Ridiculously Easy Recipe: Pesto Pasta Salad

As summer draws to a close for the rest of the country, Florida summer rages on. Today the temperature was 86 degrees and it won’t be getting any cooler for at least another 3 months.

So while the rest of America can begin to embrace boots, jackets, and cocoa weather, we in Florida can enjoy this cool pasta salad (and our bikinis) for a little longer! 

I love, love, love basil pesto. It’s nutty, it’s slightly sweet and it’s perfect with pasta. The best part is you can use it sparingly and still come out ahead with tons of flavor. I prefer to buy my pesto from the store (Bertoli makes a great one!) but feel free to make your own with fresh basil, toasted pine nuts, and olive oil.

Pesto Pasta Salad

Makes approximately 8, ½ cup servings.

• 2 tablespoons prepared basil pesto (or make your own!)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 cups cooked bowtie (farfelle) pasta
• 1 cup cubed, fresh mozzarella
• 1 cup fresh spinach chiffonade*
• ½ cup pepperoni slices, cut into quarters
• Salt, and pepper, to taste

1. In a large bowl, whisk the pesto and olive oil. 
2. Add the still warm bowties, and spinach and stir to combine. The heat from the pasta will slightly wilt the spinach. 
3. Gently fold in the pepperoni and mozzarella. 
4. Add salt and pepper to taste. 
5. Serve immediately or chill for 4-24 hours. 
6. Garnish with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese,  if desired.

(*to chiffonade, simply roll a handful of spinach leaves tightly then thinly slice into strips. It’s more visually pleasing than torn spinach and you won’t get big hunks of greens in every bite!)

Simple, Delicious, Done!

Love, 

Shauna E

Ridiculously Easy Recipe: Pizzadillas

Has it really been 4 months since my last post? Did you miss me? I've missed you!

There have been lots of big changes in my life since my last post. I switched careers from serving to being a property preservation processor (don't ask me, I don't even know what it means), plus we switched apartments (loving the new place so much more than our last!) and now my husband and I are in the market for our very own furbaby. It's been incredibly hectic around here (more than I enjoy on a normal basis, wahhh) and I am so glad to be back into a normal routine!

As I mentioned, I recently switched jobs. It really doesn't pay any more than serving did, but there has been an added pressure of actually budgeting my money versus spending it as I go. For that reason, I've had to be much more thrifty with our food budget. I buy in bulk, I freeze whatever we won't use right away, and I've been trying much harder not to waste any food scraps that are leftover. A few tablespoons of sauce, some leftover cheese, and the last, abandoned tortillas from taco night are turned into an easy, creative meal that tastes just like a thin and crispy crust pizza. 

I'm actually pretty surprised I never thought to use tortillas like this before. Now I'm curious about other flavor combinations: What would a cubandilla be like? What about a greekdilla? The possibilities are literally endless! This sandwich would be perfect served with a salad as a light meal, or skip the large tortillas and op for minis instead. I'm betting these would make pretty terrific appetizers! 

Shauna E's Pizzadillas

(Sorry for the poor picture; I really need a new camera!)

Makes one pizza quesadilla (Double, or triple as needed!)

You will need:

• 2 large tortillas (10" size is preferred)
• Softened butter or butter spray
• 1/4 cup prepared tomato sauce (plus extra for dipping!)
• 3/4-1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, enough to cover one tortilla (I like a lot of cheese)
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tablespoons dried Italian herbs
• 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
• Pepperoni, ham, sausage, sun-dried tomatoes, bell peppers, or any other pizza toppings you like!

The trick with this recipe is to go light on the ingredients: less is more. You don't want to bog down the crust with a lot of weight and lose the crispiness on the outside!

1. Brush each tortilla lightly with softened butter.
2. Place one tortilla butter-side down on a preheated skillet or grill.
3. Quickly smear on a thin layer of tomato sauce, and top with mozzarella cheese.
4. Layer on any toppings you prefer, remembering to go sparingly with them.
5. Grill for 2 minutes or until cheese is mostly melted.
6. Sprinkle on Parmesan cheese, garlic powder and Italian herbs.
7. Top with a second, buttered tortilla.
8. Using a spatula, carefully flip the entire thing over and grill until second tortilla is crispy.
9. Remove first pizzadilla from the heat, cut into halves or quarters. 
10. Serve with additional warmed tomato sauce.

Questions? Ask below!

XOXO

Shauna E!