Tortellini Spinach Salad

 

20 oz package cheese tortellini, refrigerated

1 can quartered artichokes

1 package fresh baby spinach, washed

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup diced red onion

(1-2 cups chicken or steak, grilled) optional

Mix all ingredients together and toss.  Serve with a delicious vinaigrette.

My review:  This was yummy!  I loved the combination of salad and pasta.  Very good made as a meal with the addition of the meat, but also great as a side without it!

Corn Salad

10 ears of corn, shucked
1/2 cup red onion, finely diced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
2 tbsp basil leaves, dried
1 tsp garlic powder

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  When boiling, add 1 tbsp sugar and 1 tbsp vinegar.  Add the 10 ears of corn to the water and bring to a rolling boil.  Cover the pot, remove from heat, and let sit for 10 minutes, covered.  Remove from the pot to cool.  Once cooled, cut the kernels off the cob, cutting close to the cob.

Toss the kernels into a medium bowl with all the other ingredients, and chill for at least 1 hour before serving.  Add additional salt and pepper if you want. 

My review:  This is delicious!  So summery and fun, and pretty!  It tastes amazing.  I actually put mine on top of romaine lettuce as a salad, and it was a delicious lunch.  It's also good for a summer picnic side.

Tomato Spinach Tortellini Soup

Who's a huge slacker??  This girl.  I've been up to my ears in my last 2 grad classes, wedding planning, house hunting, cleaning, and working that I haven't had much time to cook, much less be able to post recipes.  Thanks to an anonymous comment begging me to come back, I'm back!  I'm not promising crazy amounts of posts, but I'm hoping one new recipe a week.  So... here comes the first recipe!

adapted from the Well Fed Newlyweds recipe found here: Tortellini Soup.  Check out their blog for more delicious and wonderful recipes!


1 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, minced
1 tsp Italian Seasoning
1 quart vegetable broth (you can also use chicken broth)
1 (15oz) can diced tomatoes (or canned whole tomatoes)
Salt
Pepper
2 (9oz) packages frozen tortellini, cooked according to the package
2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
Parmesan Cheese and Mozzarella Cheese, for garnish
1/2 pound ground Italian sausage, cooked and drained (optional)


Heat olive oil on medium heat in a large soup pot.  When heated up, add the garlic and onion, and saute until the onions are soft.
Add the broth, oregano, and tomatoes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  If you plan to add sausage, add it at this time.
Bring the soup to a boil.  (You can be cooking your tortellini separately at this time)
Once the soup is boiling, stir in the spinach and cook for 1 minute.
Add the tortellini, and remove soup from the heat.
Serve immediately with cheese to garnish.
With garlic bread, this makes a great dinner!

My review:  This was delicious.  I'm not a huge fan of cooked spinach, so I wish I would have chopped my spinach up smaller, but other than that, it was delicious!  I like it best with vegetable broth, and no italian sausage, but if I'm making it as a meal, I like to have the meat in there for some extra protein and flavor.

French Onion Mushrooms

 

I know the picture doesn't look appetizing, but it's so good, I promise!

1 tbsp butter, unsalted
1 can Campbell's Condensed French Onion Soup
1 pound mushrooms, thick sliced
3 slices swiss cheese

Melt the butter in a saute pan and add the french onion soup.
Heat on medium heat, until the mixture simmers.
Add in the mushrooms, and simmer, until there is very little liquid left, about 15 minutes.
Spoon the mushrooms into a small baking dish, and cover with cheese.
Place under the broiler for 3 minutes, or until cheese is brown and bubbly.
Serve alone, or with toasted slices of baguette.

My review:  This recipe was inspired by Pioneer Woman's French Onion Stuffed Mushrooms recipe.  This was an easier variation.  So yummy!  I ended up spooning mine onto toasted sliced of baguette, but it was good by itself too.

