Friday Feast | A Summer Solstice Pasta Salad

With the Summer Solstice a few days away, I'm getting ready to dance with the faeries. The scorching heat has arrived, so I'm planning a light fare for this weekend. Yet Sunday is also Father's Day, and my knight likes his traditional steak on this day. We do love a good green salad, but I'm thinking grilled Anaheim peppers with onions, and a cucumber, radish, and feta salad. For dessert? Root beer floats!

This pasta salad (photo above) was perfect with a side of grilled chicken and leeks a few days ago. And I had all the ingredients (big shock)!

Whatever your plans, remember to have fun and embrace the summertime energy. Play, sing, laugh, dance, and don't forget to celebrate all those fathers out there as well!

“I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,

Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows,

Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine,

With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine.”

~ A Midsummer Night’s Dream, William Shakespeare

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Summer Solstice Pasta Salad

Ingredients

1 package of cheese tortellini

1 cup chopped marinated artichoke hearts

1 each yellow and red bell pepper, chopped or sliced

½ cup of frozen peas, thawed

1 or 2 green onions, chopped

½ cup sliced Kalamata olives

1 cup shredded Parmesan and Asiago cheese

¼ - ½ cup Italian Dressing (I like the Olive Garden brand)

Salt and Pepper

Directions

Cook cheese tortellini to directions on package. Drain into a colander and rinse tortellini under cold water to cool. Place in large bowl.

Toss into the cooled tortellini the marinated artichoke hearts, bell peppers, peas, green onions, olives, and cheese. Then add your Italian dressing and mix thoroughly throughout.

Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Place pasta salad in fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight.

**Note: I’ve been known to swap out the Parmesan and Asiago cheese for Feta.