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Saturday, September 3, 2011

Labor Day Blog Hop

Welcome! It's Labor Day Weekend here in the US, which has come to mean one last long weekend to blow out the summer in style. For my family, that's beach time, boat time, and BBQ time.

Except I'm a fair-skinned Scandinavian who turns beet red in the sun in five minutes flat and prefers mountains to water. So my husband and kids get the boat and beach time, while I get blessed alone time.

The BBQ, however, that's very much my domain. The husband might take care of the actual grill, but I go nuts on what we're having and getting it ready. Our favorite ribs are these Hawaiian style ribs, the moistest, most delicious ribs I've ever had. They're pretty much the only ribs I'll eat anymore, because I'm so incredibly picky.

Today, I'm sharing one of my family's go-to BBQ recipes. My husband isn't a big fan of creamy stuff, so that pretty much rules out most potato salads the rest of us will eat, and I'm not a huge fan of macaroni salads. Other pastas, however...yum. This tortellini salad is versatile and so packed with flavor. Even my picky nine-year-old gobbles this down, complete with olives and spinach I can't get him to touch in other dishes.

Tortellini Salad


INGREDIENTS
1 9-oz package cheese tortellini
1 10-oz package fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup sliced black olives
1 cup chopped salami
2 tbsp ranch vinaigrette (or Italian dressing)

DIRECTIONS
1. Cook pasta until al dente. Rinse under cold water and drain.
2. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except for the vinaigrette.
3. Once thoroughly mixed, add dressing to coat.

NOTES: Serves 4. You don't have to worry about the spinach. The oil from the vinaigrette wilts it just enough.

If couscous is more your style, try this Mexican-inspired Black Bean and Couscous Salad. It's just as amazing.

So what are your favorite BBQ dishes? Leave a comment on this post and get a chance to win an e-book from my backlist. On Tuesday morning, I'm going to pick two winners. Plus, I've added a print copy of my Samhain time travel,Two Lives in Waltz Time, into the grand prize basket. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of the tour!

30 comments:

Becky said...

I will take the guy preparing the salad.
I don't really have any favorite BBQ dishes. If I want something with BBQ on it I just add some original Kraft barbecue sauce. The Tortellini salad sounds good. I will have to give this a try and check out the Hawaiian style ribs that is a favorite of yours.
Hope everyone has a fun and safe Labor Day weekend.

Rebecca Gillan said...

Oh yum! I'm headed off to the store for some salad fixin's! Thanks for the great post!

The Scarf Princess said...

I think I know whose house I want to BBQ at! Those are very mouth-watering recipes....and the guy's pretty hot too. For BBQing I'm a huge portabello mushroom fan. I brush them with a little olive oil, butter, rosemary, and sometimes either garlic or balsamic vinegar depending on my mood. Then toss them on the grill to cook. They're so yummy!

joderjo402 AT gmail DOT com

Jacki C. said...

My favorite BBQ dishes are the ones that others bring to the BBQ - I am NOT good at coming up with tasty dishes. :)

Krystal Larson said...

I love grilled fruit! edysicecreamlover18@gmailDOTcom

Christine said...

Hi! Thanks for having the blog hop. I wish I could share something great we BBQ, but neither of us are great chefs & we are the pickiest people on the planet! lol I'd never touch a olive again after my friend made me bite into one. Tasted like nothing but salt and I don't salt anything. lol I love to eat BBQ though. We haven't bbq'd anything this year, but we're finally getting a new grill this weekend. So we'll probably have the normal fare of Ckn, Hot dogs and hamburgers. We're simple kind of people I guess. lol chirth7(at)yahoo(dot)com

Nay Nay said...

OMG! I have that Hawaiian Style Ribs Recipe! I love it. I make a few changes. As I don't like Orange Marmalade and Oyster sauce, I eliminate them and use molasses instead. I don't put them on the grill over the flame, but put all the charcoal to one side and the meat on the other side and smoke them. YUMMM!!! ^_^

reneebennett35(at)yahoo(dot)com

jessica said...

That salad sounds so good. Thanks for the recipe! My favorite BBQ food would have to be BBQ pulled pork (or chicken) and homemade potato salad with watermelon. Can't forget the watermelon. I hope that you have a great Labor day weekend!

Anonymous said...

PLEASE tell me that is your husband making the salad...I bet you NEVER get anything done:) Thanks for the recipes...they look great!

books4me67 at ymail.com

cheralyn said...

Thanks for the great recipe,I'm looking forward to making it, sounds delicious! I love BBQ spare ribs served with either potato and egg salad or macaroni salad. cheryllynne(at)rocketmail(dot)com

Pati said...

