Black Bean and Pumpkin Chili

Don't be scared by the name of the recipe. I promise, it's super tasty!  You wouldn't even guess that it has pumpkin in it. It's very hearty and it's healthy!  We had it tonight with corn bread and it was perfect!

Black Bean & Pumpkin Chili

1 Medium Onion

1 Yellow Bell Pepper

3 Garlic cloves minced

3 C chicken broth

2 cans black beans - rinsed and drained

1 lb ground turkey

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes

2 tsp. parsley

2 tsp. chili powder

1 1/2 tsp. oregano 

1 1/2 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. salt

 

Saute meat, onions, and bell pepper until cooked.  Add garlic and spices and cook. *  Add everything together and simmer for 15-20 mins. (*You can also transfer to a 5 quart slow cooker, stir in remaining ingredients, cover and cook on low for 4 hours)

 

Pumpkin Curry Soup

This is a yummy soup, so I thought I'd pass it along! It sounds a little weird, but the flavors are sooo good. Trust me.  Enjoy! :)

Pumpkin Curry Soup

2 c. canned pumpkin
4 Tablespoons butter
1/2 c. onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, pressed
4 cups of water (you can also add 1-2 extra cups of water, which is what I did and I liked the consistency/flavor)
6 small chicken bouillon cubes (or 3 large cubes)
2 cups half and half
2-3 chicken breasts, seasoned, baked and cubed
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 tsp curry
1 pinch nutmeg
1/4 tsp pepper
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 to 3 cups cooked rice

In large saucepan, melt butter. Saute onion and garlic until tender.  Add everything else except the half and half and the rice.  Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.  Add rice and half-and-half at the end and heat through.  Add any additional seasonings (Salt, pepper, curry, etc...). It is very filling and serves about 6. Makes make great leftovers!

Chicken & Spinach Soup with Fresh Pesto

I have a ton of vegetables, so I was wanting to make a soup for dinner tonight.  I finally found this recipe that sounded good, and made a few changes to add more veggies to it.  It turned out great! I even used canned chicken, so it was pretty easy. 

Have I mentioned that I LOVE soup weather??

Chicken & Spinach Soup with Fresh Pesto
Adapted from http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/chicken_spinach_pesto_soup.html

5 servings, about 1 1/2 cups each
Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 sweet potato, diced
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1 can stewed tomatoes or 1 tomato, diced
• 1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 8 ounces), cut into quarters (or 1 can)
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 5 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried marjoram (I didn't have any...I used rosemary and basil)
• 6 ounces baby spinach, coarsely chopped
• 1 15-ounce can cannellini beans or great northern beans, rinsed
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 3/4 cup plain or herbed multigrain croutons for garnish (optional)

Preparation

1. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sweet potato, onion and chicken; cook, turning the chicken and stirring frequently, until the chicken begins to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more. Stir in broth and marjoram; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes.
2. With a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken pieces to a clean cutting board to cool. Add spinach, tomatoes and beans to the pot and bring to a gentle boil. Cook for 5 minutes to blend the flavors.
3. Combine the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, Parmesan and basil in a food processor (or use prepared pesto) . Process until a coarse paste forms, adding a little water and scraping down the sides as necessary.
4. Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Stir the chicken and pesto into the pot. Season with pepper. Heat until hot. Garnish with croutons, if desired.

Betty Crocker....

Or is it Martha Stewart? I forget. Basically, I'm super domestic.  So, I did a little canning last night. I've only done it once, we did salsa with some friends last year(I think?).  (So I'm totally kidding when I say I'm super domestic, I'm a complete amateur).  It was a ton of work, but there were lots of helping hands and the salsa was great.  Somehow I forgot the work involved and slaved away (by myself...Dan chopped 1/2 an onion) all night long and ended up with 6 little pints of salsa and 4 little containers of strawberry-peach jam.  I'm just trying to remind myself that it's 4 jars of salsa that I don't have to buy! (Since most of the ingredients were free from family members). It better taste good! :)  I think it's a keeper, if so I'll post the recipe so I don't forget it!  It's definitely got lots of kick!

