Rotini with Arugula Pesto,
Lemon Baked Salmon, and Stuffed Clams
This has been a busy, busy week, and while I have still been cooking, I haven't been writing about it (sorry). One of the dishes we had this week was an adaptation (but, of course) of a recipe I found at Mama Jan's Kitchen, another of my regular food blog reads. This recipe, originally from Giada DeLaurentis, called for spinach and Asiago cheese, neither of which I had on hand. I did however have an unopened package of baby arugula and a wedge of Parmesan cheese, so I went with it. I also added more garlic than called for (love it),some lemon juice to brighten it (and help keep that beautiful color), and I tossed the rotini with a bit of cream before mixing in the pesto to enrich the dish. Served with some shaved Parmesan, this was a truly satisfying dish, and went especially well with the Lemon Baked Salmon and stuffed clams that we had with it.
This recipe made a LOT of pesto. After tossing some of the pesto with the 12oz. of whole wheat pasta I had cooked, I still had a lot left in the food processor. Out can a brick of cream cheese to mix with a couple tablespoons of the pesto (yum), and I still had about a half cup left. This last bit I spooned into a small container and stashed it away in the freezer after giving it a thin coating of extra virgin olive oil. I love when a simple recipe can serve so many purposes.
