Any Pesto Recipes?!


Question: I recently acquired a jar of homemade pesto from a friend and I was wondering if anyone had any good recipes that call for pesto in it?


Answers: I recently acquired a jar of homemade pesto from a friend and I was wondering if anyone had any good recipes that call for pesto in it?
It just so happens that I just came across a good one. Also, it is really good added to chicken salad, any pasta sauce, or a couple of tablespoons with any cooked pasta and chicken make a low fat, yummy dish.

Pesto Chicken Florentine

2 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into strips
10 oz. pack frozen spinach
1 (4.5 oz) pack dry Alfredo sauce
2 tablespoons pesto
8 oz. dry penne pasta
1 tbsp. Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add garlic, saute for 1 minute, add chicken and cook 8 minutes one each side. When it is no longer pink, add spinach and saute for 5 minutes.

Prepare Alfredo mix according to package directions. Then stir in pesto.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Add chicken mixture, sauce, and cheese to pasta.

You can use Romano cheese or mozzarella too.
Pesto
Servings: Makes about 1 1/3 cups.

Ingredients:
3 large garlic cloves
1/2 cup pine nuts
2 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano, coarsely grated (2/3 cup)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 cups loosely packed fresh basil
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation:
With food processor running, drop in garlic and finely chop. Stop motor and add nuts, cheese, salt, pepper, and basil, then process until finely chopped. With motor running, add oil, blending until incorporated.
Notes:
? Pesto keeps, its surface covered with plastic wrap, chilled, 1 week.

Green Onion Pesto:
2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
2 cloves garlic
6 spinach leaves
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
6 green onions, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons honey
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Combine pumpkin seeds, garlic, spinach, and cilantro in food processor and process until smooth. Add green onions and lime juice, and process until smooth.
With the motor running, slowly add the oil. Add the Parmesan, honey, salt, and pepper, and pulse several times until combined

Pesto Sauce:
4 bunches fresh basil, leaves picked
4 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
1 cup pine nuts
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon yogurt
4 tablespoons extra-virgin oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper


Place the basil leaves, garlic, and pine nuts in a mortar or food processor. Grind or pulse until the leaves are finely chopped. Gradually incorporate the Parmigiano Reggiano, ricotta and yoghurt. Then, work in the oil, adding it in a steady stream. Season the pesto to taste with salt and pepper.

hope these help. enjoy.
Pesto Cheesecake Great on crackers

! c. ricotta cheese
1 c. cream cheese room temp.
1/2 c. pesto
3 eggs
Cream together, add 1 tsp. cayenne, 1 tsp. salt,1 tsp. pepper. Butter sides and bottom of springform pan or pie plate. Coat w/ mix of grated Parmesan and bread crumbs. Place cheesecake batter in pan, bake in 325 oven 45 min. cool and eat.
CREAMY PESTO PASTA SALAD

1 (7 oz.) pkg. refrigerated prepared pesto
1/2 c. Miracle Whip Salad Dressing
3 c. (8 oz.) corkscrew noodles, cooked, drained
1/2 c. pitted ripe olive slices
3 tbsp. chopped sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
1/2 tsp. pepper

Mix together pesto and salad dressing until well blended. Stir in remaining ingredients; chill. 4 cups.
Eggplant Pesto

2 medium eggplants
1/2 bunch basil
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pinch black pepper
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/2 cup virgin olive oil
Lay eggplant on open flames and char until the skin is toasted.
Remove any burned skin, but leave a small amount of charred skin on as it gives a smokey flavor. Take off stem of eggplant and discard. Place eggplant in food processor with the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Great on fish, bread and vegetables.
.
Pesto Cheesecake

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese (softened)
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated romano cheese
1 teaspoon butter
1/4 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
3 eggs
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (finely chopped)
1/4 cup pesto sauce (homemade or prepared)
1/4 pignolis (pine)
Butter spring form pan, coat with breadcrumbs--set aside.
Beat cream cheese, ricotta and Romano cheese with electric mixer. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Seperate batter in half--add pesto to one half and sundried tomatoes to the other half. Layer in spring pan.
Sprinkle pignoli nuts on top Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes. Cool in pan. Cover and wrap in plastic.
Refrigerate 8 hours or overnite. Slide knife around edge of pan and remove to serve.


Pesto Potatoes
Pesto
1 cup basil leaves
1 cup parsley sprigs
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon nuts
2 tablespoons chicken broth, fat free
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
Potatoes
2 lbs potatoes, thinly sliced (6 cups)
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper, to taste
For the pesto, put the basil and parsley in the food processor and process until minced. Keep the processor running and add the garlic and nuts. Process until finely chopped, then add the chicken broth, parmesan cheese, lemon juice, water, oil, salt and pepper and process until smooth. For the potatoes, brush 2 tablespoons oil in a baking dish. Arrange 2 cups of sliced potatoes in the bottom of baking dish and season with salt and pepper. Spread 3 tablespoons of basil mixture over potatoes and sprinkle 2 teaspoons parmesan cheese over as well. Cover with 2 cups of sliced potatoes, 3 tablespoons basil and 2 teaspoons cheese. Top with the remaining potatoes and season one last time with salt and pepper. Heat the chicken broth until hot. Pour over potatoes and use the remaining basil mixture and cheese over the top of the dish. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake in a preheated oven at 425F or 220 C for 45 minutes. Remove foil and cook for 15 minutes more.

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