Roasted Red Pepper Pesto

This meal turned out to be a meatless meal...much to the dismay of my husband (and I have to say I do enjoy my protein...so I have a feeling I will be hungry in a bit)...however, Ryan did eat a bowl and three quarters...as he puts it...

Anyway, I had to pull my food processor out of its' box and out of the garage for that matter. I'm not big into lots of food prep...but I do love a good pesto. So, rather than buy one and use one out of a jar...I thought I would take a stab at making my own.

I already know of some changes I would make...I would top the pasta with fresh tomatoes and mozzarella melted over the top...but more about that later...the original recipe was one I found (of course) on Pinterest: Annie's Eats

Roasted Red Pepper Pesto

Ingredients

*1/2 small onion
*1 c. fresh basil
*6 cloves garlic
*1/4 c. pine nuts (in hindsight, I would have toasted them prior to processing)
*1 c. roasted red peppers (mine were from Wegman's olive bar)
*shredded mozzarella cheese (about 1 cup)
*1 tsp sea salt
*1 tsp pepper
*EVOO
(Next time I make this...cooked chicken, 1 c. diced tomatoes, 1 c. cubed mozzarella)
*penne pasta

Step by Step

1. In the food processor combine the following: garlic, onion, basil, pine nuts, peppers, cheese, salt and pepper.

2. Once those are all look like mush....add in the EVOO (about 1/4-1/2 cup).
3. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. Set aside 1 c. of starchy water before draining.
4. Combine the pesto with the drained pasta. Add cup of starchy water. (and the cooked chicken)

5. Let the pasta sit for a few minutes. Then, top with tomatoes and mozzarella.

*Honestly, I think this would be a great topping for chicken alone. If you aren't in the mood for pasta, this on some chicken with a nice green veggie would also make for a great meal!