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Turkey & Pesto Pasta Salad

June 13, 2011 By Kate 2 Comments

Pasta salad in the summertime is my equivalent to soup in the fall and winter. It’s one of those meals that I just can’t get enough of when the weather is hot outside. We tend to eat pasta salad of some kind at least twice a week for dinner and at least once for lunch. As you can probably guess, everyone else in the house enjoys it just as much as I do.

Taste aside, pasta salad is one of my favorites for many of the same reasons that any recipe makes it on my favorite list – it’s versatile, it’s completely stolen moments friendly and it’s easy to put together.

Are you a pasta salad fan too? What’s your favorite kind? How often do you eat pasta salads during the summer?

Turkey & Pesto Pasta Salad

  • 1/2 c. olive oil
  • 3 T. red wine or rice vinegar
  • 1 t. salt
  • 1 t. black pepper
  • 1 t. sugar
  • 1/3 c. pesto, prepared or homemade
  • 1 c. grape or cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 1 cucumber, cut in half lengthwise and sliced
  • 1/2 red pepper, diced
  • 1/2 lb. cooked and cubed turkey breast (I just used some leftover grilled turkey breast tenderloin)
  • 1 lb. cooked rotini, rinsed in cold water and drained

1. In a large bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and sugar. Stir in pesto. Add cut vegetables and turkey. Stir until fully combined.

2. Add pasta and toss to coat. Refrigerate until serving.

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Brown Butter Ravioli with Peas & Parmesan

May 6, 2011 By Kate 20 Comments

This is the second of 4 check-ins for the 1/3 Less Challenge. Leaving a comment on this post WILL enter you in the $50 Visa gift card giveaway.

I’m feeling like I’m really slacking in my progress on this 1/3 Less Challenge. I had such high hopes and so many categories I wanted to focus around. But I’ve only managed to really focus on just a few of those original categories. I guess too many changes at once just don’t work for me. However, I am definitely feeling the benefits where I have cut back by 1/3, so I guess that’s good. How’s it going for you?

Here’s another quick and easy dish that will get you out of the kitchen in 1/3 Less time. Frozen ravioli is one prepared, convenience food that makes a regular appearance in our house without much guilt on my part. It’s always my go-to option on monthly grocery shopping day. Usually I toss it with some homemade marinara sauce and frozen spinach. However, even for a once a month dish, that gets a little old sometimes. So I came up with this very simple idea instead. It turned out great and was a wonderful change of pace. Plus, dinner was done, start to finish, in about 15 minutes. Perfect!

Brown Butter Ravioli with Peas & Parmesan

  • 1 – 2 lbs. frozen cheese ravioli
  • 1/3 c. butter
  • 1/4 c. fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 1/4 t. salt
  • 1 t. freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 c. frozen peas
  • Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Cook ravioli according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, melt butter in a skillet over low heat and cook, swirling pan frequently, for about 5 minutes, until golden brown in color. Stir in parsley, salt, pepper and peas. Cook an additional 2-3 minutes, until peas are completely warmed.

3. Toss the ravioli with the brown butter sauce and top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

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Tuna Pasta Salad

April 7, 2011 By Kate 3 Comments

This is one of our go-to lunch recipes. The kids love it so much that they request it every single weekend for lunch. I make it probably once or twice a month during the winter and every single week during the summer. And just for a little background, this recipe was my first foray in cooking during stolen moments. When I realized that I could make this dish for lunch while serving the kids breakfast, I knew I was on to something…and the rest is history. I’m happy to say that the method has evolved well beyond this simple Tuna Pasta Salad, but this recipe will always hold a special place in my heart.

For this recipe, I’m giving you the ingredients and estimated measurements for the way I usually make the salad. However, it is very versatile and open to all kinds of additions (onions, celery and peas are all great), deletions (skip the dill and relish if you’re not a fan) and substitutions (1/2 mayo and 1/2 Ranch dressing is a great option). Some of my usual deviations from the norm are that I scoop out the serving for our 11 year old before I stir in the pickle relish and I heavily salt mine because, since it’s tuna and I’m not the biggest fan, I need the extra saltiness.

Tuna Pasta Salad

  • 1 c. mayonnaise
  • 1 can tuna, drained
  • 1 T. mustard
  • 1 t. salt
  • 1/2 t. dill
  • 1.2 t. pepper
  • 2 T. pickle relish
  • 1 lb. pasta of choice (we prefer medium shells or elbow macaroni), cooked, drained and rinsed in cold water

1. Combine all ingredients except pasta in a large bowl and stir until thoroughly combined. Add pasta and stir to coat. Refrigerate until eating.

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