Jiffy Porcupines

This is another meal from our freeze-a-meal swap.  I'd never had them before, but they were a super quick, filling meal. 

1-1 1/2 lbs ground beef
2/3 cup minute rice
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp pepper

2 Tbsp oil
2 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
1/4 cup water

Mix beef, rice, onions and seasonings.  Form into 1-1 1/2 inch meatballs. Brown lightly on all sides. Drain fat.  Add tomato sauce and water to pan.  Mix well. Cover and simmer about 20 mins. 

Thaw and reheat on top of stove. Serve with corn, garlic bread and a green salad.

Cream of Tomato Soup

I know we getting over soup season, but this recipe is so good I had to share.  We did freeze-a-meals with some friends and my friend Joanne made this recipe. It froze well and tasted so good.  Thanks, Joanne!

Cream of Tomato Soup
2 T. butter
1 chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
2-28 oz. cans of dicced tomatoes
9 oz can chicken broth
2 T. sugar
Pinch of baking soda
1 T. Basil
1 T. Italian Seasoning
1 clove garlic
2 cups cream

Saute celery, butter and onions.  When finished add all other ingredients EXCEPT CREAM in large pot.  Simmer for 1 hour, with lid checking.  Puree and then add warmed cream.  Do not boil after cream is added. 

***To freeze--do not freeze with cream.  Freeze soup and once thawed, reheat and then add cream.

White Chicken Chili

White Chicken Chili

4-5 chicken breasts (cooked, shredded or cubed)

1/2 onion

1-2 cloves of garlic

4 cans white beans drained

2 small cans diced green chili

1 1/2-2 packages of McCormick's white chicken chili seasoning

3 cans of chicken broth

Dash of Cayenne pepper (I forget this sometimes and it still has a kick)

1 1/2 cup of sour cream

2 cups heavy whipping cream

Cook chicken and onions (or boil chicken until done then shred). Add everything but the creams...if needed add another cup or 2 of water and 2 chicken bouillon cubes. Cook in crock pot on low for 5-6 hours. Add sour cream and heavy whipping cream about 30 minutes before it’s done. (I also thicken it with cornstarch and water to make it a heartier chili).

Yummy, yum yum....

I made these yummy oreo truffles awhile ago and have been meaning to post the recipe. I use the term recipe loosely, since they have such few ingredients and are super easy! (Though a little messy). They are so tasty. Has anyone had the oreo truffles at Blue Lemon in Highland!? My friend Amber introduced me to them--they are divine! These taste fairly close, but don't look nearly as pretty as theirs. ;) Here's the recipe. Enjoy!

Oreo Truffles

Ingredients

• 1 lb Oreo cookies (3 sleeves)
• 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla (you could also use mint or coc)
• 1 lb milk chocolate
• 1/2 lb white chocolate

Directions

Using a food processor, grind oreo cookies to a fine powder. With a mixer, blend oreo cookie powder, cream cheese and vanilla extract until thoroughly mixed (there should be no white traces of cream cheese). Roll into small balls and place on wax-lined cookie sheet. Refrigerate for 45 minutes (or put on the back porch for 5-10 minutes on a Utah sub-zero winter day). Line two cookie sheets with wax paper. In double-boiler, melt milk chocolate. Dip balls and coat thoroughly. With slotted spoon, lift balls out of chocolate and let excess chocolate drip off. Place on wax-paper-lined cookie sheet. In separate double boiler, melt white chocolate. Using a fork, drizzle white chocolate over balls. I like to mix things up and dip some in white chocolate, some in milk, then drizzle with the opposite chocolate. Sprinkle with a few oreo crumbs for a finished look (and so no one can see the messy job you did dipping the chocolates!). Let cool. Store in airtight container, in refrigerator.

***FYI, I think it's easier to melt chocolate in the microwave. You just have to watch it carefully. Make sure you use a microwavable dish and that you melt for 30 seconds, then stir, melt for 30 seconds more, then stir, until melted. It works great!

Yummy biscuits & amazing salad recipes!

