Orange and Grape Tortellini Salad

I was a little apprehensive about mixing these ingredients, but very glad I did. This is an unsual cool salad. I get requests to bring it to every potluck and family gathering. I double the recipe and always substitute slivered almonds for the walnuts. I use the homey mustard dressing #45529 from this site. Makes just enough. I like to make the tortellini ahead and add dressing and cool before adding the rest of the ingredients.

I MADE IT WITH A CREAMY ORANGE DRESSING AND IT WAS SO GOOD. TOASTEDT PECANS REALLY TOPPED IT OFF

I add diced cooked chicken for a salad meal. We don't care for any honey mustard dressing, they are way to "mustardy" for our tastes. So I toss the cooked pasta lightly with fat free italian dressing and let it cool dressed with that, and then add fat-free mayonnaise, fat-free sour cream, and just enough dijon mustard for our taste. This is of course, then, a different recipe but the idea came from here. It makes a very refreshing salad dinner in the summer. I sometimes use chopped pecans instead of walnuts due to food allergies in some family members. Sometimes I leave out the mandarin oranges. Sometimes I substitute sliced green onions for the red onion, and sometimes add chopped celery, depending what I have on hand. Sometimes I throw in some different seasonings. It's very versatile and you can adjust to your tastes and what you have on hand.

I work at a high school, and I am frequently asked to bring this salad to potlucks. I usually leave out the onions,or add only a very small amount.

Excellent.....to quote my daughter "this is the best dish you have brought over in a long time". I did not use the onions, for health reasons and forgot to include the walnuts...but this dish is definitely a keeper for entertaining in all seasons.....I am using it again next weekend at a family reunion.