Archives for category: Lunch

Tri-Color Tortellini Salad

21 April, 2011 //

Enjoying Tri-color Tortellini Salad dates all the way back to my youth. At the time, I didn’t particularly care for the onion…or the bell pepper…or the black olive, really. It was simply the ring-shaped, cheese-filled pasta marinated in Italian dressing spices that my fork would dig around for, then mouth devour. Nowadays what I most appreciate is the colorful splendor that those onion, bell pepper and black olive bring to the dish. And, the tortellini? Well, it still finds its way onto my fork in combination with the other crisp vegetable flavors.

This recipe falls dangerously close, or well within, a recipe box that semi-homemade guru Sandra Lee may have. It takes a few “store-bought ingredients,” combined with “fresh foods” to create a guaranteed crowd-pleasing dish. The tri-color aspect of the salad refers to the bell peppers, but may also be attained with use of multi-colored tortellini. My preference is to stick with standard white pasta. It provides a blank palate on which the other colors may build. If tortellini is not readily available or preferred, any pasta works – rotini or farfalle would be particularly fun.

Consider the salad an easy make-ahead recipe for a picnics or a casual dining menu. I’ve also found it to be a terrific go-to side dish to inexpensively feed a large crowd. After a few simple steps to prep, ingredients are tossed together to sit overnight in the refrigerator. Leftovers keep well for days, too. Note that the recipe can still be made day of, but the longer it is left to marinate in the Italian dressing, the more flavorful the dish will become.

*Special thanks to my dear friend Cady, photographer and designer of Dapper Ink, for taking and sharing these photos!

Tri-Color Tortellini Salad

Ingredients
1 package frozen or fresh cheese tortellini
3 bell peppers, chopped (Chose your favorites and a variety of color!)
1 small red onion, chopped
1 can pitted black olives, whole or sliced
1 small bottle of Italian dressing (about 8 oz)

Preparation
1. Cook tortellini according to package instructions. Drain. *Hint: Adding 1-2 T of olive oil to the boiling water will help prevent them from sticking
2. In a large bowl combine cooked tortellini with vegetables. Add the Italian salad dressing and stir well until ingredients are evenly coated. Refrigerate overnight or until chilled through. *Salad may be served warm, but flavors are enhanced with time.

Categories Grain products, Lunch, Vegetables

Grilled Asparagus

23 March, 2011 //

Recently married friends of mine, Austin and Cady, are lucky to live in the most adorable Georgetown row home, complete with a backyard patio and grill. And, on my most recent visit to the District, we took advantage of the blue-skied, mild weathered day by grilling dinner. Menu: cheeseburgers, tortellini and tri-pepper salad and asparagus. Great friends and delicious food on a carefree weekend night – doesn’t get much better!

Asparagus is a spring vegetable, and my calendar officially dated it springtime this past Sunday. Three cheers for that! Local farmer’s markets or grocers should now have asparagus and other spring favorites a plenty. Capitalize on peak freshness and taste by picking up a bunch. No matter how you cook it – sauté , broil, grill, steam, etc. – asparagus is incredibly quick to prepare. Delicious as a standalone, it is also a great ingredient in risotto, pasta, quiche, soups, stews and more.

Asparagus are shaped as long stems with feathery, clustered branches at top. Three varieties include white, green and “bath”. When choosing asparagus, Real Simple magazine’s “What’s In Season?” produce guide tells us to look for “Bright-green coloring, firm, straight stems, and tightly closed tips. Avoid spears that are shriveled or wet or have thick, woody stalks. White asparagus should be firm and smooth.”

Only young asparagus are commonly eaten as it otherwise is woody and unpleasant to taste. I have definitely had some woody asparagus, most likely due to not removing enough of the stem before cooking. To avoid this, hold each end of a single spear or group as a bunch, then bend. Asparagus naturally breaks just where the woody part ends and the fresh, juicy asparagus begins, ensuring only the best bites. Food is cool like that!

Grilled Asparagus

Ingredients
1 bunch fresh asparagus
1-2 T extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation
1. Trim asparagus by holding each end and bending until its natural break. Lightly toss with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper to coat.
2. Grill for approximately 3-4 minutes on each side, or until desired doneness.

P.S. Special thanks to Kristin for capturing and sharing these pretty pictures!

Tags Grilled Asparagus Recipe, How To Grill Asparagus

Categories Dinner, Lunch, Vegetables

Roasted Red and Golden Beets

2 March, 2011 //

Beets! They seem to be a hot or cold food, meaning people either love them or hate them (though I often attribute the latter to ignorance of taste). They are, in fact, a marvelous root vegetable – a powerhouse of nutrients on own, amenable to various flavor combinations, a star in salads and other side dishes, a food colorant and more. The flavor of beets is not always easily described, but is that of an earthy sweetness. Red beets are most common followed by golden, while white and striped varieties also exist

I grew up only familiar with pickled or canned red beets, slowly developing a flavor for the two as a salad topper. As my palate developed, they quickly grew to be one of my favorite vegetables. Now, knowing both the ease of making roasted beets and the enhancement of fresh farm-to-table flavor, I have a slight aversion to the store-bought convenience.

Back in 2008, The New York Times called beets “The New Spinach,” and it’s true. They are low in calories and full of beta-carotene, folic acid, fiber, vitamin C, potassium, iron…the list goes on and on. Leafy beet greens – most often compared to Swiss chard – are even more nutritious than their roots. Beets have an extensive food history, with perhaps the most fun fact being this: during World World II boiled beets were used in red velvet cake recipes to enhance the color when cocoa was a rationed luxury.

When shopping, look for beet roots that are least bruised and firm to touch. Lesser wilted leafy greens is an indicator of freshness. But, do keep in mind that the leafy greens perish within a week, whereas roots will last up to a month. Make sure to reserve the greens, too, as they can be sautéed and used in nearly anything that you would spinach; soups, salads, quiches, risotto, etc.

The below recipe serves as the base for classic, unseasoned roasted beets. From here, you may use in a number of fantastic dishes. Stay tuned! Some of these said recipes are sure to follow in coming posts.

Roasted Red and Golden Beets

Ingredients
3 medium red beets
3 medium golden beets
Extra virgin olice oil, to drizzle (optional)

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400˚ F.
2. Rise and scrub clean the beets. Trim away roots and stem.
3. Place groups of beets on sheets of aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil if using. Tightly seal pouches. Roast for 45-60 minutes, or until easily pierced with a knife. *Cook time will depend on size and freshness of beets
4. Let cool. Slip off beet skin by either rubbing with your fingers or guiding it with a pairing knife. Cut into wedges and serve. *Beets may be marinated, seasoned or dressed to taste or purposed for an additional recipe.