For gourmet club last month the girls made two different kinds of biscuits--pumpkin & buttermilk, served with cinneberry and orange-pecan butters. I'm totally going to have to steal this idea for a dinner party. The biscuits just melted in your mouth. And the butters had just the perfect amount of flavor. Sunny also mentioned that the biscuits are great alternatives to rolls for Thanksgiving dinner (and you don't have to wait for them to rise!), so if you're looking for a fun, new idea for your turkey dinner, give these babies a try! You'll love them!

Pumpkin Angel Biscuits

***Use a light hand when working with this dough to ensure that the baked biscuits will be tender.

Makes about 24 biscuits. Prep time: 30- min. ₊ chilling. Baking time: 12 – 13 minutes.

- 2 ¼ tsp. active dry yeast, room temperature. (1 pkg.)

- ½ cup warm water (105 degrees – 115 degrees)

- 5 cups all purpose flour

- ¼ cup sugar

- 1 T. pumpkin-pie spice

- 1 tsp. baking powder

- 1 tsp. baking soda

- 1 tsp. table salt

- 1 stick cold, unsalted butter, cubed

- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree

- 1 cup buttermilk

- Melted, unsalted butter

Dissolve yeast in warm water in a small bowl; set aside.

Whisk together flour, sugar, pumpkin-pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut the 1 stick cubed butter into the dry ingredients until butter pieces are the size of peas.

Stir together pumpkin puree and buttermilk; add to the flour mixture along with the yeast mixture. Stir just until ingredients are moistened. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.

Preheat oven to 450°F. Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead dough lightly 4-5 times to incorporate the flour.

Roll dough to a thickness of ½ inch. Cut dough with a 2-inch floured cutter to form 12 biscuits. Place biscuits in one of the prepared pans. Gather remaining dough scraps, then gently roll out dough again. Cut 12 more biscuits and place in second pan.

Brush tops of biscuits with melted butter. Bake biscuits until lightly golden, 12 – 13 minutes.

Turn biscuits out of pans and serve warm.

Make-Ahead Directions:

This dough will keep for 2 – 3 days stored in the refrigerator. You even can cut the dough into rounds and place the rounds into the prepared pans. Cover biscuits and chill them up to 1 day before baking as directed.

Buttermilk Biscuit Option:

You can replace the cup of canned pumpkin puree with an extra 1 cup of buttermilk. Omit the pumpkin-pie spice. No matter what version you choose to make, these biscuits taste fabulous as a base for mini leftover turkey sandwiches!

Cinnaberry Butter:

Combine 1 stick unsalted butter (softened), 2 Tbsp. chopped dried cranberries, 2 tsp. sugar, ½ tsp. ground cinnamon, and ½ tsp. kosher salt in a bowl. Scoop mixture onto a piece of plastic wrap; roll wrap around butter to form a log. Twist ends of plastic wrap tightly to seal. Chill log in the refrigerator until butter is firm. Store butter, sealed, up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator or freezer.

Orange-Pecan Butter:

Combine 1 stick unsalted butter (softened), 2 Tbsp. chopped toasted pecans, 1 tsp. honey, 1 tsp. minced orange zest, ½ tsp. kosher salt in a bowl. Scoop mixture onto a piece of plastic wrap; roll wrap around butter to form a log. Twist ends of plastic wrap tightly to seal. Chill log in the refrigerator until butter is firm. Store butter, sealed, up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator or freezer.

This salad is a recipe from Stacie's grandmother (who is German). I'm seriously in love with this salad. It had the most amazing flavor! I agree with Sunny who said that it just looks like an ordinary salad, but tastes anything but ordinary!

German Family Salad

- 2 bunches of Romaine lettuce, chopped

- 1 large Gala apple cubed

- 1 ½ avocado cut up

- CCaesar or Garlic croutons

- pPine nuts

Dressing for German Salad:

o ½ cup olive oil

o 1/3 cup rice vinegar

o 2 T sugar

o 2 cloves garlic

o About ½ - 1 Tablespoon of “Season All” salt. (I use 1 + even a little more. It’s what makes it.)

o Pepper to taste

More good recipes!

I really post recipes more for myself than for anyone else. I just forget about so many great recipes, so if I have them here on my blog, then I have easy access to them and I don't forget about the keepers! Here's some from gourmet club that I have and need to make. In fact, I'm going to make these sweet potato fries for dinner tonight!

