The end of the school year is always a little bittersweet: I am saying goodbye to another group of students. This year, I’m also saying goodbye to several teacher besties. The garden is starting to pop up and demand daily attention. There are recitals to attend and receptions to bake for.
This year we have the added joy and heartache of watching our eldest graduate from high school.
Yes, next year she will be just down the road at Mississippi State (go, dawgs!), but it is still the end of the era of all of us living in the same house yearlong.
I don’t mind telling you that I hate it.
Oh, I’ve been googling the alternatives: putting books on her head won’t do anything. Creating a communal living situation is sooooo 1970s. She can’t get college credit if I homeschool her.
So it seems she will be graduating and I will be weeping and gnashing my teeth, per the usual.
I mean, I assume it is the usual. This is the first time we have done this, so I can’t be totally sure, but weeping and gnashing of teeth seems like a pretty sustainable longterm plan.
At any rate, I am always on the prowl for a good, easy dinner idea, especially this time of year.
I ran across this pasta salad idea quite by accident and quickly realized I could replicate it using several items I keep on hand.
The original source of this meal was one of the famed seasonal items Aldi sells – the kind of purchase you want to love, but not too much, because you won’t be able to get it again for another year.
This one was a pesto tortellini salad kit I found in the refrigerated section. I started a pot of water to boil and butterflied a few chicken breasts, brined them and sprinkled on some seasoned salt, and air fried them for about 20 minutes.
By the time the chicken was cooked, the pasta salad was also done. That suited me just fine because I definitely did not want to cook in the first place.
Then the kids gave it rave reviews… well, all except for Pfeiffer, who hardly ever likes anything green. The next time I made it, I pulled out some plain cooked tortellini for her before I added the pesto, and she gobbled it up.
See? It has options even for the pickiest eaters! Bonus!
TORTELLINI PESTO SALAD
Ingredients
1 (20 ounce) package refrigerated tortellini (I prefer cheese-filled)
1/2 cup prepared pesto (I used Classico brand)
1/4 cup bottled Italian dressing
1/4 cup mozzarella pearls, fresh diced mozzarella, or shredded mozzarella (pearls or fresh are much better than shredded)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (green can is fine)
Optional: protein such as cooked chicken breast strips, ham cubes, or pepperoni
Directions
Note: These directions assume you are using refrigerated tortellini. Use shelf-stable dried tortellini if you must, but I take no responsibility for the sadness that may occur as a result.
■ Cook tortellini in boiling water per package directions, typically about 4 minutes. Drain hot water and rinse tortellini well until it is cool. Pour pasta back into the pot. Add pesto and Italian dressing and mix. Add Parmesan and mozzarella and toss gently. Eat as-is or top with protein for a complete meal.
Amelia Plair is a mom and high school teacher in Starkville. Email reaches her at [email protected].
Amelia Plair is a Starkville resident who writes occasional food columns.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 28 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
