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On Monday, I’m heading north. I’ll be spending a couple of days in my second favorite part of Mississippi, the Delta, for the Mississippi Tourism Association’s Spring Summit being hosted in Cleveland.

When you’ve lived in the Delta before, going back is a treat. I get to visit my favorite restaurants I’ve missed, see friends that I’ve only seen through Instagram stories, and maybe even sneak out to McCarty’s Pottery in Merigold for a little retail therapy. It feels like going home and seeing an old friend.

While there have been some changes (Po Monkey’s is now closed since his passing, and there are more Mexican restaurants than one town should have) you can still find a familiar face at the convenience store across from campus, the same 35-mile-per-hour speed limit through town, and all of the backroads I’ve ridden time and time again.

I’ve mentioned before that my years in Cleveland were spent falling in love with the many lunch spots that served chicken salad every way you can imagine.

Another favorite dish that I like to recreate from time to time is the Tortellini Pasta Salad served at The Warehouse. I’ve changed a few ingredients along the way, but I still get that same delicious bite every time we make a batch.

Spinach works better than the original’s iceberg or romaine since I can’t make it through an entire bowl in one day. We have tested many brands of Caesar dressing, and Ken’s is the best on the shelves. This dish pairs well with barbeque, burgers, and works great on a buffet spread.

Tortellini Pasta Salad

2 packages Buitoni tortellini pasta

1/2 bag baby spinach, chopped into strips

1/2 bottle Ken’s caesar dressing

Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Salt and pepper to taste

Bring pasta to a boil, brain, and cool. Prepare the spinach, add to a large bowl with the pasta. Toss together with dressing, cheese, salt, and pepper. Refrigerate overnight and toss again with more dressing before serving.

Jennie Guido writes a weekly column for The Natchez Democrat. You can reach her at guido.jennie@gmail.com.