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Tortellini Pasta Salad

This is one of my favorite pasta salads. I think during the summer it’s a great idea to keep a package of these in your freezer for impromptu BBQs. It’s always a hit at our family get togethers, I guess that is why aunt Lorie always makes it.

I think this salad has the best of both worlds, a delicious pasta and lots of crunchy veggies. This is the perfect combination and topped with freshly shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese is the best. Just writing this makes me want some so I guess tortellini is being put on my grocery list right now.

Tortellini Salad Recipe

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Tortellini Salad Recipe
Serves 4-8
Prep time 2 hours, 20 minutes
Meal type Salad, Side Dish
Misc Pre-preparable, Serve Cold
This tortellini salad is an awesome side dish at BBQ's. It is a staple at all of our family get togethers and everyone expects it to be there. FrenchToasty.com has lots of great side dishes and pasta salads.

Ingredients

  • 9oz cheese tortellini package (i like Buitoni)
  • 1/2 can black olives
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes (sliced in half)
  • 1 cup broccoli (chopped bite sized)
  • 1/2 cup fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (shaved or shredded)
  • 1 cup italian dressing (Newman's Own Family Recipe Italian Dressing is my favorite)

Optional

  • 1/2 cup red onion (sliced thinly)

Directions

Step 1
Boil water and cook tortellini according to package. Add broccoli for last minute.
Step 2
Prepare, your veggies by slicing while tortellini cooks.
Step 3
Drain pasta and rinse with cool water.
Step 4
Mix all ingredients in bowl besides the Parmesan cheese. Chill in refrigerator until ready to serve, at least a few hours.
Step 5
Give a quick toss, you can add more Italian dressing if desired. Top with Parmesan and serve.

With or without onions, it’s delicious, but I always make a bowl full with out so my daughter can enjoy also.

Dill Potato Salad (no-mayo)

We were making Fried Chicken and I thought potato salad was a great side to go along with it, but didn’t want the traditional mayo version. We love dill so when I found a mayo-less dressing I thought what the heck lets give it a try.

I’d love to hear what additions you put in yours, and I will be making this recipe throughout the summer so I will update with what additions I try, Enjoy!

Dill Potato Salad (no-mayo) recipe

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Dill Potato Salad (no-mayo) recipe
Serves 4
Prep time 15 minutes
Cook time 10 minutes
Total time 25 minutes
Meal type Salad, Side Dish
This mayo-less potato salad is the perfect addition to a BBQ or fried chicken. FrenchToasty.com has lots of delicious side dishes.

Ingredients

  • 5 medium russet potatoes, peeled (red would be awesome also)
  • 1 bunch fresh dill, chopped (We love dill so the more the better)
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 2-3 tablespoons dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar

Optional

  • 1 stalk celery
  • 1/2 cup bacon bits

Note

You can easily add some of the classic ingredients such as bacon bits, hard boiled eggs, celery... I just chose to keep this one simple, but the opportunities are endless.

This recipe is vegetarian but you could make this recipe vegan by using tofu sour cream.

Directions

Step 1
Boil your peeled potatoes for 10-15 minutes. You do not want them to mushy. I cut mine in bigger chunks to prevent that.
Step 2
Mix the sour cream, mustard, vinegar and 3/4 of your dill in a bowl. You could add your chopped celery if you are using it.
Step 3
Once potatoes are done, drain and rinse with cold water, or put them in an ice bath. You want them to cool immedietly to prevent overcooking.
Step 4
Once cooled toss with dressing. Top with the remaining chopped dill and serve. Also top with bacon bits when ready to serve if you are using them.

Summer Strawberry Mixed Green Salad with Slivered Almonds

This salad is simple and delicious and a great way to use up some of those extra strawberries that are in season right now. When my husband first saw the salad he said, “strawberries? In my salad?” I told him to just try it and he loved it. This salad is great with a vinaigrette, I choose a Parmesan garlic vinaigrette and it was delicious.

Strawberries are my daughters favorite right now and she will eat them until she is red in the face. So it was a great way for her to eat the same as us.

This salad is great any time of year. Winter it’s delicious because it’ll remind you of summer and who doesn’t want to be reminded of the sun and beautiful weather :) so try this salad now!

 

Summer Strawberry Mixed Green Salad with Slivered Almonds

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Summer Strawberry Mixed Green Salad with Slivered Almonds
Serves 6
Prep time 5 minutes
Meal type Salad
Misc Serve Cold
This is the perfect salad to go with any summer meal. FrenchToasty.com has lots of great salad recipes.

Ingredients

  • 6 cups mixed greens
  • 8 strawberries (sliced)
  • 1/2 cup slivered almonds

Directions

Step 1
Wash and dry greens and strawberries.
Step 2
Layer all ingredients of plate and top with your favorite dressing.

