Pesto Pasta Salad

I made this for a BBQ on Saturday night... and I will be making it again soon. Sooo tasty. Recipe from good friend Ina.

Pesto Pasta Salad

• 3/4 pound fusilli pasta
• 3/4 pound bow tie pasta
• 1/4 cup good olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups pesto
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
• 3 T. lemon juice
• 1 1/4 C. mayo
• 1/2 C. freshly grated Parmesan
• 1 1/2 C. frozen peas, defrosted
• 1/3 cup pine nuts
• 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 3/4 tsp. black pepper

Cook the fusilli and bow ties separately in a large pot of boiling salted water for 10 to 12 minutes until each pasta is al dente. Drain and toss into a bowl with the olive oil. Cool to room temperature.

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, puree the pesto, spinach, and lemon juice. Add the mayonnaise and puree. Add the pesto mixture to the cooled pasta and then add the Parmesan, peas, pine nuts, salt, and pepper. Mix well, season to taste, and serve at room temperature.

Menu, 5-23-10

Our new baby boy is here safe and sound, and we are loving life with him. After an extended cooking hiatus, I am more than ready to plan, prepare and enjoy home cooked meals once again. Although our menu this week does not include donut-burgers, I thought this too tempting an idea not to share. :)

Here's what we'll be having for dinner this week... if I can make it to the grocery store.

Sun- roast, mashed potatoes, green salad, watermelon, roasted zucchini sticks, individual cherry cheesecakes. DELICIOSO.

M- chicken corn chowder

T- chicken salad sammies

W- breakfast for dinner

Th- bean tostadas

F- pizza

Sat- who knows

If you do end up trying the donut burgers, I think this would be a good dessert to serve alongside. (It actually sounds pretty good... very similar to a recipe Amanda makes, it's just the name that makes you wonder.)

Slow- Cooker Beef Stew

This was our dinner last night and it couldn't have been yummier! It is so flavorful, but so easy- I love crock-pot recipes.

Slow-Cooker Beef Stew

• 2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 onion, chopped (of course I left this out!)
  
• 1 1/2 cups beef broth
• 3 potatoes, diced
• 4 carrots, sliced
• 1 stalk celery, chopped

1. Place meat in slow cooker. In a small bowl mix together the flour, salt, and pepper; pour over meat, and stir to coat meat with flour mixture. Stir in the garlic, bay leaf, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, onion, beef broth, potatoes, carrots, and celery.
2. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6-8 hours. (mine was done in about 5, but my crock-pot must get really hot! Just check it every so often and when the veggies are soft, it's done.)