Tuesday, April 21, 2026

Campisi's House Salad - Defined Dish's version

 If you live or have lived in the Dallas area, then you have probably eaten at Campisi's.  I lived there in my twenties and I love Campisi's.  

Alex from The Defined Dish just shared her version of this salad on her instagram.  She nailed it.  I made it Sunday night with grilled chicken and I had it again last night.  I highly recommend.  I feel like salads never use Iceberg lettuce anymore and the Iceberg with the yummy dressing and a little bit of green olives and pepperoncini's  - so yummy. I might have it again today. 

Everyone should follow Alex at The Defined Dish or purchase her cookbooks.  She is a fabulous cook and recipe creator!



Campisi's Salad - from Alex at The Defined Dish


Ingredients needed:

White Vinegar

EVOO

Chopped clovs of garlic

Grated Parmesan Cheese

Pepperoncin's

Large pitted Green Olives

Sugar

Chopped clove of garlic

Kosher Salt/Freshley ground pepper

Iceberg Lettuce


Dressing - Mix in a small glass jar with a lid.  

1/3 cup white vinegar

3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Tbsp grated Parmesan Cheese

1 Tbsp of olive brine (from the jar of green olives)

1 Tbsp. pepperoncini juice

little sugar

chopped garlic clove

salt

freshly ground pepper

Mix and store in the jar.  ( I didn't use all of mine the first night)

Salad - 

Roughly chop Iceberg lettuce.  I only chopped what we needed for dinner.  I chopped more the next night. Add a few chopped green onion and a few large pitted green olives.  Toss with dressing.  I would start of with a little to coat - you don't want your salad floating in dressing. 

To serve - 

Pile salad mixture high on plate.  Top with more grated Parmesan cheese and top with more freshly ground black pepper.  Serve with1 or 2 olives on the side and 1or 2 pepperoncini's on the side.  Enjoy as is or with pizza or like we did.. with grilled chicken.  I like a little bit of pepperoncini so I diced mine and tossed it in the salad.  

Enjoy!



Thursday, January 29, 2026

Easy Tortellini Soup

 I have followed Totally Tikaa on Instagram for years.  She is fashionable and fun, knows all things Round Top in Texas and always has a lot to share.  She made an easy soup recently.  I copied down the ingredients and I have made it twice.  This Easy Tortellini Soup is quick and easy and reheats well.  It did soak up most of the chicken broth so I added more when I reheated it.  My hubby was eating leftovers tonight and he said... "this soup is amazing!" Enjoy!!



Easy Tortellini Soup

2 lbs. ground Italian Sausage
8 oz. cream cheese
14.5 oz can of Rotel
32 oz chicken broth
family size package of cheese tortellini
5 oz pkg of spinach leaves
.
Brown the Italian sausage, drain.  Add in the cream cheese and stir in to melt and incorporate. Add in the can of Rotel.  Add in the chicken broth.  Bring mixture to a boil.  Add in tortellini and follow the directions on the tortellini package - usually 3 minutes.  Add in the spinach, stirring until spinach is wilted and soup is ready to eat. Serve with crusty French bread.