Antipasto Kabobs

I think I need to go talk to a psychiatrist about my obsession with food on sticks.  There's just something about it!  I recently got a Taste of Home Italian Favorites book, and when I stumbled upon this recipe, I lit up like the leg lamp on "A Christmas Story." First off, antipasto is great anyway.  There nothing wrong with marinated cheese and meat in my book.  Then, you add some fresh basil, olives, and tortellini.  Good Grief.  Talk about a dream come true.  If you're having a dinner party with Italian food, bust out these little appetizers.  People will think that Criss Angel showed up because these will just disappear.  Oh, yes I did. 

Antipasto Kabobs
Source: Taste of Home Italian Favorites

1 pkg refrigerated cheese tortellini
40 pimiento stuffed olives (I didn't use these)
40 black olives
40 chunks of mozzarella
3/4 c Italian dressing
40 slices of pepperoni (I was all out of this, too)
20 thin slices of hard salami, cut in half
fresh basil or parsley

*Keep in mind that this recipe will make 40 little appetizers.  If you are doing this for your family, you can cut the recipe down to fit your needs.

Cook the tortellini according to package directions.  Once it's done, rinse it with cold water.  Let it cool for a little bit.  Once it's cooled off, place the tortellini, olives, and mozzarella in a large plastic bag.  Add the Italian dressing.  Let it sit in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight.

For the mozzarella, you can use string cheese and cut it into chunks.

Once that is done marinating, take it out of the fridge.  Use toothpicks and skewer one tortellini, 1 piece of salami, 1 piece of pepperoni, a chunk of mozzarella, a piece of basil, and one of each olive.  If you can't fit it all on a toothpick, you can vary what you put on each toothpick or use large wooden skewers cut in half.

That's it!  My daughter helped me assemble these, and she loved it.  I think I'm passing on my kabobiness.  Oh, dear.