Roasted Tomato Basil Pesto

Let's be honest here, I did not take this picture. I was so excited about eating this delicious pasta dish that I didn't think to take a picture of my own. Oops. So the photo credit for this one definitely goes to Angela.

BUT - original photo or not, you NEED TO KNOW about this recipe. It was so delicious. And healthy! I made it in my new Blendtec blender (which I LOVE, by the way) when I was so excited about it and just looking for ways to use it. I will definitely be making this again. The roasted tomatoes add such a depth of flavor to the pesto sauce - sweet and smoky and just amazing! We loved this and felt all fancy eating it.

Roasted Tomato Basil Pesto


9 large roma tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise
1/2 cup almonds, toasted
2 garlic cloves
1 cup tightly packed basil + more for garnish
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil + more for drizzling on tomatoes
Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Your desired amount of cooked pasta


Preheat oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment. Place sliced tomatoes on the sheet and drizzle with oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for about 1 hour and 10 mins at 400F. Watch closely during the last 15 minutes of roasting.

Reduce oven heat to 325F and toast almonds for 8-10 minutes. Add 1/3 cup into food processor and process until finely chopped. I left mine a bit chunky for texture. Remove and set aside.

With processor turned on, add 2 garlic cloves and let it whirl around until finely chopped. Now add in the basil and process until finely chopped.

Add in the oil, optional nutritional yeast, and 1.5 cups of roasted tomatoes (you will have tomatoes left over). Process until smooth. Pulse in 1/3 cup toasted almonds. Season generously with salt and pepper. I think I used about 1/2 tsp salt or a bit more.

Pour your desired amount of pesto over the cooked pasta and mix well. Chop the remaining roasted tomatoes and stir into pasta. Chop remaining almonds and Chiffonade the basil



Recipe from Oh She Glows.

Tortellini with Snap Peas, Lemon and Dill

This was the most delicious dinner! I was expecting it to be good (Kelsey's recipes always are), but it exceeded my expectations. The flavors were so fresh and well balanced. I can't wait to make it again! 

A couple notes: I substituted half a red onion for the shallot with great results. Also, pancetta is like a fancy, salty bacon. I used pancetta and I am really glad I did, but if you can't find it, I bet thick cut bacon would do in a pinch. But you wouldn't get that perfect salty flavor out of it, so I'd definitely recommend using pancetta if you can! And lastly, when lacking fresh herbs (dill), I use dry at about 1/3 the amount. So, 3 Tbs fresh dill becomes 3 tsp dried dill.


Tortellini with Snap Peas in Lemon Dill Cream Sauce

1 lb. refrigerated cheese tortellini
1 lb. sugar snap peas (4 cups)
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 ounces pancetta, thinly sliced, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces (about 1/2 
cup)
1 shallot, minced
1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon lemon zest
3 tablespoons fresh dill, snipped & chopped fine, plus more for garnish
1/3 Parmesan cheese, finely shredded

In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook tortellini according to package 
directions; adding the sugar snap peas during the last 2 minutes. Drain. 

Meanwhile, in a large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add 
pancetta and cook until crisp, 6-8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer 
pancetta to a small bowl and set aside. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat 
from the pan. Add shallot and cook, stirring occasionally until fragrant and 
golden brown around the edges, about 2 minutes. Add chicken broth, heavy 
cream, lemon zest, and dill. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until 
sauce has thickened and coats the back of a spoon. 

Remove from heat and add tortellini, snap peas, and pancetta and toss 
gently to coat. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and garnish with additional 
dill before serving. 

Makes 4-6 servings

Recipe from Kelsey Nixon.