The Last Tortellini Supper

Best for last! Who doesn't love pesto? In fact, I've never met a single person who didn't love pesto. Uh-oh.. Is pesto already the new pumpkin which was the new bacon? I think maybe it is.. We'll check the charts later.

Now I know you're wondering, "Jeez, isn't she sick of making fresh tortellini every day for 7 days?" And the answer is both yes and no. I love making tortellini, and I've only gotten faster at completing the process from start to finish and have since the beginning of this saga been christened "The Tortellinator." I however, really don't like cleaning up. So if I can keep my next few meals to a 5 dish maximum, I'd be super psyched. I am also psyched to have a freezer full of tortellini at my fingertips for any night I don't feel like getting all cheffy and painting the town with cashews.

Here it is, in all its glory, the last tortellini of the week, all doused up in carrot sauce. Did I just hear a "Swoosh"? Oh yeah, that was me. I slam dunked that tortellini.

A classic stir-fry with tortellini is a great way to go out. A classic stir-fry and tortellini with carrot sauce is taking it to the next level, where you hang with the big dogs and they give you high-fives and buy you drinks and fan you with feathers because your carrot sauce is so good it's worth showering in.

I'll say.

Alright tortellini, you keep it real.

Pesto Tortellini

1 recipe tortellini dough

1/3 block firm tofu

2 cups fresh basil, stems removed

3 cloves garlic

1/3 cup pine nuts

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons nooch

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Roll out dough and run through pasta machine. Slice dough into managable squares, about 2 1/2". place a dollop of filling in the center of each square and fold over into a triangle, pressing down along the sides to seal. roll and fold edges around and pinch. Repeat like 50 times.

Tortellini Stir-fry with carrot sauce

about 20 tortellini

1 zucchini, sliced into half moons

1 yellow squash, sliced into half-moons

1/2 red onion, sliced

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped into 2 inch chunks

1 yellow bell pepper, chopped into 2 inch chunks

2-3 cups cremini mushrooms, wiped clean with damp rag and quarted.

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon olive oil

carrot sauce:

3 carrots, peeled and chopped into 1 inch pieces

1 large russet potato or 3 yukon golds, peeled and chopped into 2 inch chunks

1 head roasted garlic

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 to 3/4 cup veggie broth

1 teapsoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Set up a steaming apparatus, and steam carrots and potatoes about 20 minutes, while you chop all your veggies. Remove and add to a blender with sunflower seeds, broth, roasted garlic, salt and pepper. Blend on high speed until a smooth thick sauce is achieved. Set aside.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium. Add mushrooms first, then bell peppers, then onion, then garlic. Then season with desired amount of salt and pepper. Sautee until veggies are all tender and soft. Stir in the fresh herbs and cook 1 more minute, then turn off the heat.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Boil tortellini for about 4-5 minutes, until all the tortellini have floated to the top and puffed slightly.

Serve on top of veggies, and drizzle carrot sauce over the top.

Done!