It has been a few weeks since I’ve posted any kitchen concoctions which means that I have not been whipping up anything fun for a while. With work and travels getting in the way, it has been too many late night grilled cheese dinners. Well, last night I decided it was time to get back in there and give it a go. But, being a week night it still had to be quick. I mean, with the #WeAreFaashion twitter party and an episode of Glee to watch I had a full night planned, priorities people!
I decided to try a Giada recipe of Penne with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto that looked pretty uncomplicated. To get the party started Floyd and I put on some music, popped open a bottle of vino and dug into a loaf of french bread w/ olive oil. Yum! I swear I could live off dinners of bread, olive oil and wine!
The result was a delicious penne pasta that both of us felt had a taste that was slightly more sophisticated than our stand-by or red sauce. Not that I don’t love me some chunky Ragu. Because I do! To spice it up I added some spicy Italian chicken sausage and red pepper flakes. True to the reviews, it was done in under 30 min! Love it! Here’s the recipe minus my additions, or you can find it here. Any other quick dinners I should know about? I’m always on the look out!
Penne w/ Sun-dried Tomato Pesto
Ingredients
- 12 ounces penne pasta
- 1 (8.5-ounce) jar sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Directions
1) Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
2) Meanwhile, blend the sun-dried tomatoes and their oil, garlic, salt and pepper, to taste, and basil in a food processor and blend until the tomatoes are finely chopped. Transfer the tomato mixture to a large bowl. Stir in the Parmesan.
3) Add the pasta to the pesto and toss to coat, adding enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Season the pasta, to taste, with salt and pepper and serve.
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Yum… thanks for sharing. I am always looking for new tried and true recipes. xo
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Yum and now I’m craving sun dried tomatoes!
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That looks amazing! Saving to recipe file! x
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Okay- not that is something special! I love pasta and pairing it with sun-dried tomatoes is one of my favs! Thanks for sharing such a great recipe girl! Loving the pics too.Maybe when I don’t have a 18 month old tagging on my leg non-stop around dinner I will spend more time on my pics! tell then you get what you get rigth! LOL! Love ya
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This does look easy to make and delicious. You made me hungry at 8 am!
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I’ve made this recipe before using fresh basil from my window garden and it was amazing. Anything that has sun-dried tomatoes is great in my book
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I am not a huge fan of sun dried tomatoes-however this looks AMAZING!!
<3 Cara
“KEEP CALM” A Giveaway is Going On!!
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Wow, what a delicious dish! I adore pasta!
Thanks for sharing this recipe.
I’m going to give a try right now!
B xx
X
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What a great simple pasta meal. I can tell by your list of ingredients that it would be packed full of strong and delicious flavors. Awesome
*kisses* HH
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Looks delicious! And I’m with you – meals of bread, olive oil and wine are right up my alley, but sadly my husband requires meat and veggies too
I’m just waiting for our trip to Italy because I see no better excuse to just eat bread and wine!
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that looks awesome! my mouth is watering now. i will def have to try this recipe. i love pasta!!!
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Looks delish! I’ll print off the recipe! xo
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Ok! This is what I’m making for dinner tonight!!
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We live on pasta dishes, and this one looks wonderful…
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Yum that looks delicious!
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I just saw an episode where she made lemon chicken soup with spaghetti.., it was basically chicken noodle with a kick. I’m dying to try it. Love Giada!
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Oh my, my husband would fall in love all over again if I made this for him lol
looks divine!
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all my favorite ingredients in a bowl!!!
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Yum Yum, looks delicious! – And I love Pasta!
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Looks soooo good. May just try it tonight
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As good as some of the gluten-free bread is getting, it can’t replace an artisan loaf with some good olive oil (and chunks of garlic), how I miss it. I too could live off that, divine.
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Yummy! Thanks for sharing
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Ohmigosh this looks absolutely amazing! I definitely want to try this recipe out!!
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hmmm I adore pesto, especially because it’s so easy to do! thanks for sharing! xo
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This looks SO good, and easy for the cooking impaired (me!). I am going to try to make this for sure!!
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Yum! I love anything with sundried tomatoes. Too bad my food processor and I are on the outs at the moment.
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looks great am going to try it out
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Looks delicious! Might try to find a vegetarian version of Parmesan so I can try this (Parmesan is made with animal rennet so not suitable for veggies like me I’m afraid
)
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Oh yummy! I am so hungry just from this post!!! You always make me wish I was right there cooking with you.
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Yummy! I definitely want to try this now. You make it look so EASY to make.
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Looks great, makes me already look forward to kids in bed and a glass of red wine and a kiss:)
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Another fab post Megan – love it! Love the photos too – thanks for sharing!
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oh you can never go wrong with giada! this looks absolutely delicious!
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lovely photos!
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oooh my, this looks delicious!!
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mmm looks delish!
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YUM!!! i will be trying this out!!!!
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Mmm that looks pretty tasty
http://aclosetfashionista.blogspot.com/
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Well I now know what I’m making my boyfriend for dinner!! I LOVE pesto & pasta & hmmmmm this looks so yummmy!! I’ll get my chopper out right now!! =)
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That looks delish! Wish I had some right about now
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This made my mouth water
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I want I want! it looks amazing.
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Pesto is my fave… And this recipe looks absolutely delicious! xo
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wow you got my attention! This looks fabulous and I love your pictures. Did you take these during the day? great lighting! Love this recipe and the accompanying wine and bread
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I just ate dinner, but I’m hungry again just looking at this! I’m going to have to make this–I LOVE sundried tomatoes!!
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That sounds amazing! Just looking at those pics makes me hungry!
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Oh, this looks so delectable! I love pasta in any capacity and I’m so with you on living on bread and olive oil — super delicious.
xo Josie
http://winksmilestyle.blogspot.com
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Looks so yummy, Megan! I’m saving this. All I have to do is swap out the penne for my gluten free pasta and I’m ready to go! xoxo
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This is my most favorite dish.
Ever.
I’ll try your recipe tomorrow.
I usually add some cream or a tablespoon of yogurt as well!
xx
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I have decided that I am making this for my husband for dinner tomorrow night.
Thanks for the inspiration!
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This looks so yummy! We have been making a few pestos lately and this one sounds wonderful – we will be making this soon.
Chelsea
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I think I know what I’m making this weekend!
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Got any leftovers?
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ohhh this is killing me right now, sooo hungry~!!! i love anything and i mean anything with pesto!!
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I haven’t had a really good pasta in ages and even though it is 8:30am as I read this, it is making me very hungry!
xx
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Wow, that looks so delicioso! I can hardly wait to try it out
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LOVE simple recipes like this. We have a 1/2 of a big jar of sun-dried tomatoes. I will definitely try this recipe; thanks for sharing!
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I love pesto. YUM!!
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Delicious! Pestos are my summer sauce staples. Few things are tastier with my pasta than fresh basil and cheese.
Sadly all the basil in the garden is long gone now, so it will be months before I’m eating pesto again.
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Music, wine, bread and pasta sounds like my kind of dinner!
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Okay, I DID make this. It was wonderful! And now I have lunches all week–thanks
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