Tortellini Carbonara

I’ve been craving pasta for weeks and just had to give in. Technically, this isn’t a true carbonara as there are no eggs or pancetta, but the flavor profile is there so I’m going with it. I used dried tortellini, but fresh would certainly work.

Let’s start the recipe by cooking a few slices of bacon. I like to leave them a little chewy, but cook them the way you like.

Remove the bacon from the pan and crumble the bacon - set aside for now.

Lower the heat and add a clove of minced garlic - stir for 30-60 seconds.

Add the crumbled bacon, parmesan cheese, heavy cream, red wine vinegar, and freshly ground pepper. Stir to combine and bring to a bubble.

Add the precooked tortellini and toss well to coat.

Serve with fresh basil and enjoy!

Tortellini Carbonara

makes 2 servings

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound dried tortellini, cooked, drained, and cooled

• 3-4 slices bacon

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

• 1/3 cup heavy cream

• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• Garnish: freshly chopped basil

Directions

1. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, then remove from skillet (reserve the drippings), crumble the bacon, and set aside until needed.

2. Lower the heat and sauté the minced garlic in reserved bacon drippings for 30-60 seconds; immediately add the crumbled bacon, parmesan cheese, heavy cream, red wine vinegar, and freshly ground black pepper, stirring until the mixture begins to bubble.

3. Stir in the cooked tortellini to reheat and gently toss to coat with the sauce.

4. Serve immediately with fresh basil.

Copycat Supreme Pasta Salad

This is my take on a famous "brand name recipe" from years ago.  A coworker's wife would send a giant bowl of it to our office parties and it was always the first thing to disappear from the table.  She always made it with spaghetti, but feel free to use any pasta you like.  This recipe is great for picnics and it keeps well for several days in the fridge so you can easily make it ahead.

Start by making the seasoning mixture by combining romano cheese, sesame seeds, paprika, kosher salt, celery seed, poppy seeds, garlic powder, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.  

Note:  the cheese should be ground.  If your cheese is grated, process it in a mini food processor until it resembles coarse meal.

Have all the other ingredients ready to go - this recipe is a simple dump and mix together kind of thing.  The pasta should be cooked, rinsed with cold water, and drained - the vegetables should be chopped - and the dressing can be bottled, homemade, or mixed from a packed (that's what I did - Good Seasons Zesty Italian made with red wine vinegar).

Sprinkle the seasoning mixture over the pasta (cooked, rinsed with cold water, and drained), then add the vegetables and dressing.  Toss well and serve cold.

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• chef's knife https://amzn.to/3zApxrh

• cutting board https://amzn.to/3fwk8e2

• mini processor https://amzn.to/3zH0FOt

• italian dressing mix https://amzn.to/3NxhBNl

• McCormick salad supreme seasoning https://amzn.to/3h1ji9n

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Copycat Supreme Pasta Salad

makes 12-16 servings

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

Seasoning Mix:

• 1/4 cup ground romano cheese (or parmesan)

• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

• 1 tablespoon paprika

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 teaspoon celery seed

• 1 teaspoon poppy seeds

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Additional Ingredients:

• 1 pound pasta, cooked, rinsed with cold water, and drained

• 2 cups diced green bell peppers

• 2 cups diced ripe tomatoes

• 1 cup diced cucumbers

• 8 ounces italian salad dressing

Directions

1. In a small mixing bowl, make the seasoning mixture by combining the first 9 ingredients together.

2. In a very large mixing bowl, sprinkle the seasoning mixture over the cooked and cooled pasta; add the remaining ingredients and stir well.

Note

• You may substitute 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) of McCormick Salad Supreme Seasoning for the seasoning mix above.