By I told Linda about the ring. She cried. For approximately forty-five minutes. Then she asked to see it. Then she cried again. Then she asked what kind of ring it was. Then she called her friend Diane. Then she called her sister in Kenosha. I said, "Mom, I haven't asked her yet." She said, "I know. I'm just preparing people." Preparing people. My mother is preparing the Greater Milwaukee Polish community for a wedding that hasn't been proposed yet. I love this woman. This woman is a force of nature.
She made me promise not to tell Colleen. "The mother of the bride should find out from the bride," she said. This is reasonable. This is also the only secret Linda has ever been asked to keep, and the odds of her keeping it are approximately seven percent. I give it two weeks before Colleen knows. I'm probably being generous.
At the brewery, I'm working overtime. The spring launch of the Barrel Aged Series is approaching and there's a lot to coordinate — bottling schedules, label designs, taproom events. I'm also still brewing regular beers because the sours are a side project, not a replacement. The days are long but I don't mind. Work is good. It keeps my hands busy while my brain plans a proposal.
February is coming. Valentine's Day. I considered proposing on Valentine's Day and then rejected it because Valentine's Day proposals are, in my opinion, lazy. You're already expected to be romantic. There's no surprise. Megan deserves a surprise on a day that has no obligation attached to it. She deserves a Tuesday. Or a Thursday. She deserves a regular day made extraordinary by the question.
Made Babcia's beet soup — barszcz — this week. A clear, ruby-red broth made from beets and served with tiny mushroom-filled dumplings called uszka. It's an elegant soup that Babcia served at Wigilia but also on regular Sundays when she felt like making something beautiful. Beauty has no schedule.
Babcia’s barszcz takes time — real time, the kind of Sunday-afternoon time I don’t always have when the bottling line is running and Linda is somewhere in Milwaukee telling Diane about a wedding that hasn’t happened yet. On those nights I reach for something that scratches the same itch: stuffed pasta, a punchy broth-like dressing, and enough going on in the bowl to feel like you made something. This tortellini salad isn’t Polish, and it isn’t Babcia’s, but the cheese-filled tortellini hit a similar note to uszka — little pillows of comfort — and I can have it on the table before Megan even asks what we’re eating.
Tortellini Pasta Salad with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Artichokes
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 20 minutes | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 20 oz refrigerated three-cheese tortellini
- 1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
- 1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- 1/3 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup roasted red peppers, sliced
- 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoons olive oil (from the sun-dried tomato jar, if available)
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the tortellini. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the tortellini according to package directions, about 7–9 minutes, until tender. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking and cool completely.
- Make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until well combined.
- Combine the salad. In a large bowl, add the cooled tortellini, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, red onion, and roasted red peppers. Pour the dressing over the top and toss gently to coat everything evenly.
- Finish and rest. Add the torn basil and Parmesan cheese. Toss once more. Let the salad rest for at least 5 minutes before serving so the flavors can meld. For best results, refrigerate 30 minutes before serving.
- Serve. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Keeps well covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 390 | Protein: 14g | Fat: 16g | Carbs: 48g | Fiber: 4g | Sodium: 720mg