Samhain time travel sounds very interesting, I'll keep my eyes peeled. As for Bar-b-que... my neighbor friend's brisket has to take the prize for me. Other than that... just good ole steak.

Now... back to the guy making the salad... *licks lips*.

Pommawolf Emeraldwolfeyes said...

I love the mountains more than the water myself as I burn, so I've never been a sun worshiper. I love the mountains and the evergreens and although I live in Alaska there are no pine trees in the interior, but only black spruce and birch trees. I miss the northwest for all it's varied pines...*S*
I love romance and paranormal romance.
Thank you for the blog tour!

Darcy

pommawolf @hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

I like my bbq-Texas style: ribs, brisket, sausage, corn, baked bean.... Umm gotta go...now I am hungry!

Gabrielle Lee said...

I'm more for going to the bbq's myself. I am not much of a cook so I leave that to others.

Suzane said...

I'm sitting in the North Carolina mountains as we speak. However we will be traveling home to Fl on labor day. Ugh, do we have to go *pouting*... Thanks for the picture of the kitchen boy, wish I had one like that.

Unknown said...

Great recipe presentation! Thanks for helping to host this sexy blog hop. Now following you on GFC. Best of luck to you!

Happy Writing & Blogging,
Laurielu
Bona Fide Reflections
bonafidereflections@gmail.com
http://bona-fide-reflections.com

Robin Covington said...

Can I order the hunk with a side of yum?

One of favorite recipes for a BBQ is a greek pasta salad with cucumbers, tomoatoes, a greek dressing , penne pasta and feta cheese.

Robin

JoAnna said...

I'll eat what ever the guy in your picture makes. I personally don't like to cook so if there are BBQs going on I usually attend and bring a store bought item.

beckerjo at verizon dot net

Robin said...

I don't cook do have no recipe but love BBQ ribs!

Robin D
robindpdx (at) yahoo (dot) com

Kari S. said...

I love my aunt's potato salad, but if I gave you the recipe, I'd have to kill you! Hahaha j/k. Anyway, I have never made these, but they look really good. http://www.myrecipes.com/quick-and-easy/1-list-5-meals/week-fifteen-1-list-5-low-carb-meals-10000001925651/page3.html

Kari
msksharp (at) gmail (dot) com

Dragon Momma said...

A couple years ago, when my oldest graduated high school, we did a fried turkey along with 2 kinds of Italian sausage, hot dogs n burgers. It was a big hit! This past Father's Day, we did 5 pounds of fried chicken wings. Seasoned them after, while still hot. YUM!!! Can't you tell I live in the South?? :p FAVE FAVE bbq stuff would have to be my mom's recipe of kielbasa in a sweet n sour type sauce. Closest I have been able to come to it is using one bottle of Heinz 57 sauce (or store brand equivalent)and one jar (normal size) of grape jam. Bama Jam is REALLY good for this. Melt that all down and add in a bunch of the lil smokies. YUM!!! Better the next day.

Stacy Wilson

dragn_lady at yahoo dot com

Unknown said...

Thanks for sharing the recipe and for the giveaway! As far as I'm concerned, I pretty much like anything with barbecue sauce on it ;)

chibipooh(at)gmail(dot)com

elaing8 said...

That recipe sounds great.My favorite is BBQ chicken and corn on the cob with a baked potato.
elaing8(at)netscape(dot)net

Karen C said...

I love BBQ but my family isn't big on it so I settle for having it when we go out. And, when we grill, it's fairly plain fare. Boring!! I did copy the recipes - I can always be optimistic! ;-)

msmjb65 said...

Does the recipe come with the naked young man? LOL!
MJB
msmjb65 AT gmail DOT com

wanda f said...

I love chooped bbq especially with potato salad yummmmm
flanagan@mebtel.net

Marilyn ~ wiggiemd said...

recipe sounds great...I love bbq porksteaks, corn on the cob and potatoes all grilled...yun!

Anonymous said...

I loved grilled pineapple with Nutella on top. Totally sweet and a bit decadent.


cathy m
caity_mack at yahoo dot com

Fedora said...

One of our favorites is chili--we've used variations on Rachael Ray's Summer Chili recipe with great success--http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/indian-summer-turkey-chili-recipe/index.html

It goes well with chips and grilled stuff...

f dot chen at comcast dot net

Anonymous said...

Yumm, I'm going to have to make that next weekend! Hmmm, I have a wonderful brisket receipe that I cook that takes about 7 hours. Everyone loves it, but I won't eat it, since I don't eat much beef, hehe. After all that, I usually end up eating a PBJ if I don't feel like cooking me some chicken.


Brandi Roberts
scssugar(at)yahoo(dot)com