Pea Pesto

Mmmm pesto. Okay, this doesn't have any basil in it, but it's still delicious. I saw this recipe from Giada De Laurentis months ago and finally got around to making it this weekend.



Milder but sweeter than basil hummus, this stuff is super versatile. And if you're like me and you always have frozen peas on hand, you'll probably have all the ingredients in your kitchen.



The components are simple: peas, parmesan, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bam. Pesto.



All of that got blended together in the food processor until smooth, a couple minutes.



Oh right, and then I added roasted pine nuts because I have a ton of them.



Mmmm garlicky goodness. The fresh garlic helps cut the sweetness of the peas.



Now for some crostini. I halved some cherry tomatoes to top the pesto.



And meanwhile, I grilled some baguette slices on our Griddler. You could brush olive oil on the bread, but I decided to skip it.



Spoon a glob of hummus on each slice and top with a cherry tomato. This makes an amazing snack with a glass of wine.



But wait, that's not all. On to some chicken salad.



I pan fried half of a chicken breast with some Cajun seasoning (the spiciness complemented the sweet peas too) and sliced it thin. Then I tossed the pesto, chicken, and diced tomatoes.



Great on toast, in a sandwich, or on a salad.

Pea Pesto

8 ounces frozen peas, defrosted
1 clove garlic
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup roasted pine nuts
1 Tbps lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Combine everything in a food processor and blend until smooth, about 2 minutes. Enjoy on everything!

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