Southwestern Fettucine

1/2 lb (8 oz) uncooked fettuccine noodles
1 cup chunky salsa
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1/4 cup water
1 tsp Tabasco sauce
1 tsp Chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
Shredded mild cheddar cheese for topping

Cook and drain fettuccine as directed on package.  Spray with cooking spray to make sure they don't stick together once drained.  (or you can throw some olive oil in the water while it's cooking)
While the noodles are cooking, mix salsa, corn, water, Tabasco, chili powder, ground cumin, and black beans in a small saucepan.  Cook over medium heat 8-10 minutes, then turn down to simmer.  Make sure that the corn is tender.
This makes four servings, so divide fettuccine noodles among four bowls.  Then top each with about 3/4 cup of the sauce mixture.  Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese for extra yumminess!

My review:  This was phenomenally good.  I have no words.  :-)  Very yummy.  I think it would be really good to use medium or hot salsa and give it a little more kick.  You could add chicken if you have major meat eaters who can't handle a meal without meat!

Spinach & Mushroom Lasagna Roll Ups

I seem to have lost the picture that goes along with this... I will post it if I find it...


10 lasagna noodles, cooked
10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed, and completely drained
10 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
15 oz. fat free ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1 egg
salt and pepper
1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce
1/2 - 1 cup of mozzerella cheese (depends how much you like!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Saute fresh mushrooms in some olive oil until they are cooked through. Set aside.
Combine spinach, ricotta, Parmesan, egg, mushrooms, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
Pour about a cup of sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.
Place a piece of wax paper or a cuttting board on yoru counter top and lay out lasagna noodles.  Make sure that they are dry.
Spread ricotta mixture over each noodle (about 1/4 - 1/3 cup per noodle).  Roll carefully, placing the seam side down.
Pour remaining sauce over the noodles and top each one with mozzerella.
Cover the dish with foil and bake for 45 minutes.

My review:  These were good!  If I make them again, I want to try adding some zucchini too!  One roll up was really filling, I paired it up with a small salad, and I was so full!

Tuscan Marinated Mushroooms

1 (8 oz) package mushrooms, quartered
1/2 cup Kraft Tuscan House Italian Dressing
Parmesan cheese, optional

Wash and cut your mushrooms into quarters.   Place into a skillet
Pour the dressing over top.
Cook on medium heat, sauteing and turning as needed, for about 8-10 minutes.
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

My review:  I had mushrooms that needed to be used, so I went to my pantry on a hunt for something to cook them in, besides the usual butter or olive oil.  This was amazing.  I plan on making these many many more times.  These would be good served with a steak, on a salad, or with a chicken breast. 

Eggplant Parmesan

What do you do when you find cheap eggplants at a farmer's market?  You make eggplant parmesan!

1 large eggplant or 2 small eggplants
2 eggs
2 tsp milk
1 cup flour
1 1/2 cup Seasoned Breadcrumbs
3 tbsp Parmesan Cheese (the powdery stuff)
Olive Oil
1 tbsp butter
1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce
Sliced Mozzerella Cheese (anywhere from 4-8 slices) (about 1/2 cup - 1 cup)

Slice your eggplant(s) into discs, about 1/2 inch thick.
Crack the eggs into a bowl, add the milk, and beat with a whisk or a fork.
Put the flour in another bowl.
And finally, in another bowl (yes, I do LOVE doing dishes.... haha), put your breadcrumps and parmesan cheese.
Dip each eggplant disc into the flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumbs, and arrange in a single layer on a plate.  Doing this with a fork while reduce the mess, but if you like to get your hands dirty, be my guest.
Heat olive oil in a pan, making sure that you have enough to cover the whole bottom of the pan, but you don't want your eggplant to swim in it.  Medium heat should be good enough for this.  Add your butter in as well (this will give a nice, golden brown crust to the eggplant.  If you want to leave it out, that's fine).
Once the oil is hot, fry your eggplant until the breading is browned. 
Dry the eggplant on paper towels to soak up the extra olive oil
Spread some sauce in the bottom of a 13x9 baking dish.  Layer the eggplant slices in the dish.  Pour your desired amount of sauce on top and spread around.  Then sprinkle cheese on top.  I don't like a ton of sauce, so I don't normally use the whole jar.
Bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees F.
Serve with hot pasta or fresh Italian bread.


My review:  This was delicious!  Very easy to make, and tasted like it was from a restaurant.  I actually halved the recipe, and made it in an 8x8 baking dish.  It was perfect!