go grΣΣk - my grecian pasta salad

we recently hired a new employee at work and i put together a little roof top luncheon to welcome him to the gang. everyone brought a side dish to share and i decided to contribute with this crazy easy pasta salad. i kind of just threw things in here that i thought would go good together. it turned out wonderful - one of my coworkers even mentioned it being the best pasta salad she's ever had.

ingredients:

1 lb. mini cheese-filled raviolis (i used the trader joe's brand)
12 oz. marinated artichokes, drained and chopped (reserving liquid for later)
1/3 cup black olives, sliced
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
4 cups fresh spinach, chopped
6 oz. crumbled feta
juice of half a lemon
s&p

directions:

cook pasta according to directions. rinse and cool under cold water until it reaches room temperature. combine rest of ingredients with pasta, seasoning with s&p. pour lemon juice and reserved artichoke marinade liquid over pasta salad, mixing well to combine flavors.  let rest 1 hour in fridge before serving for best results. enjoy!

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spring for peas: spring green risotto

i found this recipe from one of my favorite foodies, annie. she developed this creation after she was inspired by the one and only, ina garten.  it's the perfect show stopper to kick off your spring with a bang. the risotto highlights fresh, seasonal ingredients like peas, asparagus and leeks. the lemon zest take it to another level, perfuming the entire dish and adding that extra oomph. i followed her recipe almost exactly - the only change i made was to use chive flavored cream cheese in lieu of the mascarpone cheese and fresh chives. i paired the creamy risotto with a simple spinach topped with a tangy balsamic dressing.

i took a picture of my version, but it just didn't compare to the one annie took - so i'm showcasing hers instead.  check out the full recipe.

(image credit - annies-eats.com)

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