Sweet Potato Fries with Garlic and Sea Salt
*These were AMAZING!!! The best sweet potato fries I've ever had!

• 2 lbs sweet potatoes
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 3 tablespoons parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• Course sea salt

Preheat oven to 450. Rinse and dry sweet potatoes. Cut sweet potatoes into batons about ¼ inch wide and 3 inches long. Mix the oil, mustard, and lime juice in a large bowl or ziplock bag and toss with the sweet potato batons to coat. Spread sweet potatoes on a large rimmed baking sheet and roast, stirring with a spatula midway through baking time, until tender and browned on the edges, 20-25 minutes.

In a large bowl, mix parmesan, parsley, and garlic. Add warm oven fries and mix gently to coat. Season to taste with additional salt and serve at once.


These panini's were amazing....so amazing it makes me want to buy a panini maker just so I can make this!

Farmers’ Market Panini

Tart apples such as Granny Smith, chopped
Red onion marmalade
Brie Cheese, rind cut off and sliced
Roasted Turkey Breast, sliced
Hearty Wheat Bread, sliced
Brush one side of each bread slice with olive oil. Lay the slices oiled side down and spread the top of each slice with the red onion marmalade. Sprinkle the apples on top and place sliced turkey over the apples. Arrange a couple slices of brie on top. Top each sandwich with a bread slice, oiled side up.

Place the sandwich on a panini press, close the lid, and cook until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the sandwiches to a cutting board and cut in half. Serve immediately.


Moist and Tender Turkey Breast
From Recipezaar.com
Ingredients
1 (5-10 lb) fresh or frozen turkey breast (thawed)
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 (10 1/2 ounce) can chicken broth
1-2 tablespoon mayonnaise

Directions
1. Place turkey breast in a roasting pan.
2. Combine melted butter and chicken broth.
3. Pour over turkey.
4. Rub mayonnaise all over turkey's exterior. Salt lightly if desired.
5. Roast at 300°-325°F until internal temperature reaches 170°F on an instant read thermometer.
6. Remove from oven and let sit for about 30 minutes before slicing.
Note: because the butter and broth are for making gravy, if you need to make a lot of gravy, double the amount of both.

Red Onion Marmalade
4 ½ pounds red onions
4 garlic cloves
1/3 pound butter
4 tablespoons olive oil
¾ cup sugar
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
375 ml bottle red wine
375 ml bottle red wine vinegar

1. Halve and thinly slice the onions, then thinly slice the garlic. Melt the butter with the oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan over a high heat. Tip in the onions and garlic and give them a good stir so they are glossed with butter. Sprinkle over the sugar, thyme leaves, and some salt and pepper. Give everything another really good stir and reduce the heat slightly. Cook uncovered for 40-50 minutes, stirring occasionally. The onions are ready when all their juices have evaporated, they're really soft and sticky and smell of sugar caramelizing. They should be so soft that they break when pressed against the side of the pan with a wooden spoon. Slow cooking is the secret of really soft and sticky onions, so don't rush this part.
2. Pour in the wine and vinegar and simmer everything, still uncovered, over a high heat for 25-30 minutes, stirring every so often until the onions are a deep mahogany color and the liquid has reduced by about two-thirds. It's done when drawing a spoon across the bottom of the pan clears a path that fills rapidly with syrupy juice. Leave the onions to cool in the pan then scoop into a container. Can be eaten straight away, but keeps in the fridge for up to 3 months.

Steph's White Bean & Sausage Soup

This is a recipe of my good friend Stephanie Jensen. It was in our ward cook book and I finally tried it a couple of weeks ago. I have made it a couple of times and always get raving reviews and requests for the recipe. I made it with Amber's breadsticks and it was a perfect meal for a cold snowy day! I've never gotten a real copy of Amber's recipe for the breadsticks, she just explained it over the phone, so hopefully the verbage makes sense, and hopefully I didn't miss anything. Thanks, Amber & Steph for the yummy recipes!


