Tortellini Garden Salad

I found this recipe at Gourmet Momma. It's super easy and a great new take on pasta salad.

Grocery List:
1 large ripe tomato, cut bite-size
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup thinly sliced pepper, preferably yellow or red
1⁄3 cup bottled balsamic vinaigrette dressing
1 pkg (16 oz) frozen cheese tortellini
4 cups fresh broccoli florets (1⁄2 a 16-oz bag)
1⁄2 cup chopped fresh basil
1 bag (5 oz) spring lettuce mixture
4 oz smoked or regular mozzarella cheese, cut in small cubes (1 cup)

**Serve with: extra balsamic vinaigrette dressing (optional)

How to make it:

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, combine tomato, onion, pepper and dressing in a large bowl. Leave at room temperature.

2. Add tortellini to boiling water; cook as package directs, adding broccoli to pot 5 minutes before tortellini will be done.

3. Drain; rinse under running cold water. Add to tomato mixture; add basil and toss to mix.

4. To serve: Arrange 1 cup lettuce on each of 4 plates. Top with tortellini mixture and mozzarella. Serve extra dressing on the side.

*I decided to make this after the kids had gone to bed, so I was just scrounging in my refrigerator for ingredients. I didn't have mozzarella cheese, so I substituted Parmesan out of the can (not gourmet, but it works!). I also didn't have spring mix lettuce (just leafy green), and I don't like broccoli so I just nixed it, nor did I have a balsamic vinagrette dressing but used a light Italian dressing and it turned out great!