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Tortellini Salad

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It’s so easy to slip into being comfortable with the familiar, which can apply to just about everything, including cooking! “Lunch for guests tomorrow? How about ham and cheese paninis, chips, and a nice cup of soup. No wait—I’m on auto-pilot!” So it goes until the Holy Spirit gets involved—something refreshingly different—He does it again. Tortellini salad came to mind, with pesto, sunflower seeds, black olives, cherry tomatoes, Parmesan cheese—and whatever else you might want to add: fresh spinach, basil, artichoke hearts, pieces of ham or salami. It makes for a delicious lunch and a nice change from the more traditional!

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Tortellini Salad
SERVINGS
4
CHANGE SERVING SIZE
COOK TIME
10minutes
PREP TIME
15minutes
READY IN
25minutes

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil, adding salt if desired. Add Tortellini and cook for about 8 - 10 minutes, testing for desired consistency.
  2. Set aside and let cool
  3. Gently fold in all ingredients together and serve on a bed of lettuce, garnished with a plume of parsley - and accompanied with some crunchy cheese toast

Honey Balsamic Grilled Chicken with Grilled Vegetables​

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The crispness of fall is all around us. This past Monday, the Sisters rose early to put our gardens to bed for the winter. It’s always bittersweet for me, as working in the earth, getting my hands dirty and seeing the fruits of our labor and God’s creative act are moments that I treasure. We decided not to put our “chef garden” to bed, as the tomatoes, chard, beets and kale are still growing, and a late crop of peas is sprouting their heads above the earth. So, as a tribute to summer, I wanted to share this wonderful recipe with you. You can use any vegetables for grilling, so don’t feel limited by the ingredients here. If you’re anything like me, your grill stays outside until it snows! Take advantage of the beautiful fall weather and enjoy.
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Honey Balsamic Grilled Chicken with Grilled Vegetables​
SERVINGS
6servings
CHANGE SERVING SIZE
servings
COOK TIME
45mins
PREP TIME
15mins
READY IN
1hr

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Marinate chicken with pesto, garlic, red pepper flakes, lime juice and 1/2 teaspoon salt at least 1 hour, or overnight for best results.
  2. Mix oil, balsamic vinegar, honey and 1/4 tsp salt in a small bowl.
  3. Heat a grill over medium-high, be sure grates are clean and well oiled to prevent sticking.
  4. Brush oil on each side of the vegetables and sprinkle with salt and pepper​
  5. Put ​vegetables​ on 1 large grill tray or ​directly on grill​, and cook, turning constantly until the ​vegetables are cooked and golden, about 6 to ​10​ minutes. Set aside on a dish.
  6. ​Put the chicken on the grill and ​cook about ​4​ to ​5​ minutes on each side until grill marks appear and the chicken is cooked through​​. If you prefer to finish them off in the oven, I suggest a grill pan or cast iron skillet - cook until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.
  7. ​Transfer ​the chicken ​to a platte​r ​with the vegetables and pour the balsamic dressing over everything​ and serve.​

Vegetable Stack Sandwich on Homemade Focaccia with Pesto and Ricotta

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Vegetable Stack Sandwich on Homemade Focaccia with Pesto and Ricotta

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Vegetable Stack Sandwich on Homemade Focaccia with Pesto and Ricotta
SERVINGS
CHANGE SERVING SIZE
COOK TIME
35-40mins.
PREP TIME
READY IN
155mins.

Ingredients

Instructions

Focaccia:
  1. Pour the warm water in a small bowl.
  2. Sprinkle the yeast, sugar and 2 Tablespoons of the flour over the the water.
  3. Stir until dissolved, and then let sit until foamy, about 15 minutes.
  4. In a large bowl, place the 4 Tablespoons olive oil, salt, 1 cup of the flour and the yeast mixture.
  5. Whisk hard until smooth, about 3 minutes.
  6. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until a soft, sticky dough is formed.
  7. Turn onto a floured surface and knead to form a springy ball, dusting with flour to prevent sticking, about 3 minutes.
  8. Place the dough in a greased deep container, and let rise until triple in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.
  9. Grease a 17 x 11 inch baking sheet and sprinkle with cornmeal.
  10. Place the dough ball on a lightly floured surface.
  11. Press and flatten the dough.
  12. Lift and pull gently, stretching to fit the baking sheet.
  13. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk.
  14. Meanwhile combine herbs and 1/3 cup olive oil, let sit for 30 minutes.
  15. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  16. Using fingertips or knuckles, gently poke indentations all over the surface of the dough about 1/4 inch deep.
  17. Drizzle the oil/herb mixture over the surface of the dough, letting it pool in indentations. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until nicely browned.
  18. Sprinkle with salt if desired.
Stack Sandwich:
  1. Lay the eggplant out onto trays lined with paper towel, sprinkle with salt, and let sit for about 10 minutes.
  2. Blot with more paper towel.
  3. Place eggplant, zucchini, red pepper and onion on baking sheets greased with olive oil.
  4. Brush all vegetables generously with olive oil, sprinkle with kosher salt. Bake in a 400 degree F oven until tender.
  5. Cut Focaccia into squares, and then cut into 2 layers. Spread each layer with pesto, and the bottom with 2 teaspoons ricotta.
  6. Place baby spinach next, then a slice of eggplant, onion, tomato, a couple of slices of zucchini and finally some strips of red pepper.
  7. Place top layer of focaccia on this and you have a great sandwich!