Spinach Pistachio Pesto

 Pesto is one of the most versatile sauces. You can put it on pasta, chicken, beef, lamb, sandwiches and list can go on and on. It is completely delicious! Your basic pesto is basil, garlic, pine nuts, parmesan and olive oil. It's not only widely used it's very easy to make. If you have a food processor or blender its even easier to make! The beauty of pesto is that you can change it up. You can stick with tradition or think outside the box. Just switch out the greens and/or the nuts and as long as you have garlic, olive oil and parmesan you'll be fine.

One of my favorite greens is spinach. It's simply delicious. I'm also fond of pistachios. I happened to have both so I though why not! The result was this wonderfully delicate pesto. The color alone was beautiful and the flavor delightful.

As of now, it's my new favorite pesto! I've used it in pasta, as a sauce for beef & chicken and as a spread in a turkey sandwich. However you use it, it's delicious! 

This pesto is Popeye approved!

Buen Provecho!

4 oz of Spinach in blender or food processor

Add 1 large clove of garlic, if garlic is small use two

1/2 cup pistachios

1/4 cup to 1/2 cup Parmesan

Slowly drizzle olive oil into the blender top until the sauce emulsifies.

Delightful Green & Delicious

Toss with spaghetti & top with shaved Parmesan cheese. Yum!

Spinach Pistachio Pesto - yields about 3/4 - 1 cup

4 oz spinach
1 large garlic clove
1/4-1/2 cup of  parmesan cheese, to your taste (start small & add as you go)
1/2 cup pistachio, shelled
1/2 - 3/4 cup olive oil
Salt n Pepper to taste

1. In a blender add spinach, garlic, pistachio and parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Blend ingredients together. Through the top opening slowly pour olive oil until you reach the wanted consistency. In between thick and thin. Adjust for seasoning if necessary. Enjoy!

If making Pesto Spaghetti

Ingredients: yields 4 servings

1lb Spaghetti
1/4-1/3 cup Spinach Pistachio Pesto Sauce - If you want to use more feel free. Make it your own!


1.  I boiled the pasta according to package instructions, shy a 1-2 minutes of cooking time, until al dente. Save a cup of the pasta water. Drain spaghetti. Add 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup of pesto to spaghetti. Slowly add pasta water a tablespoon at a time, just enough to make a sauce. You will not use all the water. Toss the sauce and spaghetti, serve immediately. Top with shaved Parmesan. Buen Provecho!

Simple Spinach Dip

I love spinach dip! I love a dip that makes you think you're eating healthy. This dip is delicous served with carrots, cumcumber and bread or particularly anything!

This spinach dip is ridiculously simple. It literally has 4 ingredients, not including salt and pepper. I use frozen spinach, sour cream, mayo and chives or green onions. This time around I used chives. Whether green onions or chives, you can't go wrong.

This dip is great for parties or for simply eating while watching your favorite show on a lazy day. 

The measurements I give are estimates. Feel free to add more mayo or sour cream if you want it creamier. Keep it simple or jazz it up. Either way give it a try!

This is a great game day/night snack!! Go Giants!!

Buen Provecho!! 

16 oz of thawed spinach

Sniped chives, 1 Tbsp or Green onion 2 stocks thinly sliced

1/3 cup mayo

1/3 cup sour cream

salt to taste

pepper to taste

Stir to combine

Store and refrigerate for at least 1 hour for the flavors to meld together.

Slather on crusty bread! My favorite way!

Simple Spinach Dip

16 oz frozen spinach, thawed

1/3 cup mayo

1/3 cup sour cream

1 tbsp Chives, sniped or 2 Green onion stock, thinly sliced

Salt n Pepper, to taste

1. In a medium bowl put thawed spinach, sour cream, mayo, chives, salt and pepper. Stir and combine. Adjust seasoning of necessary. Put spinach dip in a container and chill for at least an hour. Serve with crudités or bread. 