White Bean & Sausage Soup
4 (15 oz) cans of white cannellini beans, drained
2 (32 oz) cans or boxes of chicken broth
2 (28 oz) cans dices tomatoes (I like to do 1 can of the italian-style tomatoes)
2 lbs mild Italian sausage (next time I'm going to try 1 package of hot sausage & 1 turkey sausage)
2 oz fresh basil (I used dried basil)
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt & pepper to taste

Cook sausage in frying pan until cooked through (and crumbled). In large pot, add sausage and then add all other ingredients. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.


Amber's bread sticks
2 cups flour + 1 1/2 cups flour
1 Tbsp active dry yeast (2 packets)
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
Garlic salt
Parmesan cheese (in can)
1 1/2 cubes butter

Mix 2 cups flour, yeast, sugar & salt with 1 1/2 cups warm water in kitchen aid mixer (it will be pasty). Add 1 1/2 cups flour (add 3-4 tablespoons more, if it's sticky). Knead bread for in kitchen aid mixer (with hook attachment) for a couple of minutes . Flour counter, form bread into mound and place on counter. Cover dough with dishtowel and let rise for 15 minutes. Place cookie sheet in oven with 1 cube butter (to melt). Roll out dough into a large square and cut with pizza cutter into long, narrow strips. Fold each strip in half, place ends together and twist dough. Roll each twist in the melted butter and place back on cookie sheet. Sprinkle bread sticks with a little garlic salt & Parmesan cheese. Let rise another 15 minutes. Bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes--watch closely! After baking, I like to melt 1/2 cube of butter and brush or drizzle on top.

So domestic!

So I had my first canning experience this year! I made yummy apple pie filling with my friend Emily, then Dan, myself, Cory & Chels made salsa. It was quite the adventure! I've wanted to learn how, so it was a good learning experience. Fortunately we had lots of fresh ingredients from Roger & Deanne's garden that we could put to good use. Both turned out super tasty! I'll have to post the recipes when I have some time.

Tomatillo Chicken Stew

I love tomatillos, but haven't cooked with them very much. My mom went to a farmer's market and bought a bunch of them (since she felt bad that no one was buying from this particular vendor ;) so she shared the love and gave me half. I had just gotten an email from Simple Recipes with this recipe for a tomatillo chicken stew, so I gave it a try. I love so many different things about fall, and one of my favorites if being able to cook tasty soup recipes! I actually used the ready-cooked rotisserie chicken from Costco and it turned out great! Has anyone seen the 4-pound bag of rotisserie chicken meat at Costco? I'm in love. (Thank you, Tracie!). I swear I'll never boil & shred chicken again! This is now one of my favorite soups. It has such a rich, yummy flavor, with the perfect amound of spice (we like some kick, so it was perfect for us). Don't be scared of it, if you haven't cooked with tomatillos before, they're easy. You just peel and roast them. Hope you like it!

Tomatillo Chicken Stew

Tomatillo Sauce

• 1 1/2 lbs tomatillos
• 1-2 jalapeño chile peppers, or 2-3 serrano chopped chili peppers (stems discarded)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 Tbsp lime juice
• 1 clove minced garlic
• Pinch of sugar

Stew

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch cubes
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil
• 2 yellow onions, chopped (I used purple)
  
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 1/2 cup chicken stock (I added another 1 1/2 cups to make it go further)
  
• 2 cups tomatillo sauce (see recipe above)
  
• 1 teaspoon dry oregano (or 1 tbsp fresh)
  
• 1/2 cup packed chopped cilantro
  

Directions:

First, make the tomatillo sauce. Remove the papery husks from the tomatillos and rinse. Cut the tomatillos in half and place them cut-side down on an aluminum foil-lined roasting pan. Roast them (on broil) for 5-7 minutes until lightly blackened. Let cool. Place the tomatillos (and the juices released), chile peppers, garlic, salt, lime juice and sugar in a blender, and pulse until well blended.

Heat 2 tbsps of olive oil in a large pot on medium high heat and saute *chicken, until nearly done. Remove from pan. (*Or use rotisserie chicken)

Add the onions to the pan, and a little more olive oil. Add ground cumin. Cook for several minutes, stirring occasionally until onions are softened. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.

