Tortellini Summer Salad

I would like to start off by apologizing for my lack of communication and lack of posting recently. My schedule the past few weeks has been extremely busy. I would love to tell you that I have been out trying to save the world but, that's not the case. I have been the PTO President at my son's school for the past 5 years and serve as Chairperson on the School Board. Yes, I'm one of the Mom's that people run from when they see me coming. With these responsibilities, I oversee numerous functions at the school. With 25 days till school is out, the school calendar is jam-packed. Needless to say, things are going to get worse before they get better. But, I don’t think I would change a thing.

Now on to the good stuff! I know it is still spring, but this Tortellini Summer Salad is one of my favorites, regardless of the season. This pasta salad constitutes a meal without the need for many side dishes. A little fruit salad will make this a complete meal. It is tasty and delicious, with a pleasant tartness, from the lemon juice and red wine vinegar, which I just crave. I stand in front of the frig with my fork and chow down! I love this pasta salad!

Tortellini Summer Salad
Ginger's Cookbook

1 20 ounce package cheese tortellini
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
1/4 Cup black olives
1/2 Cup olive oil
1/2 Cup red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon heaping crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 Cup crumbled feta cheese


Cook tortellini according to package. Set aside, allow to cool completely.

In large bowl with a lid, add above ingredients, except for the feta cheese; simply toss the ingredients together till combined. Chill overnight then stir in feta cheese.

Enjoy!

Southwestern Egg Rolls

My dear friend Ginger introduced this recipe to me several years back. It is a really tasty recipe that I make by request from my son. I personally call them southwest burritos.  I know they are all over the blog world but, I still have to share. I may reach those few people that haven't seen them.

It’s actually low in fat, packed with a punch of flavor. Red bell pepper, spinach, corn, black beans, jalapeno, cilantro, sharp cheddar cheese, onion and south of the border spices wrapped in an organic tortilla. These are really easy to assemble and the best part is that you can assembled them ahead of time and bake before serving. Serve with your favorite guacamole.

 Absolutely delicious!

 Southwestern Egg Rolls

1 chicken breast, cooked & shredded 
salt & black pepper, to taste
2 Tablespoons minced red bell pepper
2 Tablespoons onion
1/3 cup frozen corn
1/4 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 - 1/2 cup frozen spinach, thawed and drained
2 Tablespoos fresh jalapeno peppers, diced
½ tsp. cumin
½ tsp. chili powder
Dash cayenne pepper
1/4 cup cilanto, or to taste
¾ cup grated cheese, I use sharp cheddar
1 pkg. organic flour tortilla

Place all ingredients in a bowl: red pepper, green onion, corn, black beans, spinach, jalapenos, cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, cayenne, cilantro, cheese, chicken. Mix well.

Spoon approx. ¼ cup of mixture into the center of a tortilla. Fold in the ends and then roll the tortilla over the mixture. Roll the tortilla very tightly, then pierce it with a toothpick to hold it together. Repeat with the remaining ingredients until you have several eggrolls. Cover the plate with plastic wrap and chill for an hour or two. You may chill the eggrolls overnight if you wish.

When you are ready to cook the eggrolls, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Place eggrolls on lined cookie sheet and bake for 17 to 20 minutes or until surface browns and becomes crispy. Turn the eggrolls over about halfway through cooking time.

Let the eggrolls cool for a few minutes and then slice each one diagonally lengthwise and arrange on a plate. You can serve this with guacamole and your favorite cheese sauce. Makes about 10-12 eggrolls.

Heat a small pan with a little olive oil and 1 clove of garlic, minced and add drained black beans and smash them. You will have refried black beans to go with your incredible Southwest Egg Rolls.

Enjoy! 

Tortilla Soup

I LOVE soups, especially this time of year. So if you are looking for a quick weeknight dinner you will love this. This recipe was given to me by my BFF Ginger. It is one of my family's favorites. You can find this recipe on the back of HATCH Green Chili Enchilada Sauce. How easy is that!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. cooked chicken, I use a whole store bought rotisserie chicken
1 15oz. can diced tomatoes
1 14oz. can HATCH Green Chili Enchilada Sauce
2 4oz. cans HATCH Diced Green Chilies
1 15oz. can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 medium onion chopped
2 Tbs. minced garlic
2 cups water, I use 1 cup
1 15oz. can chicken broth, I use 2
2 tsp. of each, cumin & chili powder
salt and pepper to taste, I skip this
1 15 oz. can corn, drained
1 Tbs. chopped cilantro, I skip this

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in crock pot, except cilantro. Cover and cook for 6-8 hour. To serve spoon into bowls and garnish with cilantro, cheese, sour cream, avocado and tortilla chips.

Enjoy!

Notes: Use a cooked rotisserie chicken, it makes life easier =). You can make this on the stove top just let it simmer for 45 minutes to an hour. I also add an extra 1/2 cup of chicken broth, I like it soupy.