Pesto Salmon

Pesto Salmon

So since fancy pants here found herself a new part-time J.O.B. at a restaurant in the carry-out/deli/catering department, I've been all kinds of inspired! We serve a pesto salmon at work, filled with plenty of cream, butter, oil, fat, calories, but boooyyyy is it delicious!

As promised, I am sharing with you the recreation of said pesto salmon that Mom and I made for Mother's Day. We left out a bit of the bad stuff (but not that much). You can also do this with chicken, just follow your heart!

Pesto Salmon

Recipe...

• 1/4 c pine nuts, lightly toasted
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 c basil, lightly packed
• S&P to taste
• 1/2 c olive oil
• 1/2 c parmesan, grated
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 8 oz. cream (or half and half)
• long pasta of your choice
• grilled salmon or chicken

1) Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add salt. 

2) Make the pesto. Put the first 4 ingredients in a food processor and pulse until it's chopped. With the food processor on, stream in the olive oil. Stir in the parmesan and set aside.

3) Cook your pasta according to package directions. 

4) Melt butter in a skillet. Stir in some flour until it looks like wet sand. Whisk in some cream and then some pesto until it tastes good! Pour sauce over your pasta and top with some grilled salmon or a grilled chicken breast. It's gooooood.

Big Kid Chicken Fingers

source

this kid loves chicken fingers

(btw, I did not take this picture. I do not know this kid. I'm only guessing that he loves chicken fingers based entirely on the distance his tongue is able to stretch to reach chicken finger crumbs on his face.)

Remember going out to dinner as a kid and knowing instantly what you would order? You had your stand-bys: grilled cheese, macaroni and cheese, and... chicken fingers. I seriously don't know a kid who doesn't like chicken fingers.

But the joy doesn't have to end with your childhood! You can make chicken fingers at home and just jazz them up a bit to fit your adult palette. This "recipe" is really meant to be adapted to fit your needs. Don't like spicy stuff? Cut back on the garlic and paprika. Want to make a whole bunch? Easy. Just combine more of everything.


Big Kid Chicken Fingers w/ Honey Mustard
Recipe...
serves as many as you want

• chicken breasts
• buttermilk
• paprika
• panko
• garlic powder
• S&P
• cooking spray
• mayonnaise
• dijon mustard
• honey

1) Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, combine buttermilk and paprika to your liking (enough to cover your chicken). Cut chicken breasts into strips. Put them in the buttermilk bowl and stir to cover everything. Let marinade for about an hour.

2) Meanwhile, prepare a cookie sheet by placing a cooling rack on top of it. Spray the cooling rack with cooking spray. Prepare the honey mustard dressing. Start by combining 1/2 c mayonnaise, 2 tsp dijon mustard, and 1 Tbsp honey. Adjust the combination from there, adding more dijon if you like it more mustardy and more honey if you like it sweeter.

3) On a large plate or a shallow baking dish, combine panko, garlic powder (again, as much as you like), S&P. Just make sure there is enough to coat all of your chicken pieces. (Don't worry, you can always add more ingredients if you run out.) Dip each piece of chicken in the panko mixture, covering all sides well and place on the cooling rack. 

4) Spray each piece of chicken with cooking spray. Bake at 350℉ until cooked through. (I recommend using a meat thermometer.)

Pesto + Pasta

Mmmm, pesto. So fresh. So delicious.

This dish is simple. Pesto, pasta, grilled chicken, parmesan. It really couldn't be much simpler.


Pesto Pasta
Recipe...

• 1/8 c walnuts
• 1/8 c pine nuts
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 1/2 c basil
• 1/4 tsp salt plus more to taste
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 c olive oil
• 1/2 c parmesan cheese
• penne pasta
• chicken breast

1) Whir the nuts and garlic for 15 seconds in a food processor. Add basil, salt, and pepper. With processor on, stream olive oil in through the top. Add parmesan and give it a quick whirl. Use it right away or put a piece of plastic wrap over it laid directly on the pesto. 

2) Cook some pasta.

3) Grill a chicken breast that has been seasoned with S&P. Let it sit for a minute before you cut it. Cut into strips or cubes.

4) Drain pasta, add pesto and chicken. Add some pasta water if the pesto needs to be thinned out. Sprinkle some parmesan on top and eat it!