Shrimp Pesto

4 c. basil
1 c. nuts (walnut or pine)
½ c. parmesan
5 cloves of garlic
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1c. Olive oil
1 lbs pasta
½ c. feta
1 lb small shrimp peeled


Combine fist seven ingredients and process to make pesto and set aside. Put water on to boil. Once water is boiling throw in pasta. 1-2 minutes before pasta is done throw in shrimp (if shrimp already cooked, throw in 30 second prior just to warm). Drain pasta and shrimp and immediately put pesto on. You may have leftovers, depends on how much sauce you have, if you do see my first post for pesto spread under April. Add shrimp and feta and serve immediately.

Walnut Truffle Pasta

This is an adaptation of a recipe I found.


1TBS Butter
1 C mushrooms chopped
1 Shallot chopped
1/2 cup cream or half and half
½ C walnut halves toasted
4TBS sour cream
1 garlic clove chopped
1 tsp truffle oil
¼ tsp sea salt
1pound pasta

Put water on to boil for pasta. Melt butter and sauté mushrooms and shallots. Meanwhile toast walnuts over medium heat in frying pan shaking pan frequently (about 7 minutes). Put pasta in to cook. Place mushroom shallot mixture, cream, sour cream, garlic, walnuts, salt and truffle oil in food processor and blend. Drain pasta and add sauce serve immediately.

Perfect Summer Pasta

I will ,yet again, rely on Penzys for this. They make a Italian Dressing base, that I just love. I use Rice Wine Vinegar and ¼ of the oil it calls for though when I make it. I use that dressing for the marinade here, however, I double the amount of base used when making the marinade.

3 chicken breasts
3-4 zucchini sliced up
3-4 squash sliced up
2 tomatoes chopped up
1 onion sliced up
2 cups marinade (if you don’t have Penzys use your favorite Italian dressing)
1 small package of feta
4-5 leave fresh basil chopped up
1 lb pasta

Grilling is a must for this I think. I have never tried it not grilled, but I can’t imagine it would be near as good, but give it a try

The night before put chicken breasts in ziploc bag and one cup of marinade. In another Ziploc put the veggies and the other cup marinade. Right before your ready to cook remove the chicken and veggies from the marinade. If you have a veggie pan to go on the grill, grill the veggies as well, just save ¼ C of the marinade (from the veggies, not the chicken!!) for later. If you don’t have a veggie pan, just do it on the stove top, and there is no need to reserve some marinade since cooking on the stove top allows the veggies to juice. While chicken is cooking boil the pasta. Once chicken is done, cut up into slices. Add veggies, basil, feta, and marinade reserve (if needed) to pasta , mix in. You can either just add the sliced chicken to the whole dish or plate the pasta/veggie mixture and add sliced chicken to the individual dishes.

This would also be great with artichoke and asparagus. Also smoked mozzarella or goat cheese might be a good substitute for the feta. Fresh rosemary might also be good as well.