Most of us have a thing for pasta and cheese; I know I’m not alone. Admit it; you’re in this club. Google macaroni and cheese if you’re unsure of my claim. (There are almost 24 million hits.) We all mostly adore fast, filling, and luscious meals made in minutes from leftovers as well, right? Wed the ultimately pleasurable pasta and cheese idea with a quick next-night dinner and we have a match made in heaven.
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Tortellini
Alyce’s Tortellini Salad Goes to Denver, but Misses Olivia’s Birthday
Summer comes and this tortellini salad comes with it. Just ask my family.
Full of tender cheese-filled tortellini and lots of chunky vegetables, it’s held together with a brisk mustard vinaigrette and lots of thin slices of sopressata or hard salami. If I’m going to a family event or a church picnic, I make a big bowl of this salad and bring it along. In Minnesota, it goes in the cooler and makes its way up north to celebrate Joe’s and Olivia’s birthdays. The original recipe was, I think, from the COLORADO SPRINGS GAZETTE years ago, but it has changed quite a bit over time.
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I missed Olivia’s birthday this year, but made the salad anyway. See you soon, I hope! |
Here in Colorado, it travels up I-25 to Denver for a family afternoon by the pool after a visit to a museum.
This year, Bill made a big hunk of brisket he smoked overnight. Sean brewed some beer and I made (of course) the tortellini salad. Occasionally it morphs just a bit; originally it didn’t have many vegetables. I had to amend that. The resulting salad is fine for a whole meal, but it’s also a total one-dish side for any barbequed meat. You know how pasta salad can be pale, insipid, and less than interesting? Perhaps only filling? Easily left on the plate at picnics? That is what this pasta salad is not.
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Nope, we don’t want to get out of the pool. Even for lunch. |
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This is either Cosmo or Gizmo tending bar. Whichever one, he got no tortellini salad. |
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Aunt Carolyn relaxing after lunch. |
Sing a new song; make an old tortellini salad,
Alyce