Tortellini Provolone Salami Skewers

My two favorite things to cook are appetizers and desserts. I'm always on the hunt for fun appetizer recipes, especially during the holidays, and this one is simple, yummy, and cute! Perfect for holiday get-togethers!

Recipe adapted from this book.

Ingredients:

1 package refrigerated cheese tortellini - cooked and drained

1/4 cup Italian dressing

8 slices salami

8 slices provolone cheese

kabob skewers

Directions:

1. In a large Ziploc, combine tortellini and salad dressing. Shake to cover all tortellini. Refrigerate for 4 hours.

2. Stack a cheese slice on each salami slice. Roll tightly, and slice into small spirals. 

3. Thread tortellini and salami-cheese spirals onto kabob skewers. 

(cooked tortellini & Italian dressing)

(chilling in the fridge)

(salami + provolone, rolled up)

Ta-da!

Enjoy!

The Christmas Tree Farm!

On the Friday after Thanksgiving, we all spent the day at a Christmas tree farm! We've been going as a big family every year since I can remember (at least since was 3 or so) with my mom's parents, her four brothers, and all of their wives, kids, etc. My grandma used to even make us all matching sweatshirts!

We've pretty much all switched to fake trees now, except for one of my uncles, so a giant group of 25 people descended upon the farm just to cut down one tree. But we had a great time anyway!

A few photos from the Christmas tree farm -

(with my parents and sisters)

(my grandparents)

I love our fake tree (we bought a new one last year right after Christmas, so I'm super excited to use it this year), but it was so nice to be at the Christmas tree farm enjoying the fresh air and evergreen scent! 

Here's our Christmas tree farm trip last year, and here's 2011! 

Last Year's Christmas Decor

I never got around to posting photos of our Christmas decor last year, and since I probably won't be on top of it this year either, I figured I'd go ahead and post last year's pictures to start with! These were all pre-DSLR camera and pre-lots of house changes, but I still think they're festive and fun. :) Here's Christmas 2012, starting with the outside of the house...

Last year was the last time for our old Christmas tree. We bought a bigger, taller one for this year, so these are the last photos of our little tree! 

The kitchen (this was before we got our new kitchen table and chairs)...

Love that DIY Advent wreath. 

Hallway decor...

(our "Charlie Brown" tree... haha!)

Those wreaths were new last year - I found them on clearance at Lowe's.

The piano room...

The entryway...

The dining room...

The powder room...

The living room...

Our Christmas card garland! 

The nativity scene and reindeer on the entertainment center!

Jeff's DIY snowman from kindergarten! 

We used to hang our stockings at the foot of our bed, England-style. But our new bedroom furniture doesn't include a footboard, so last year they went on the entertainment center. Not perfect, but it works!

Our Christmas card album and I Spy Christmas

That's it! Merry Christmas!