Add the chicken, tomatillo sauce, chicken stock, and oregano to the pan. Stir. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook (partially covered) for 20 minutes until chicken is cooked through. During last minute of cooking, add cilantro.

Serve over white rice, top with sour cream. This is also great with my favorite multigrain tortilla chips (from Costco).

Serves 4.

Baked Zucchini Sticks

Yum, yum, yum!! I love these babies...healthy, yet super tasty. You have to try them. It's a weight watchers recipe, so if you're interested the points are listed.

Baked Zucchini Sticks
(from Gina's Weight Watcher's Recipes)

Servings: 3 servings • Total Time: 25 minutes • Points: 1.33 ww points (sauce extra pts)

• 3 medium zucchini sliced into 3" x 1/2" sticks
• 1 large egg white
• 1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• 2 tbsp grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• cooking spray
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  
• salt
• fresh pepper

1 Point Quick Marinara Sauce (1 cup)

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 28 oz cans crushed tomatoes (I like Tuttorosso)
• 1 small bay leaf
  
• 1 tsp oregano
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
• salt and fresh pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425°.

In a medium pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and saute until golden, being careful not to burn. Add crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper, oregano, basil and bay leaf. Stir and reduce heat to low. Cover and let simmer about 20 minutes.

In a small bowl, beat egg whites and season with salt and pepper. In a ziplock bag, place breadcrumbs, garlic powder and cheese and shake well. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray and set aside.

Dip zucchini sticks into eggs then into bread crumb and cheese mixture, a few at a time and shake to coat. Place the breaded zucchini in a single layer and spray more cooking spray on top. Bake at 425° for about 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve with 1/2 cup marinara sauce for dipping (.5 pt)

Stuffed Strawberries

I made this recipe a couple of weeks ago for a family party and had to share. I also made them for book club for an easy snack/dessert. They are super easy and insanely delicious! It would be very easy to lighten the recipe by using fat free cream cheese and fat free whip cream or a sugar substitute. I did some using almond extract and some using vanilla. I think the vanilla was my favorite.

Stuffed Strawberries
1 8 oz package of cream cheese, softened (I used 1/3 less fat)
1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 tsp almond or vanilla extract
1 quart strawberries, capped
Chocolate shavings

Directions: In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, and almond/vanilla extract until smooth. Spoon cream cheese mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a medium star tip. (You could also use a ziplock baggie, and just cut the corner). Chill for 1 hour (I skipped this step and they still turned out great). Quarter strawberries from tip to stem end without cutting them all the way through. You could also cut them the opposite direction, like the top picture, but then they don't stand up. Pipe cream cheese mixture into strawberries. Sprinkle with chocolate shavings. Chill until ready to serve.

Cheese Tortellini Pesto Pasta Salad

This is a recipe I stole from my friend Sara. I love taking it to summer BBQ's. It's always a huge hit! (I really love the cheese tortellini and the artichokes). It'd be really good with sundried tomatoes as well, or with summer sausage or salami.

Cheese Tortellini Pesto Pasta Salad

1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained, quartered 1 (10 ounce) cont. grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise 1 (6 ounce) can medium black olives, drained, sliced in half lengthwise 1 green or red bell pepper, diced 1 (20 ounce) package cheese-filled egg tortellini, cooked al dente, drained (fresh or frozen) 1/3 cup olive oil, more if needed 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, the kind in the can 1 (8 ounce) jar basil pesto 1/2 teaspoon salt, more if needed 2 teaspoons minced garlic 12 ounces mozzarella cheese, cubed (you can also use sliced string cheese) 8 ounces (half of a 1 lb. box) rotini pasta, cooked al dente, drained (multicolored pasta looks best!)

Directions

Cook pastas, set aside to drain and cool a bit. In large bowl or punch bowl, add rest of ingredients, folding gently til well mixed. Gently fold in pastas well. Adjust seasoning to taste, meaning, add more salt, parmesan, etc…Serve immediately, or refrigerate. *If you make this say a day ahead of time, you'll need to "refresh" this. Just add a bit more olive oil, salt and parmesan before serving. This salad is best, though, room temp, or even slightly warm.