yums...

this is how i found elijah yesterday evening. he and daddy were playing in daddy's closet. too much fun!


i just finished making homemake pesto. yum. can't wait to try it on some yummy pasta. it was super easy...surprisingly. and it's a lighter version...using walnuts instead of pine nuts. here's the recipe if anyone wants to try it out...

lighter pesto

makes 3/4 cup
prep time: 10 minutes
total time: 10 minutes

ingredients:

• 3 cups tightly packed fresh basil leaves (2 ounces total)
• 3 tablespoons walnut pieces
• 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• coarse salt and ground pepper (optional)
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

directions:

1. in a food processor (i used my blender and it worked out fine), combine basil, walnuts, parmesan, garlic, lemon juice, and 3 tablespoons water; season with salt and pepper. puree until a paste forms.
2. with motor running, add oil in a thin stream. process until very smooth, about 1 minute.

and that's it! told you it was easy. speaking of yummy, easy recipes...i tried this one out for dinner last night...and it is definitely a keeper...

shells with grilled chicken and mozzarella

serves four
prep time: 15 minutes
total time: 30 minutes

ingredients:

• coarse salt and ground pepper
• vegetable oil, for grates
• 1 1/2 pounds chicken cutlets
• 8 ounces medium pasta shells
• 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• 4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped (i used basil. neither john nor i enjoy parsley very much)
  
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
• 2 tablespoons butter

directions:

1. bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for pasta. meanwhile, heat grill to medium; lightly oil grates. season chicken with salt and pepper. grill until cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. remove from grill, and cut into thin strips, halving if long.
2. cook pasta until al dente, according to package instructions. reserve 1 cup pasta water; drain pasta, and return to pot. add chicken, tomatoes, mozzarella, parsley, parmesan, and butter. toss to combine. add reserved pasta water a little at a time to create a sauce that coats shells (you may not need all the water). serve with more parmesan.

super simple and super yummy. i didn't grill the chicken since we don't have a bar-be-que...i just sauteed it. anyways...try it out. it really is quite tasty...especially if you use basil instead of parsley. btw...both of these recipes...along with other yummy ones...can be be found in the july/august issue of everyday food.