Tortellini Summer Pasta

Let's face it: I have Memorial Day weekend brain. The problem? I still have 1.5 work days before the long weekend even begins! and I will be relaxing in the backyards grilling and relaxing. Can't wait to fire-up that grill and dust off the patio furniture and maybe even do some gardening. Oh no look out the garden department at Home Depot....here I come with my thousand and one questions attempting and pretending I have a green thumb.

All this talk about gardening reminded me that I already planted my beautiful 'BASIL' (the one thing I can grown without failure). I have this amazing twist to a summer pasta salad recipe.

So simple that even my husband can do (if he actually tried)!

Let's see I like to use Bertolli cheese tortellini but any cheese tortellini will do. Then dice up fresh mozzarella, half cherry tomatoes, a handful of fresh basil ribbons, salt/pepper to taste, 1 tsp of olive oil and 1 tbsp of balsamic glaze (my preference is Gia Russa). Remember balsamic glaze does contain sugar. I like to use the glaze because it will stick to all the ingredients better.

Lemon Bars with Blueberries

This simple, two-ingredient lemon bar is a amazing recipe for me. My husband and I tried this recipe for the first time a year ago for a dinner party we were hosting.  We put a spin on the classic two-ingredient lemon bar recipe we added blueberries (his only contribution to this recipe and hence why I had to give him credit for helping). While I don't expect, you to get all nostalgic putting together this easy recipe, it is one of the easiest bar recipes I have ever found. All you need it a one-step angel food cake mix and a 15 oz. can of lemon pie filling.

Follow the instructions from the angel food cake mix then add in the lemon pie filling. Rinse and light pat dry your blueberries. Mix them together by hand until moist. Be sure not to over stir. Bake in a 9 x 13 cake pan at 350 degrees until golden brown on the top (about 20 minutes). Cool completely before eating. As they are cooling, you can sprinkle with powder sugar if you wish (Which I guess technically makes this a 4-ingredient recipe) but if you’re watching the waist-line then skip the powered sugar on top still equally delicious. They have more of an angel food cake texture than a traditional lemon bar texture but we love them. 

Taco Turkey

This is one of my all time favorite quick and easy recipes that was inherited from my sister. My sister is the true chef in our family. I am just an amateur compare to her. She can whip up anything in no time. I love this twist on a traditional lettuce wrap.

Our Taco Turkey lettuce wraps!

Ingredients:
1 lb ground turkey
1/2 yellow or sweet onion
1/2 red bell pepper
2-3 garlic cloves
1-2 serrano pepper (or jalapeno pepper) (to taste)
1/4 cup of cilantro
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (also called jeeru)
1/2 teaspoon ajmo (also called ajwain or carmon seeds)
1 tablespoon salt (to taste)
1 tablespoon black pepper (to taste)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 iceberg lettuce

Directions:
Heat oil in a non-stick pan. Add cumin seeds and ajmo seeds to oil.

Once seeds start to sizzle, add onion, garlic, Serrano pepper, and red bell pepper.

Once onion and peppers start to caramelize, then add ground turkey. Break ground turkey until meat has cooked thoroughly.
Note: At this point, I like to taste for some salt and pepper. You can squeeze some lemon juice it want some citrus.

Cut the lettuce head in half. Peal off the first soft lettuce leaves (Discard this leaf, it's usually really soft). I like to get a nice big lettuce leaf then start layering.
- Ground turkey
- Diced tomatoes
- Guacamole
- Sour cream
- Garnish with salsa and cilantro.

Basic Guacamole

Growing up we had to eat traditional food at least 4-5 nights out of the week. But over the weekend, she use let us pick whatever we wanted to eat. I always responded with I want "American food" night. "American Food" meant non-traditional cuisine. Obviously, my sister and I took turns, but when it was my turn to pick a cuisine, I always picked for "Mexican Food".

As we got older, she felt that we should at least know how to make our favorite foods. This was one of my first and favorite recipes that she taught me. Over the years, I have perfected it to the "T". I can make it in my sleep.

Ingredients:
1 medium avocado
1/2 red onion, diced
1/2 roma tomato, diced
1-2 garlic cloves, diced
1/2 jalapeno, diced
1/4 cup of cilantro, diced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt (to taste)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper (to taste)
1/4 teaspoon cumin (to taste)

Directions:

Cut the avocado in half. Use a spoon to scoop out the avocado into a bowl.
Note: Keep the seed. It helps the guacamole from browning until you're ready to serve.

Combine diced red onion, tomato, garlic, jalapeno, lemon juice, salt, pepper, cumin powder, and cilantro.

Arugula Salad

I started getting bored with salad's sometime last year. Started exploring a lot of Food Network salad recipes and keep coming across salads that contain 'Arugula'. Arugula has a pepper yet sweet flavor. Arugula is great this time of year. I believe I read somewhere that it's an early-spring and fall crop.

Ingredients:
2 cups Arugula, rinse and wash (pat dry to remove excess water)
1/2 Red Onion, sliced
2 Mini colorful peppers, sliced
Goat cheese, crumbled (bring to room temp.)
1/2 cup Walnut or Pecan, lightly toasted on dry skillet
A pinch of Salt (to taste)
A pinch of Pepper (to taste)
1/2 Mango, sliced
1/4 cup Cilantro, chopped


Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a salad bowl.
Once ready to eat then drizzle garlic vinaigrette dressing.

Garlic Vinaigrette Dressing

Ingredients:
1/2 cup raw apple cider vinegar
1-2 tablespoons dijon mustard
3 Garlic cloves, minced (to taste)
Generous pinch of sea salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh herbs or 2 teaspoons dried (basil, oregano, chives, and thyme are all nice)
1 1/2 cups EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

Directions: 
Combine all ingredients except olive oil in a jar. Stir well with a fork.

Add olive oil, cover tightly, and shake well until combined. You can also use a blender and drizzle the oil in slowly while it is running.

Note: When I am in a hurry then I just opt into using a store bought dressing. I like using the Aldi Grandessa Garlic Vinaigrette Dressing or any Garlic Vinaigrette Dressing.