sides Archives - Scissors & Spatulas

Tortellini Mediterranean Salad

I am super excited to be here today to share a recipe with you! A couple weeks ago we had a casual dinner of brats and corn on the cob. I needed another side dish to go along with the dinner so I threw together some ingredients I had on hand to make a pasta salad. It turned out quite tasty so I thought I’d share it with you.

2 small packages Buitoni Chicken Prosciutto Tortellini {found in the refrigerator section}, 1 small jar marinated artichoke hearts. 1 medium tomato, 1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives, a large handful of fresh basil leaves, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning.

Cook the pasta according to package instructions {be sure to add some salt to your cooking water}, drain and allow to cool slightly.

In the meantime, chop the tomato, artichokes, olives and basil into roughly the same size pieces {a trick I learned from Ina Garten, otherwise known as Barefoot Contessa}.

In a small bowl combine Italian seasoning, balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

Whisk to combine well.

In a separate larger bowl, add pasta and chopped veggies.

Add the dressing to the pasta and veggies.

Mix well to combine and refrigerate for several hours.
Yummy!

Sautéed Cheese & Corn Casserole Recipe

Back when I did my vlog post for Philadelphia Cooking Creme, I received a cookbook in the mail full of recipes using Philly cream cheese. The book is called Cooking with Pheeling and there are some incredible looking recipes in it!
I’ve only tried one recipe so far. I was looking for a vegetable side dish when this picture caught my eye.

The recipe was for Sautéed Cheese and Corn Casserole. I made it and it was delish!
So I wanted to share it with you. I couldn’t find a link to the recipe anywhere online. Below is the recipe from the cookbook with a few minor changes.

Sautéed Cheese & Corn Casserole

Start with 1/4 cup chopped onion & 1/2 cup finely chopped mushrooms.

Sautee onions and mushrooms in 2 Tbsp melted butter over medium-low heat

until tender.

Add 1/4 cup flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.

Add 1 can creamed corn to the pan. Stir to combine and cook until heated through.

In the meantime, grate 1/2 cup Gruyere cheese.

Add one can corn, drained, 1/2 cup chive & onion cream cheese, grated cheese and salt and pepper to the pan. Remove from heat and mix until combined.

Finely crush 1/2 cup buttery round crackers (Ritz) with a rolling pin. Mix with 3 Tbsp melted butter.

Pour the corn mixture into a greased casserole dish. Top with cracker crumb mixture.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30-45 minutes or until casserole is bubbly and topping is golden brown.

So delicious!

Jen’s Broccoli Slaw

Looking for a new twist on your typical coleslaw? Why not try Broccoli Slaw? “What the heck is broccoli slaw?” you ask. Coleslaw that uses shredded broccoli instead of cabbage! I’ve made a couple different recipes of broccoli slaw and combined them all to create my own version that I’ll share with you. This salad combines toasty Asian flavors with sweet apples. Almonds and noodles add a nice crunch. I must admit that it is pretty tasty!

So for your next BBQ, why not make something new to wow your guests?!

You’ll need:

1 bag of broccoli coleslaw {in refrigerator case with bagged salads}

2 green onions

1 large Gala apple

2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped {optional}

3 Tablespoons butter

1/3 cup sliced almonds

1 package Ramen noodles, oriental flavor

2 Tablespoons white sugar

1/4 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup apple juice

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Melt 3 Tbsp butter in a skillet over med-low heat.

While butter melts, open Ramen noodles and set seasoning packet aside. Use a rolling pin to crush noodles.

Add crushed noodles and sliced almonds to the melted butter. Saute, stirring frequently about 7-10 minutes, or until toasted. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

In the meantime, core and chop apple into 1-inch pieces. Chop green onion and cilantro {if desired}.

Combine broccoli slaw, green onions, apples and cilantro in a large bowl.

Combine sugar, seasoning packet, apple juice and vinegar. Whisk in oil.

Add noodle mixture to the bowl, pour dressing over salad. Stir to combine.

Refrigerate for several hours and mix well before serving.

Enjoy!

{Yield: 8 servings. This salad gets better the longer it sits. It’s great the next day too!}