Enjoy! 

Chicken Florentine Crepe with Hollandaise Sauce

 There is always something in our fridges that needs to be cook today or forget about it. This was my dilemma.  I had some chicken thighs that needed to be cooked and spinach and mushroom on the verge of spoiling. Necessity truly is the mother of invention. I decided to make Chicken Florentine. I could of easily just served it with potatoes or rice but I wanted something more elegant. This is where the crepe comes in. To make it even more fancy I made some Hollandaise Sauce to pour over it.

This dish is so delicious! I only had spinach, onions and mushrooms but you could use any vegetables you like and it will be incredible! It was light, satisfying and so savory!

I suggest doing the batter for the crepes first it needs to rest for at least 1 hour in the fridge.  Second work on the filling. Third do the hollandaise while warming up your filling. When each component is done, start making the crepes and adding your warm filling, roll and top with hollandaise.

Make Crepe Batter- Add 2 eggs, 1 cup of flour, 3/4 cup milk, 1/2 cup water, 3 TBSP butter & 1/4 tsp salt to a blender. Blend for ONLY 10 seconds.  Place in fridge for 1 hour.

Season and cut chicken

Add oil to a medium pan on medium high, add chicken

Brown chicken and remove

Add diced onions

and garlic. Cook until tender.

Move onions/garlic to outer side of pan and add mushrooms.

Cook until brown. stir together.

Add flour and stir into veggies while cooking out the flour taste.

Add 1 1/2 cups of chicken stock

Stir scraping bottom for flavorful bites. Bring to a boil and sauce thickens.

Put chicken and juices back, finish cooking chicken. 5- 10 minutes check for doneness.

Add 1/3 cup heavy cream, stir and allow sauce to reduce.

Add spinach and wilt.

Yummy Filling!!

Make Crepes. Butter pan, 1/4 cup batter in pan, swirl, cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, flip and cook other side.

Make Hollandaise- 2 yolks, juice of half a lemon, 1/4 tsp salt blend in blender. While blending pour in the top 5 tbsp melted butter. Blend until completely emulsified. Adjust for seasoning. 

Add a couple of Tbsp of filling

Gently Roll

Drizzle with Hollandaise sauce.

Delightful bite!

Chicken Florentine Crepe with Hollandaise Sauce - yields 4 servings

Ingredients:

1lb chicken thighs, skinless, boneless 
1 Tbsp Poultry Seasoning
1/2 an onion, diced
1 garlic clove
8 oz Mushroom, sliced
4-5 oz Spinach
2 Tbsp Flour
1 1/2 cups Chicken stock
1/3 cup heavy cream
Salt n Pepper
2 Tbsp Olive Oil

Crepes- store bought or homemade Crepes  
Hollandaise Sauce 


Roadmap:

1. If making crepes do that first. Batter needs to sit for at least 1 hour.
Cut chicken into strips or chunks. Season chicken with salt n pepper and poultry seasoning.

2. To a medium heavy bottom pan on  medium heat add oil. Brown chicken. Once all chicken is browned remove from pan and place on plate.

3. Add diced onions & garlic, season with salt & pepper,  cook until tender, 4-5 minutes, push onions/garlic to the outer sides of the pan and add mushrooms. Cook until brown. Add the flour, stirring to cover vegetables with flour and also to cook the flour taste out. 

4. Add chicken stock, stirring/scraping up with a wooden spoon the good bits from the pan and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally until sauce thickens.

5. Return chicken to pan and lower to simmer. Finish cooking chicken through, 5-10 minutes, check for doneness.

6. Add heavy cream, stir and allow sauce to reduce. Add spinach and wilt in pan. Cover and remove from heat. Keep warm.

7. Prep homemade crepes or store brought crepe. Make Hollandaise Sauce. 

8. Assembly: Crepe, spoonful of chicken mixture , roll and drizzle hollandaise sauce.

9.  Enjoy!