Made PESTO!!!

PESTO...a perfect opportunity to test out my shiny, new Cuisinart Food Processor - thank you wedding credit!!  I had something totally different planned for dinner but could not resist playing with a new kitchen gadget.  With kitchen sheers in hand, I ventured outside to our herb garden.  These little guys are not producing as much as the last plants we had so they look quite bare post my afternoon trim.  

1/2 cup pine nuts
4 cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves
1 1/2 tsp. chopped garlic
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus a bit more for drizzling
3/4 cup grated parmesan

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Spread the pine nuts on a baking sheet and cook until golden brown, 8-10 minutes.  Stir the nuts frequently to ensure even cooking.  Remove from oven and let cool.

Combine the basil, pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice, kosher salt, and pepper in the bowl of food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until the ingredients is well incorporated, about 15 seconds.

Shut off motor and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a narrow spatula.

With the motor running, slowly add the 1/2 cup olive oil through the feed tube.  Shut off the motor and scrape down the sides again.  Add the parmesan and pulse until the mixture comes together and looks like a thick paste.  Use immediately or transfer to a container, drizzle with a thin layer of olive oil, cover tightly and refrigerate.  This pesto will keep for 2 weeks.  Yields 1 1/4 cups.

Stay tuned for Pasta With Pesto, Salmon, And Sweet 100s!!

Made Banana Bread

The smell of banana bread is loved by all in the Madeley house!  Every trip to the grocery store includes purchasing a bunch of bananas.  We never eat them fast enough so B and I both have mastered this yummy treat.  No matter what time of day, it is perfect with a morning cup of coffee or a midnight snack.  

German Shepherd dogs have nothing to do with baking but I had to take a picture of how sweet Sig looked watching me in the kitchen this afternoon.  I love this big guy!!

Onto the recipe - you probably have all the ingredients in your kitchen already!!

1 cup sugar
1 stick butter
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup mashed bananas (2-3 bananas)
1 tsp. soda
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cream together butter and sugar until creamy.  Add beaten eggs and mashed bananas.  Add last four ingredients through vanilla.  Pour mixture into loaf pan and bake for 30 minutes until golden.

Pioneer Woman Made...

For Mother's Day this year, we introduced Brian's Mom to The Pioneer Woman.  And she has read it cover-to-cover, already making several recipes.  Luckily we live close enough and she is so generous that she shares the fruits of her labor.  As for me, I have sat in the floor of a bookstore and pursued her cookbook, now purchased the book for someone else, and navigated through her website but never attempted a recipe.  Last nights dinner with my old Community Group girls, was the perfect opportunity to finally pick a recipe.  I made Pioneer Woman's Hot Olive & Artichoke Dip.  It was fabulous and even better with only having to purchase a few things at the store.  I typically don't keep olives and artichokes in the fridge but parmesan cheese, eggs, red onion, mayo, salt & pepper are staples!

1 can Artichoke hearts (14oz.)

10 whole Black Olives

1 package cream cheese (8oz.)

1 cup (Real) mayonnaise

1 egg

1/4 cup red onion, diced

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

3 dashes Worcestershire sauce

Salt & pepper to taste

Cayenne pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse 5 to 8 times until mixture is combined but not totally liquified.  Stir and check seasonings (taste test!!), then pour into a small casserole dish.  (I used a red, Crate & Barrel pie dish - thanks Betsy!!)  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes until golden brown.   

The Pioneer Woman suggests serving with Stacy's Simply Naked chips.  Next time I will hunt down the chips but I used Wheat Thins this time.  Looking forward to my next PW cooking experience!!

Made Tex-Mex Calzones

Tex-Mex Calzones have been in my recipe notebook for a couple of years.  It is a favorite summer recipe when you have the motivation to put in some additional effort after a long day at work.  Cooking Light suggests a side dish of Black Bean Salad and I highly recommend that as well, but it did not make tonight's menu.  Instead, B whipped up his tasty guacamole.  Check out this beautiful display of whipped guac!!  Thanks B for all your help tonight.  XOXO

8 ounces ground turkey breast

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

3/4 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. chili powder

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup salsa verde

1 (11 oz.) can refrigerated thin-crust pizza dough

3/4 cup Mexican blend cheese

1/4 cup fat-free sour cream

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add ground turkey to pan; cook 3 minutes, stirring to crumble.  Add onion and next 5 ingredients (through garlic) to pan; cook 4 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring mixture occasionally.  Remove turkey mixture from heat; stir in salsa. 

Unroll dough; divide into 4 equal portions.  Roll each portion into a 6x4-inch rectangle.  Working with one recatangle at a time, spoon about 1/2 cup turkey mixture on one side of dough.  Top with cheese; fold dough over turkey mixture, and press edges together with a fork to seal.  Place on a baking sheet coated with spray (if sheet is not non-stick).  Repeat process with remaining dough and turkey mixture. Bake at 425 degrees for 12-14 minutes or until browned.  Serve with sour cream.