Wednesday, July 06, 2005

From the Recipe File of MHN

The following is a recipe that is always at hit at any gathering. I used to go to lunch at Cafe Express when I was working and had this at least once a week. One day a friend said that's so simple you could make it and save yourself on lunch expenses. So I figured out the recipe and here it is! Enjoy!!! mhn :-)

Pasta Pesto with Pinenuts


Ingredients:
16oz Pasta (either Penne, Farfalle, or Shells)
2.25 oz chopped Black Pitted Olives (can is fine)
2 pkgs. Knorr Pesto sauce* (follow directions on pkg.)
1 medium size handful of toasted Pinenuts
½ C Extra Virgin Olive Oil (if using Knorr packets instead of fresh pesto.)
1C Water (if using Knorr packets instead of fresh pesto.)
2C Shredded Parmesan Cheese (no substitute, must be shredded.)

Directions:
Cook Pasta until al dente (firm to the tooth, but not hard), drain, set aside. Toast pinenuts in a dry saucepan on the stove or in a toaster oven at 250 degrees in a shallow ovenproof dish until light brown (for approx. 4-5 minutes) remove, set aside. Prepare your pesto according to the directions on package. Add all ingredients, except Parmesan cheese to pasta and combine thoroughly. Lastly, add the shredded Parmesan cheese and combine thoroughly.
*If using fresh Pesto Sauce, add 3 large soupspoon sized dollops to the pasta. Enough pesto to coat the pasta evenly. Then you may omit the olive oil and water.

This dish can be enjoyed hot, room temperature or cold. This recipe makes a lot, so you will have plenty for leftovers! ☺ Enjoy!

5 Comments:

Blogger Tiffany Fairbanks said...

sounds delish. I will have to try this. I love new recipes. Thanks.

9:08 AM  
Blogger Rowan said...

Sounds good, I still must get that recipe for pesto pizza, that was something I couldn't get enough of either....mmmmm, pesto.

11:33 AM  
Blogger M said...

mmmm. It is good! I was just looking at my recipes and came across Shrimp Fra Diavlo. That one is fantastic too. I'm hungry. Guess I better fix myself a lunch.

11:44 AM  
Blogger TamWill said...

U sound like a gourmet cook...I dont even know what pinenuts are..I cook southern food, but would like to learn some good italian dishes..U R something else gurl :0)

9:22 PM  
Blogger M said...

I'm a Food Network Junkie! So is my husband. :-) I have learned more about cooking from those shows and dare I say it, Martha Stewart (before we had cable)than from anywhere else. We cook some really nice dishes. On the other hand, Dave's mom taught me how to bake. And how to make the best Chicken Fried Steak on the planet!!!! OMG, I'm salavating just thinking about it!!! mmmm.

9:52 PM  

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