Pistachio Pesto

I was always a little afraid of pesto. Prior to my early twenties, I was a very picky eater. This made dining at other people's tables a little nerve-wracking for me, as I lived in worry that they'd serve something that *gasp!* I wouldn't like. I finally told myself that it was impossible to die from tasting something unpleasant, and from there I blossomed. I finally tried pesto at a dinner party and realized that it was DELICIOUS and I had wasted a lot of time fearing it.

This recipe was born out of a period of time when Justin strongly suspected that he was allergic to all nuts. Except, for some reason, pistachios. I modified a standard pesto recipe to include pistachios in place of the usual pine nuts. It was later revealed that he is not allergic to any nuts, but we still much prefer this version. This pesto is great on sandwiches and pizza as well. And it freezes beautifully and defrosts quickly, so it's a great one to double for later.

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup firmly packed fresh basil
1/2 cup parsley
1/2 cup fresh shredded Parmesan cheese with extra for topping
1/2 cup shelled pistachios
1/3 cup olive oil
1 or 2 cloves garlic (I always go 2)
cooked spaghetti or angel hair pasta

MAKE IT:
Put all ingredients except pasta in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Cook pasta according to manufacturer instructions and combine pesto and pasta. Garnish with extra Parmesan.

Enjoy with a side of crusty garlic bread or a salad.

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burritos

This is a standard in our household. The prep is pretty simple, and it's definitely filling. And actually incredibly healthy. A few years back, we had another couple over for dinner and this is what we all came up with. Enjoy!

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS:
1 sweet potato - diced
1/2 red pepper - diced
Monterey Jack cheese (as cheesy as you like it)
2 cloves garlic - finely diced or smooshed through a garlic press
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 can refried black beans
2 large tortillas
Mrs. Renfro's Medium Salsa


COOKIN' IT:
In a large pan or wok, heat olive oil on medium and add garlic. Saute for about one minute, being careful not to burn. Add sweet potato and cover, cooking on low heat and stirring occasionally. Add red pepper once sweet potatoes become soft and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, shred cheese and heat beans, either on the stove or in the microwave. When potatoes and peppers are close to being done, warm tortillas either in the microwave (10 seconds or so) or on a hot skillet on the stove top.


ASSEMBLE IT:
Spread a layer of beans on the warmed tortilla. Add a generous sprinkling of cheese and then cover with half of the potatoes and peppers. Fold and cover in salsa. Repeat and share with a loved one.


This is definitely a fork and knife endeavor.

Welcome to Recipe Club!

Hello and welcome to the club. This is a space devoted to building a community of sharing recipes and cooking tips for people who are looking for easy, nutritious, tasty and usually vegetarian meals. Ideally, I'll be featuring recipes that involve natural, fresh ingredients. I'm looking forward to receiving favorite recipe contributions from readers.

I am not a chef or even a trained cook. I'm a person who is open to trying new things in the kitchen, but I'm also a mom to a toddler, a freelance writer, and a mover and a shaker, so I don't have tons of time for cookbook scouring or trying out recipes that disappoint. I'm constantly asking friends for recipes and subsequently losing them, so this blog will be a short of recipe box that I can share with others.

Please send your favorite recipes to recipeclubblog@gmail.com. Pictures and a description of where the recipe comes from and/or it's history in your kitchen are welcome and encouraged.

Let's eat!