tortellini primavera recipe

I totally have hit or miss days weeks when it comes to cooking. Sometimes I want to go all gourmet and cook a big meal, other times I just want someone else to do the cooking. I'm sure you can all relate. I do enjoy cooking...but most of the time I'd prefer for someone to do it for me! I had fun making this dish and when it came together it looked so so yummy that I just couldn't wait to devour it. You know what they say "you eat with your eyes first"...well, that was very true with this dish! I loved all the colors and different textures I saw...I feel like I'm talking about fabric or something here! I guess cooking is just another way for me to get "crafty"...sometimes! Trust me, we don't get good looking food all the time. I shared this photo on facebook and some of my friends asked for the recipe...I figured this would be the easiest way to share it.

The recipe comes from one of my favorite cookbooks...Taste of Home: Simple and Delicious Cookbook. And that is the perfect name for this cookbook. The meals are simple to make (most take around 30 minutes) and so far I've liked everything I've made from this cookbook. I hope I'm not breaking any copyright laws by posting this recipe here...if I find out I am I'll be taking the recipe down.

Tortellini Primavera
prep/total time: 20 min. Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients:
1 package (9oz) refrigerated cheese tortellini
2 medium yellow summer squash, chopped
2 medium zucchini, chopped
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup creamy Caesar salad dressing
1/4 shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Directions:
Cook tortellini according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet saute yellow squash and zucchini in oil for 4-6 minutes or until crisp-tender.

Drain tortellini; place in a large bowl. Add the squash mixture, tomatoes, onions and pepper. Drizzle with salad dressing; toss to coat. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and almonds.

My variations:
So, here is what I did differently. I knew we'd have some grown men eating this and we may need to stretch it past just 6 helpings so I sauteed a package of sausage before I added the veggies. This helped bulk up the meal a bit. I am totally okay with doing a veggie dish and I probably would have if we didn't have additional people eating with us. I do not use the parmesan that comes in the green shaker canister...I have some good shredded parmesan in my fridge that goes on lots of things and it way better than the pulverized stuff in the green shaker canister (we have that on hand too but usually just for spaghetti). I did not add the almonds. I don't care for almonds and I didn't have any slivered almonds on hand. I think the meal needs that little crunch that the almonds offer so it probably would've been good if I added them. But the meat helped a little bit with this too.

This was a hit. Everyone liked it. My husband who normally will not touch zucchini or yellow summer squash said it was good. My girls ate everything but the zucchini and squash but they at least tried it...and Micah ate all of it! That's my boy! Give it a try...I really think you'll like it!

Here are a few other dishes that came from this cookbook.
Steak and potato kabobs!


cuban style stuffed peppers (I liked these but I think they were too spicy for everyone else)


not a great picture...but it was yummy
Nacho MacNCheese:


and my favorite so far...
grasshopper pie!

Happy Cooking!!