9/9/09

TORTELLINI TOTEM POLES

Assalamo alaikum,Well I love to cook, but for me sharing that love with my children is great too.....to get my sons in the kitchen to do things is a wonderful thing.So this is a great easy thing for kids to help you assemble as well as easy to bring to those iftars and keep us women out of the kitchen all day long :)

2 cups tortellini (cheese, meat, vegetable - your choice!), cooked, drained and cooled 1/2 pound mozzarella cheese (bocconcini or cut into 1-inch cubes) 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces 2 celery stalks, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 cup artichoke hearts, drained and rinsed 3/4 cup black olives, pitted 1/2 cup cucumber peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch pieces 1/2 cup roasted red peppers, cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves 1/4 cup pepperoni slices 1/4 cup Italian dressing Place each type of ingredient in a separate small bowl and line up bowls on a table or countertop that's within reach for all the kids. Using age-appropriate skewers (kebab skewers, disposable wooden skewers, coffee stir-sticks or straws), have each kid personalize their own totem pole by adding ingredients of their choice onto the skewer. Make colorful patterns; see who can fit the most ingredients onto their totem pole; count pieces as each is added. Dip totem poles in Italian dressing and eat! Cook's Note: use all or some of the above ingredients when making this recipe

added by Samia