Pesto Tortellini Salad

It's finally warming up.  I actually went to work without a jacket several times this past week.  I was even tempted to go for a swim.  Tempted.  But it was also windy and I really didn't feel like skimming leaves.

In spite of the Merrie Monarch Festival happening in town this past week, I had a very non-festive week.  Work, which should've been nice since it was a short week, was just blecchhhh.

I supposed teenagers will always be teenagers.  The after-prom shenanigans included the pilferage of the table decorations (kids were explicitly told, in no uncertain terms, that decorations were not to be removed from the tables) and defacement of linens.  Dealing with the aftermath, including tracking down the perps, makes for a pretty shitty week.

The culminating activity of the year, Commencement, was another source of shittiness.  Every year, I discover more adults "on the spectrum" (or at least I swear they are).  And students who are in the running for (and have hopes to win) a class award. . .not pono!  Being pono includes abiding by the direction of adults.  It does not include stirring up trouble by sparking "he said, she said" controversy.  I'm still pissed.

And since I'm on the shitty bus, here's another suck ass thing which happened.  My car repairs are gonna cost big buck$.  Dang!  I got that bit of bad news when I went to Kona this weekend.

In trying to end this post on a positive note, I'm gonna dig deep.  The Kona trip this weekend did yield something good. . .a jar of pesto from Costco.  OllieMama told me a while ago that Costco makes awesome pesto.  I'm glad I listened because she is right. 

We usually mix spoonfuls of pesto into cooked pasta, but in looking for something different, I tried this salad.  The original recipe called for half the pesto, but I wanted a more punched-up pesto flavor.  I also decided to toast the pine nuts because I like the extra-nutty flavor.  Like the crimes of theft and vandalism (the acts committed by irresponsible kids), this salad is so good it should be illegal.

click on recipe title for printable recipe
Pesto Tortellini Salad

     1 pkg. (8-9 oz) refrigerated, ready-to-cook cheese tortellini

     1/2 c pine nuts

     1 small zucchini, sliced into thin strips

     1 c grape or cherry tomatoes

     1/4 c pesto

     1/3 c mayonnaise

    

Cook tortellini according to package directions.  Drain and cool.  Line a shallow baking pan with foil.  Place pine nuts in a single layer and bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes.  Remove pine nuts from pan and cool.  Halve grape tomatoes or quarter cherry tomatoes.  Remove seeds.  Combine pesto and mayonnaise in a medium mixing bowl.  Add remaining ingredients and toss gently.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

It's finally warming up.  I actually went to work without a jacket several times this past week.  I was even tempted to go for a swim.  Tempted.  But it was also windy and I really didn't feel like skimming leaves.

In spite of the Merrie Monarch Festival happening in town this past week, I had a very non-festive week.  Work, which should've been nice since it was a short week, was just blecchhhh.

I supposed teenagers will always be teenagers.  The after-prom shenanigans included the pilferage of the table decorations (kids were explicitly told, in no uncertain terms, that decorations were not to be removed from the tables) and defacement of linens.  Dealing with the aftermath, including tracking down the perps, makes for a pretty shitty week.

The culminating activity of the year, Commencement, was another source of shittiness.  Every year, I discover more adults "on the spectrum" (or at least I swear they are).  And students who are in the running for (and have hopes to win) a class award. . .not pono!  Being pono includes abiding by the direction of adults.  It does not include stirring up trouble by sparking "he said, she said" controversy.  I'm still pissed.

And since I'm on the shitty bus, here's another suck ass thing which happened.  My car repairs are gonna cost big buck$.  Dang!  I got that bit of bad news when I went to Kona this weekend.

In trying to end this post on a positive note, I'm gonna dig deep.  The Kona trip this weekend did yield something good. . .a jar of pesto from Costco.  OllieMama told me a while ago that Costco makes awesome pesto.  I'm glad I listened because she is right. 

We usually mix spoonfuls of pesto into cooked pasta, but in looking for something different, I tried this salad.  The original recipe called for half the pesto, but I wanted a more punched-up pesto flavor.  I also decided to toast the pine nuts because I like the extra-nutty flavor.  Like the crimes of theft and vandalism (the acts committed by irresponsible kids), this salad is so good it should be illegal.

click on recipe title for printable recipe
Pesto Tortellini Salad

     1 pkg. (8-9 oz) refrigerated, ready-to-cook cheese tortellini

     1/2 c pine nuts

     1 small zucchini, sliced into thin strips

     1 c grape or cherry tomatoes

     1/4 c pesto

     1/3 c mayonnaise

    

Cook tortellini according to package directions.  Drain and cool.  Line a shallow baking pan with foil.  Place pine nuts in a single layer and bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes.  Remove pine nuts from pan and cool.  Halve grape tomatoes or quarter cherry tomatoes.  Remove seeds.  Combine pesto and mayonnaise in a medium mixing bowl.  Add remaining ingredients and toss gently.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.