Tortellini Salad

I got this recipe from my mother; the original recipe actually calls for goat cheese. However the first time I made it, I didn’t have any on hand, but I did have feta. I think you could use either kind and get good results; I’m just used to using feta. I like the flavor combination.

Ingredients:

1 pound tortellini, cooked, drained and cooled (I use cheese tortellini)
6 sundried tomatoes, diced
6 roasted red peppers, diced
3 T olive oil
5 T balsamic vinegar
1—2 T oil from the sundried tomatoes (optional; I usually add just 1 T for extra flavor)
7 fresh basil leaves, chopped
2 ounces crumbled feta or goat cheese
Parsley to taste

Directions:

• Combine the oils and vinegar and whisk til thoroughly mixed.
• Pour the oil/vinegar mixture over the pasta.
• Mix in the rest of the ingredients.
• Chill before serving.

Corn Salad

We like to eat out, probably a little too much, but when we lived in the South End of Boston we had a lot of great restaurant choices. During the summer of 2011, we went to Tremont 647 several times and I got absolutely hooked on what they call Local Corn and Tomato Salad. Their version uses just sherry vinegar as a dressing, but I didn’t have any at home. So I used a bit of balsamic vinaigrette instead and it worked well too.

Basically you’ll want to have equal parts of the corn, cherry tomatoes and cucumbers; as written, this recipe serves two people.

Ingredients:

2 ears of corn, cooked, cooled and cut off the cob
½ C cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 small or ½ large cucumber, peeled, seeded, quartered and diced
¼ C red onion, coarsely diced
2 T feta cheese, crumbled
1 T light balsamic vinaigrette (I love Paul Newman’s Own Lighten Up Balsamic Vinaigrette)

Directions:

• In a bowl, mix the corn, tomatoes and cucumber together. You want these proportions to be fairly equal so add in more if you need to.
• Mix in the onion and feta cheese.
• Drizzle the vinaigrette over the dressing but be sparing. It’s not the point of the salad.
• Toss and serve.
• Also this worked as left-overs for a couple of days but I wouldn't want it after that. Things just get too soggy.