Pesto... Presto!

Fresh basil, thyme, rosemary, and flat leave parsley from the garden rinsed and dried.





Toss in food processor with several peeled cloves of garlic, and bits of good Parmigiano Reggiano cheese..

Blend, then drizzle in extra virgin olive oil, and a season with salt and pepper. Blend again until evenly chopped..







Viola- pesto!! Spoon into an ice cube tray, cover, and freeze until firm. Empty into freezer bag or tupperware with lid and store in the freezer.

These pesto pops are awesome in the winter when garden fresh herbs don't exist, and on days when you are short on time, but need a fresh and flavorful finish.

Great for tossing in your marinara sauce (jarred or homemade), combined with lemon juice and hot sauce as an amazing marinade for meat or fish, or just add straight to a pot of cooked and drained noodles, toss in capers, cheese, and some balsamic vinegar for a fast and fresh side dish.

Warning: four cups of fresh herbs only yields about 10 ice cubes. So don't be disappointed. Each little cube packs a fresh flavor punch!

Time to Hit the Sauce

If it ain't broke, don't fix it! While normally this describes my attitude about pasta and sauce, there are times when adding a little extra zip to traditional marinara is all it takes to turn a boring Tuesday night spaghetti dinner into something special.

Goat Week: Day 3

Pasta Margherita

This is a play on the original Pizza Margherita made with thin crust, fresh basil and buffalo mozzarella. The red, white, and green in the pasta version are marinara, goat cheese, and pesto. It's super quick and easy, and can be used on any type of pasta shape... and even on lasagna.

Depending on your level of commitment, you can do this with homemade marinara and homemade pesto sauces. Or, to keep it simple and quick, you can use jarred sauces.

•  Start with your favorite marinara sauce simmering on the stove. 
• Add in prepared pesto sauce (chopped basil, pine nut, olive oil and garlic) and mix. 
• Next add a package of goat cheese (chevre) and stir until it is smooth and creamy. The sauce will be slightly pinkish.

• To be honest, you can't really do it wrong. Just go according to your taste. In general 1 part pesto, 1 part goat cheese to 5 parts marinara will get you there. 

I'm fine with just pasta and sauce. But when I tell my husband we are having pasta for dinner, the first question is, "Does it have meat?" So if you are looking to add a protein to the dish, here are two delicious ideas.

Meat option #1: Italian Sausage
Brown the sausage, slice, and top your fettuccine.

Meat option #2: Chicken Breast
This is one of those times to cheat and use a rotisserie chicken to save time and trouble. Remove skin and cut the breast meat off of the bone. Or bake a few boneless, skinless chicken breasts with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place on a bed of rigatoni and top with sauce.

Viola! Dinner is done.