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.

Meatless Monday: Ricotta Pasta

Ricotta Pasta

(from Cooking Light)

And once again we find ourselves at Meatless Monday! I'm going to start my week with 100% honesty. I took one look at this recipe and thought "Really? This is what we're having? Guess it's a diet night." But this dish seriously exceeded appearances! The ricotta gave it a nice creaminess and the mint gave it a nice, simple, unmuddled flavor. (Unmuddled... is that a word? Did I make that up?)

Cooking Light gives you the steps to make your own ricotta, but we went to a local Italian grocery store and bought a nice one. But the choice is yours! Another option: roast the tomatoes in the oven until they're about to burst, then cut them in half. (Wear an apron, they might splatter) 

Ricotta Pasta

Recipe...

serves 4

• S&P
• 8 oz fettuccine (fresh is best)
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 medium zucchini (halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise)
• 1 tsp garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 c cherry tomatoes, halved
• ricotta
• 2 Tbsp small mint leaves

1) Bring a pot of water to a boil. When it comes to a boil, salt the water, and cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta and reserve. 

2) Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil. Add zucchini and sauté 2 minutes. Add S&P and garlic. Sauté 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes. Combine with pasta and top with ricotta and mint.

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!

Summery Veggie Pasta

Summery Veggie Pasta

We live on a lake here at home, which means come summer time we will be out on the lake until the sun goes down. You may notice that means we're out on the lake until 9 or 10 pm. Totally fun, but drinking on an empty stomach is a bad idea! Which is why we need to have an arsenal of make-ahead, minimal maintenance meals to take on the boat.

This Summery Veggie Pasta is a great side dish or meal with the addition of grilled chicken. It's easy (cook pasta, cut veggies, make vinaigrette, combine, done), it's nutritious (hello, vegetables!), and it's delicious cold. Perfect for throwing in a small cooler with a few forks to gobble on the back of the boat.  You don't even have to pack napkins! Let's face it- if you drop some pasta on your bathing suit you can just jump in the lake.

For those of you that aren't living the aquatic life, this is for you, too! You didn't think I would leave you out, did you? You can use whatever veggies you prefer and as much or little as you want!


Summery Veggie Pasta
Recipe...
veggie to pasta to dressing ratio is completely subjective

• big bowtie pasta (or little if you prefer)
• 1 carrot, cut into bite sized bits
• 1/2 red bell pepper, cut into bite sized bits
• 1/2 green bell pepper, cut into bite sized bits
• 1/2 red onion, cute into bite sized bits
• 3 c baby spinach
• 1/4 c asiago cheese (or parmesan or another hard cheese), grated
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/3 c olive oil
• 2 Tbsp white wine or tarragon vinegar
• S&P

1) Cook bowtie pasta according to package directions (don't forget to salt the water!). 

2) Meanwhile, cut your veggies into bite sized bits. 

3) Prepare the dressing. Combine garlic, vinegar, and S&P in a small bowl. Whisk in olive oil. Taste the dressing and adjust the proportions accordingly. 

4) When bowties are finished cooking, drain and place in a large bowl (or back in the pot). Stir in baby spinach and let it wilt. Add dressing and grated cheese while the pasta is still hot. Add veggies and serve warm or cold.