Christmas Eve Pasta Salad

Monday already?  This week's meatless recipe was used as a side for Christmas Eve Dinner at the Gibsons'.  It's got enough going on though to double as a light main dish.  And trust me, it made enough for us to eat it for several meals following Christmas.

Christmas Eve Salad.

 Christmas Eve Pasta Salad a-la- Rachael Ray

Ingredients:

• Coarse salt
• 1 package fresh mushroom or chicken prosciutto or spinach filled tortellini (I used cheese tortellini)
• 1/2 pound fresh baby spinach
• 1 (15-ounce) can baby artichoke hearts in water, drained and chopped
• 1 red roasted pepper, drained and chopped
• 1/2 small red onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, cracked from skin
• 1 lemon, zested 
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice, the juice of 1 wedge
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, a couple of splashes
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped or 1/2 teaspoon dried leaves, eyeball it
• Black pepper
• A handful sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, coarsely chopped

Method:

• Bring 5 or 6 inches of water to a boil in a large pot. Salt boiling water and add pasta. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until pasta is just tender and the tortellini are floating like buoys. Drain tortellini, then cool the cooked pasta by spreading them out on a large plate or a cookie sheet in a single layer.
• Coarsely chop baby spinach. Combine with artichoke pieces, roasted red pepper and red onion. Chop garlic, then add salt to it and mash it into a paste with the flat of your knife. Transfer garlic paste to a small bowl and add lemon zest, lemon juice and vinegar to it. Whisk in oil, thyme and pepper. Add pasta and sun-dried tomatoes to the salad. Dress salad and gently toss. Serve or refrigerate.

This salad was pretty tasty... but I'm not sure I'm a big fan of thyme.  It sort of reminded me of potpourri.  I'd probably leave it out next time I make this dish.

And, I'm sure you're interested in more than just the salad from Christmas Eve!  How about some pics?

Handsome little guy.

"Cheese" turns into some pretty funny faces.

Fire place shot.



Such a good picture!

Hilarious.

Cheese.

Merry Christmas!

Jack giving his sweet & innocent face.  He just wants presents.

Showing off the Christmas jammies.

Tree shot.

He says "cheese" every time someone pulls out a camera.

Merry Christmas Jack!

We had a lovely time on Christmas Eve, and I hope you did too! 

Happy {meatless} Monday!