Broccoli Pesto Pasta

Just made Broccoli Pesto Pasta for dinner.  It was so easy and really delicious.  I used leftover broccoli and leftover pasta.  Of course anything with cream in it should be good.  The recipe comes from a lady who fed Tina dinner on her mission.  Tina shared the blog address with us.

Broccoli Pesto Pasta

If you like regular pesto, then give this broccoli version a whirl! Delicious with lots of extra parmesan on top!

yield: 2 SERVINGS

 

prep time: 8 MINUTES

 

cook time: 12 MINUTES

 

total time: 20 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups broccoli florets
1/2 lb. short cut pasta, such as mini penne
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup diced yellow onion
2 cloves minced garlic
2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese {use the real stuff please!}
reserved pasta water or heavy cream
salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Bring large pot of water to boil. Blanch broccoli florets 2-3 minutes or until stems are fork tender. Remove with slotted spoon. Pour in pasta to same water from broccoli. Cook 7-10 minutes or until al dente.

While pasta is cooking, sauté onions and garlic in olive oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until browned and softened. Spoon cooked onions and garlic into the bowl of a food processor with cooked broccoli, cheese, a little pasta water {or heavy cream} and salt and pepper. Pulse until it starts coming together, adding in more pasta water or cream to get it to the consistency you'd like. I liked mine chunky, so I didn't add too much. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Drain pasta and toss with broccoli pesto. Grate more cheese overtop and serve warm.

Sturdy whipped cream frosting

I made this frosting for Sara's birthday cake.  It was so easy and delicious.  I may never make any other kind of frosting.  You really need to try it.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/sturdy-whipped-cream-frosting/

Ingredients Edit and Save

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Original recipe makes 5 cupsChange Servings

• 1 (8 ounce) package reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 cups heavy cream

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Directions

1. Combine the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract and almond extract in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Fit the mixer with the whisk attachment and mix on medium speed until smooth. While the mixture is still whipping, slowly pour in the heavy cream. Stop and scrape the bottom of the bowl a couple of times while you continue whipping until the cream can hold a stiff peak.

Vaseline

I know that many of our family have reactions to metals in jewelry. I have tried many things including painting my earring posts with clear nail polish. Nothing seems to last. O end up with very sore ears in the end. I saw a brief pin on pinterest suggesting that you coat the posts earrings with vaseline before putting them on. (I did not repin it, just resolved to remember it, sorry.) Anyway, I tried it and it worked. I have used the trick several times and it lasts for at least 8-10 hours. Yay! (I could not find the little covers Aunt Marianne suggested. They don't seem to have them around here.)

file cabinet make over

I keep seeing this on Pinterest and loving the idea. I finally decided that I had to do it too! It was incredibly simple. The hardest part was cutting holes for the handles. I am still using mod podge every few hours just to make it nice and permanent .

BLT salad, lemon bars

If I haven't actually made this salad every day for the last two weeks, we've at least TALKED about it every single day for the last two weeks. And I definitely have made it at least 6 or 7 times. Maybe more. It is amazing.

Basic ingredients:

Lettuce (any kind)

Tomatoes

Bacon (cook it in the oven on foil so there is no mess.)

Cheese (I use feta for mine and Annie's and cheddar for Jared's)

Avocado

What else I add:

Cabbage

Peppers

Carrots

Spinach

etc...

Dressing Recipe:

Fresh lime juice (I recommend getting some kind of juicer, you will want this salad every day.)

About a half teaspoon of olive oil to every lime (some people might like more oil)

dash of salt

That's it. Easy, delicious, seriously super fresh because of the lime juice. When you mix it all on your plate and the avocado spreads on everything and the lime is so fresh it is just the perfect texture and amazing.

Today I tried a new recipe for lemon bars. Following the same criteria I always require, this recipe is simple, quick, and has very few ingredients. Go to this website for the recipe.

Grandma Foote says she wants these lemon bars instead of a cake next year on her birthday!

Roasted Butternut Squash

I made this roasted butternut squash recipe today:

http://pinterest.com/pin/106116134941530909/

It was really yummy but too much work for me. The part that was too much work was peeling and cutting the squash. The sauce for it was mostly apple cider and whole mustard seeds but it wasn't too hard to make. Roasted squash is really good and it probably would be just as good with pre-cut squash and olive oil and salt poured over it and then roasted.

meatloaf

The teacher who I share my portable with told me about her easy recipe for meatloaf that she had found on Pinterest. I went and found it on Pinterest too and made it tonight. It was SO easy, SO yummy, and my husband who says he has never liked meatloaf loved it. I did swap the ground beef for ground turkey in a (successful) effort to make it a little lower in calories and we were pleased with the results. I'm sure it is wonderful with ground beef.

Anyway, make it! You will love it! Click here for the recipe.