Spicy Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

I decided to make a new recipe for a BBQ this weekend and it turned out fantastic. It was a huge hit and every last bite was gobbled up. I mean who doesn’t love bacon, ranch, cheese and bacon. Oops I said bacon twice but that’s because it’s the best part, and there’s lots of it in there. This salad is creamy with a hint of spice and is quite tasty. Perfect as a side to burgers or BBQ chicken.

Pasta salad is a loved side dish at BBQ’s and they are so versatile. You can add whatever ingredients you want to this to make it more to your liking or to add more flavor. Or you can keep it simple and easy and it’ll still be a hit. I would love to hear what items you choose to add this delicious Spicy Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad.

Spicy Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

Print recipe
Spicy Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
Serves 8
Prep time 15 minutes
Cook time 10 minutes
Total time 25 minutes
Meal type Salad, Side Dish
Misc Serve Cold
This Spicy Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad is creamy with a hint of spice and is a perfect side for any BBQ.

Ingredients

  • 1 box shell pasta
  • 1 cup ranch (either ranch dressing or ranch seasoning package & mayo)
  • 1lb bacon (cooked and crumbled)
  • 1/2 cup cheddar cheese (shredded)

Optional

  • 2 tablespoons Sriracha sauce (more or less to your preferred spiciness)

Directions

Step 1
Boil a pot of salted water. Once to a boil add pasta and cook according to package.
Step 2
If choosing ranch seasoning packet mix seasoning with either mayo or sourcream whatever the packet says.
Step 3
Drain immediately and run cold water over it to stop cooking and to chill.
Step 4
Once noodles are cooled, mix ranch until fully incorporated.
Step 5
Cool in fridge for two hours.
Step 6
Right before serving mix 1/2 cup crumbled bacon into pasta salad.
Step 7
Top with remaining crumbled bacon and shredded cheddar cheese. Serve immediately.

Broccoli Summer Salad

This broccoli salad is packed with crunchy vegetables and juicy fruit. It’s a favorite at my house, my daughter loves it. I think her favorite part is the mandarin oranges, but she loves broccoli and apples just as much. This salad is very tastily paired with any summer main dish..burgers, sandwiches, ribs, chicken…it goes great with everything. Plus it’s a great way to make sure your family gets their fill of vegetables and fruit.

My friend has made this broccoli salad for years and I have always loved it so much. I finally asked her for the recipe, and then I lost it so I had to get it again. This time I’m making sure to put it on here so I will never lose it. I’m so excited to share this recipe with you all and I hope you enjoy it just as much as I do.

Broccoli Summer Salad

Print recipe
Broccoli Summer Salad
Serves 8
Prep time 15 minutes
Cook time 2 hours
Total time 2 hours, 15 minutes
Meal type Salad
Misc Serve Cold
This broccoli salad is delicious at any summer get together and great with anything BBQ'd. FrenchToasty.com has lots of summer sides.

Ingredients

Salad

  • 2lb broccoli florets (chopped bite size)
  • 1 can mandarin oranges (cut in half)
  • 1/2 cup red onion (chopped small)
  • 1/2 cup craisins
  • 1 green apple (chopped bite size)

Salad (Optional)

  • 1/2 cup slivered almonds
  • 6 bacon strips (crumbled)

Dressing

  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar

Directions

Dressing
Step 1
Whisk mayonnaise, white vinegar and sugar until completely blended. Put in refrigerator until ready to mix salad.
Salad
Step 2
In a large bowl combine broccoli, apple, onion, oranges and craisins. You can add the optional bacon and almonds.
Step 3
Mix the salad with the dressing and refrigerate for a couple hours.
Step 4
Serve with more slivered almonds, Enjoy!

Basic Green Kale Salad

Everyone knows how to make a basic green salad, but this is just giving you an idea of some of my favorite ingredients that I like in my green salad.

When making a salad opt for kale instead of lettuce, more nutritious and it holds up nicely and doesn’t wilt. Both perfect reasons to enjoy a salad with dinner tonight!

Basic Green Kale Salad

Print recipe
Basic Green Kale Salad
Serves 4
Prep time 10 minutes
Allergy Egg
Dietary Vegetarian
Meal type Salad
Misc Pre-preparable, Serve Cold
Crisp green salad with nutritious kale and vegetables.

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch kale (discard middle stem and rip into bite size pieces)
  • 2 small bell peppers (red and yellow) (chopped bite size)
  • 2 medium slices pepper jack cheese (cubed)
  • 1/2 medium cucumber or zucchini (sliced and quartered)
  • 10 cherry tomatoes (halved)
  • dressing of your choice (my favorites are balsamic vinegar, honey mustard and cesar)

Optional

  • 1-2 hard boiled eggs (sliced)

Directions

Step 1
Layer all ingredients in a bowl or on a plate and apply dressing right before serving. Enjoy!