P... Presto....I mean Pesto!

Okay, since being back at work and having a baby- time is limited!  VERY limited.  Dinner does not happen unless it is easy and unless it is planned.  As I mentioned before one thing that I do that works brillantly is that I roast a chicken every Sunday.  My favorite recipe is this one.  Roasting a chicken is great because you get two meals out of it.  The night after we roast the chicken I use the rest of the meat and put it in pasta.  I often put in in pasta with fresh pesto that I have stored in our freezer.  I got this idea from my co-worker LE who said her mom always makes her fresh pesto.

For those of you that have tuned out thinking it is too difficult.  Making pesto is the easiest thing ever.  Seriously, it is!  You just need a food processor and before you know it... voila!    I make a ton and  freeze it in small plastic containers (portion sized for one meal) and throw them in the freezer.   If you don't have small containers then you can put in ice cube trays!  If you do plan to freeze pesto- leave out the cheese until you add the pesto to pasta (or whatever).  Cheese does not freeze well!  

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
• 3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

METHOD

1 Combine the basil in with the pine nuts, pulse a few times in a food processor. (If you are using walnuts instead of pine nuts and they are not already chopped, pulse them a few times first, before adding the basil.) Add the garlic, pulse a few times more.

2 Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Makes 1 cup.

I cannot wait until summer is here and the farmers market is open.  The market always sells huge bunches of basil for cheap.  I plan to make a boatload of pesto!!!  Try it for yourself- it is delicious!  Until next time...xoxo

S.R.... Summer Recipe!

Happy Memorial Day!  I hope everyone has had some time to enjoy beautiful weather (we have had some in Boston) and BBQ.  I am sharing one of my favorite BBQ recipes today.  This is my standard item I always bring to a good cookout- just brought to my sister's house the other night.  It is always a hit and is easy to make.  It also serves a big group- which is usually very helpful

I had Orzo Pasta Salad at a friend's house once.  Enamored by it- I googled around until I found a recipe that sounded good and then changed it to fit what I wanted it to be.  (Photo is pretty photo from google search- not my actual orzo!)

ORZO PASTA SALAD

1 Box Orzo pasta

 1 clove garlic

¼ cup (or so) olive oil

white wine vinegar (to taste…1/4 cup or so)

1 tablespoon stone ground (gourmet style) mustard

1/4 tablespoon of dijon mustard (adds a little kick)

2 0r 3 shallots

1 stalks green onion

2/3 or 1 whole cucumber

1 container grape tomatoes (cut in half)

¼ cup of toasted pine nuts (you buy them and toast them in sautee pan yourself)

(You can add Feta cheese if you want too… which is yummy… probably like ½ cup or so.  Just add at end when you are mixing it up.)  I have also substituted sliced up fresh mozzarella which is delicious too!

Boil orzo as indicated on box and chill for 1 hour (if you can).   Brown pine nuts in a frying pan until golden brown.  Dice green onion, and  peel and slice cucumber.   I cut the cucumber into 1/4 inch wedges.  In large bowl add your diced green onion, sliced cucumber, chilled orzo and halved grape tomatoes.  In separate bowl, mix together chopped shallots, chopped garlic, 1/2 cup olive oil, 2 mustards and add vinegar to taste. Let dressing stand 15 minutes then pour over pasta mixture and add cooled pine nuts and cheese (if you choose too).    Chill until ready to serve.

This is a great side dish to any BBQ and can be a summer main dish if you add already cooked and chilled salmon or chicken  on top.

Happy Memorial Day!  Until next time....xoxo