• Original Creations

    Pesto Tortellini Salad

    November 19, 2018 /

    One dish I make year round that is always a crowd pleaser, is my Pesto Tortellini Salad. While the vibrant red, green, and white ingredient colors lend themselves to a holiday inspired side dish, this is really a perfect accompaniment any time of year and it is SUPER easy to throw together in a pinch. Best part? Guests go nuts over this and while it seems like a mature side dish, it is so simple to make that you’ll feel guilty accepting the compliments! 

    Chances are, you already have these handful of main ingredients in the house, but if you don’t they are so easy to grab from any grocery store. In the event you don’t have Tortellini, you can easily substitute this with many different types of pasta, which will work beautifully as well.

    This is also the perfect way to repurpose leftovers if you made a pesto pasta dinner the night before as noted in my earlier post linked here: Orecchiette with Arugula Pesto. 

    The few simple ingredients in this dish are Pasta (your choice), Pesto (store bought or homemade), Fresh Baby Mozzarella, Grape Tomatoes, and Baby Spinach. Season with salt and pepper and gently toss together until well combined. 

    Including cooking time, this dish can be made in under 10 minutes- and who doesn’t love that?! One of the best parts of this salad is that it can be made ahead, which, when entertaining and having other dishes needing to be ready at a specific time, is very helpful. 

    Pesto Tortellini Salad
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    Ingredients
    1. 1 LB Tortellini (or pasta of your preference)
    2. 1.5-2 Cups Basil Pesto (store bought or homemade)
    3. 1 12oz Container of Fresh Ciliegiene (baby) Mozzarella (drained and halved)
    4. 5oz Baby Spinach Leaves (rough chopped)
    5. 5oz Grape Tomatoes (halved)
    6. Salt & Pepper (to taste)
    Instructions
    1. Cook pasta to package instructions and drain. Let cool.
    2. Transfer pasta into a mixing bowl and add tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, baby spinach, and pesto.
    3. Gently combine ingredients together until well coated in the pesto and add salt and pepper to taste.
    4. Transfer onto a serving platter and refrigerate until ready to serve.
    saristotle https://saristotle.com/

     

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  • Original Creations

    Cast Iron Southwest Frittata

    May 13, 2018 /

    One of my favorite things about cooking is that you can pull inspiration from anywhere whether it be a restaurant you’ve gone to, a country you’ve visited, a new person you’ve met, a special occasion, or even something as simple as driving past a farm market and having a little extra time on your hands (for once!) which was me this afternoon. Enter the Cast Iron Southwest Frittata. 

    In addition to the vibrant hanging flowers, I noticed they were also selling fresh salad greens. I knew the Spinach would go great in a frittata and already had the remaining ingredients on hand so everything came together effortlessly. Plus, with Mother’s Day quickly approaching, it was the perfect time (if ever) to prepare this thoughtful and delicious brunch recipe. 

    Southwestern flavors pair extremely well with eggs, which is why you’ll often find them on the menu at your local breakfast spot. Similar to an omelette, frittatas can have endless variations, and are known to be that “garbage disposal” dish you make when you’ve got random odds and ends you’re not quite sure what to do with. 

    This recipe in particular is one that you can never go wrong with- and the upside? It appeals to a wide audience so if your family is a little on the picky side (like mine) everyone will be sure to enjoy! 

    Cast Iron Southwest Frittata
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    Ingredients
    1. 4 Strips of Bacon
    2. 1 Shallot (sliced)
    3. 1 Clove of Garlic (sliced)
    4. 3 Button Mushrooms (sliced)
    5. 1/2 Red Bell Pepper (diced)
    6. 1 Cup Fresh Spinach
    7. 1 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
    8. 1 TBSP Vegetable Oil
    9. Salt & Pepper (to taste)
    10. 8 Eggs
    11. 1/2 Cup Milk
    12. 1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
    Instructions
    1. Preheat oven to 350 Degrees.
    2. Coat a seasoned cast-iron skillet with vegetable oil (see notes).
    3. In a separate frying pan, cook bacon and remove when crisp, leaving remaining fat renderings in the pan. Give a rough chop. To the same pan, add mushrooms, garlic, shallots, and olive oil. Sweat down and remove from heat. Add red bell peppers and sauté until they lose their hard crunch (about 3-4 minutes), then remove from pan.
    4. In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, Cheddar, salt & pepper. Set aside.
    5. Place the original cast iron skillet over medium heat until pan is hot and transfer mushrooms, garlic, shallots, and red bell peppers into skillet. Add baby spinach and sauté for approximately 30 seconds until leaves begin to wilt, but still hold their shape. Pour egg mixture into cast iron skillet and stir to combine all ingredients evenly.
    6. Place skillet into oven and cook for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown on top and cooked through (using a toothpick to check doneness- if the toothpick pulls out dry, the center is fully cooked).
    7. Use a butter knife to free sides from the skillet and a rubber spatula if needed to gently remove any additional sticking without breaking the frittata.
    8. Being careful not to burn yourself in the process, top with a piece of parchment paper and flip onto a serving platter. Serve hot or lukewarm.
    Notes
    1. Vegetable Oil has a higher smoking point than Olive Oil, meaning it will burn at a slower rate. This is necessary to make sure the skillet can get nice and hot without burning before the egg mixture is added.
    saristotle https://saristotle.com/
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