Kale Pesto Spaghetti

While perusing through the produce aisle this afternoon, hoping for an ingredient to jump out at me or speak to me while wandering around the store, I couldn't help but notice that the choices were limited in stormy Winnipeg.  Normally I have many ideas for Sunday dinner, but with this horrible weather we are still experiencing, my creative juices seemed to be frozen. The only thing that looked fresh today was the giant stacks of kale that looked like they had just been put on the shelves. I stood in front of the piles of leafy greens pondering what magnificent meal could come out of this super ingredient. I have been using kale in smoothies, soups and salads and wanted to make something different but familiar. My hubby leaned in and asked, "can you make a pasta dish for dinner?" It was at that moment that I had the idea to make Kale Pesto for Spaghetti. I have made many varieties of pesto in the past but none have ever included this healthy, hearty ingredient.

I was not sure if the dish would turn out the way I had imagined it, but I was determined to make it look and taste spectacular.  In the end we were very happy with the results, so I decided to share this new recipe with all of you. 

Ingredients for Kale Pesto 

Quantity 3 cups

1 bunch of kale- leaves removed from stems. 

1 cup parsley

1 cup basil

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 cloves garlic

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts plus 2 tbsp for garnish (you could also use walnuts or almonds)

1 cup Parmesan

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp agave syrup-optional

salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients for Angie's Gremolata- optional
This gremolata will add crunch and flavor to the dish. The combination of the ingredients below helped take this simple pasta dish to another level of YUM. 

zest one lemon

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1/2 cup parsley- finely chopped

1/4 cup Parmesan- finely grated

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

Directions for the Kale Pesto

Place all the above ingredients in your food processor except for the salt and pepper and olive oil.  

Pulse while slowly adding the olive oil.

Taste.

Season with salt and pepper as desired. 

Coat your favorite pasta with the kale pesto.  Garnish with the gremolata, toasted pine nuts and shaved Parmesan cheese. If you have left over pesto, it can be stored in the fridge for up to three days. 

Note: If you are freezing this pesto I recommend leaving the cheese out of the pesto until after you defrost it. 

To my friends with children,

If you want to jazz up your Alfredo sauce for the kids, this pesto is a great way to add vegetables to their creamy pasta dish.  

Have a great week!

A

Baby Shower Fun with Frosting

This afternoon I helped plan and execute a friends baby shower and it was a real delight. It always brings me great pleasure feeding others and having an excuse to get a group of ladies in one room sharing cooking tips, recipes, and advice on a myriad of topics.

The theme for today's menu was based on the stereotypical foods that women crave while being pregnant. Chicken fingers, meatballs, pickles, cheese fries, mini cupcakes, bite size brownies, and cookies were just a snaphot of all the food we induged in this afternoon.

The group really liked the mini pistachio cupcakes I made and I promised I would share this simple childhood frosting recipe so that the ladies can make it in their home.  This light fluffy frosting is a nice break from buttercream icing you would normally find on cupcakes.

To make this frosting you only need three ingredients.


1x package instant pudding-I LOVE Pistachio and butterscotch the most.
1 cup skim milk
1 cup whipping cream

1. Place whipping cream in a mixer bowl and best on high speed until thick and can form peaks. Using a spatula, scrape all the whipping cream in a seperate bowl and set aside.

2. Place pudding powder and milk in your mixing bowl and mix on medium speed for two minutes until pudding is thick.

3. Fold in the whipped cream until well incorporated.

4. Place frosting in a piping bag or Ziploc bag and refrigerate until needed.

Note: I always garnish the pistachio frosting with crushed salty pistachios. The combination of the salty and sweet is magnificent.

I have also made this recipe with home made butterscotch pudding topped with sea salt and crumbled Skor bars.

Although I like to make most of my treats from scratch there are a few treats from my past that still make an appearance in the present. If you have a favorite dish that reminds you of a time, place or person, I would love to hear about it.

Have a great week everyone!

A

Frittata

Last week I blogged about Spring and gardening, which made me think about my mother, who was an avid gardener.  Often, she used to make one of my favorite meals using fresh grown zucchini flowers or whatever fresh vegetables were in season.

It does not matter if it is a Sunday morning or a Wednesday evening, Frittata is always a fabulous choice for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

This Italian style omelette can feed multiple people and can be made in advance if necessary.  It also travels well if you need to bring it to a potluck. I have made so many variations of this staple dish and they are all good. I sometimes make a Frittata with left over potatoes and oven roasted vegetables to recreate a new dish using ingredients from a previous meal.

 My hubby loves left over Frittata in a sandwich with red pepper aioli and fresh greens. When Corey and I started dating we lived in separate provinces and would fly back and forth to see one another. It became a tradition for me to send him home at the end of a visit with giant Frittata sandwiches for his flight.  I would specially wrap them with parchment and twine so he would have a fancy reminder of me and the limited time we spent together. People on the plane would often comment about his delicious meal wondering where he purchased it, as there really was nothing like it at the airport food stands.  I guess it worked, because we are now married and he still requests this favorite often.

This  egg pie can be made in a non stick oven safe pan or in a spring-form pan lined with parchment paper. I start this dish on the stove top and complete it in the oven. This is a great versatile recipe that I hope you can share with your friends and family, adding in your own unique twist regardless of the season.


Buon Appetito!


Ingredients

1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 diced onion
1 diced red pepper
1 cup of chopped spinach
1 cup diced mushrooms
8 eggs- season with salt, pepper
1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese

Directions
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees

1. Whisk the eggs with salt and pepper and set aside.
2. Dice all vegetables.
3. Heat non stick pan and add olive oil.
4. Saute onions for 2-3 minutes on med high heat.
5. Add peppers and mushrooms and turn heat up to high. Saute for 2 minutes.
6. Add the spinach and saute until wilted. Make sure all liquid is evaporated before adding eggs. If you are using vegetables that contain lots of water such as mushrooms and spinach it is crucial to saute them on high heat.
7. Add egg mixture to the non stick pan of cooked vegetables and turn the heat off after one minute.
8. Place pan in the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until puffy and golden around the edges.
9. Once out of the oven, garnish with goats cheese and serve.


Note:
If you like your eggs less dense and extra fluffy, add 1/4 cup of milk to the egg mixture.