasted pecan halves
Raspberry Vinaigrette (recipe below)

1. Slice apples into thin wedges.
2. Put baby spinach in a bowl. Add apple slices, cranberries and pecans; toss gently. Serve with Raspberry Vinaigrette.

*Tip: Dip nectarine or apple slices into lemon jice to prevent them from turning brown.

Makes 6 servings

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Raspberry Vinaigrette

2/3 cup raspberry vinegar
2 Tbs seedless raspberry jam
2 Tbs sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1 cup canola oil

1. Combine ingredients. Mix until blended.
2. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Makes 2 cups

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The original recipe says to drizzle 3/4 cup of the dressing onto the salad. However, I do not like other people deciding how much dressing I get! It seems that I like less dressing than everyone else, so I just leave the dressing in my handy Measure, Mix & Pour container to serve. It's not very pretty, but it works well for mixing and pouring!