A BIT OF GREEN & Happy Birthday, Debbie

Happy Birthday, Debbie. I hope this coming year will be a VERY good one. I love you.
Since today is St. Patrick's Day, I thought I would just write a few ideas for green dressings and dips. Yep, one more pesto post.

For a simple but unique pesto dressing, stir 2-3 table. prepared pesto into ranch dressing. This is a bit of the basil flavour for a basic green salad, or pasta salad.

One recipe I get a lot of requests for is a pasta pesto salad. It is just a bottle of Italian dressing (You can use the very cheapest, and I use low fat.) and stir in about 1/2 cup of prepared pesto. Stir into cooked and cooled pasta (I use rotini type.). Add your choice of vegetables. Cut tomatoes, olives, broccoli, matchstick carrots, sliced zucchini... Sprinkle with fresh grated Parmesan.

A bit of prepared pesto in mayo (regular or light) for using on a cold sandwich. I like removing the inside of a loaf of peasant pot bread. Then build the sandwich in the loaf and put the "lid" back on. This can be made ahead and wrapped well and kept in the fridge. To keep the bread from getting soggy, I butter the inside, and then line my bread bowl with washed and very dry lettuce.

For dipping hot sandwiches just mix half pesto and half sour cream (I use light.). Use this at room temp. (Remember this is also great as a pizza sauce.)

For a simple side dish cut red potatoes in to large cubes. (As many as you want.) Stir in pesto to coat.(As much as you want.) (I use about 2 lbs. potatoes and about 1/3 - 1/2 cup pesto.) Bake at 400* for about 40 mins.

Pesto Chicken Bake
Earlier in the week I tried another new recipe with pesto. I used the oven pot (with a lid) that I use for my pot bread. I sprayed the pan and added 4 (4-6)boneless skinless chicken thighs, one v e r y large potato (about 2 cups. I would have used red potatoes if I had had some.), cubed, 1-1 1/2 cut tomatoes (or cherry/grape tomatoes cut in 1/2). Stir in 1/2 cup prepared pesto. There is no reason to pre-heat the oven. Just cover and bake at 425* for 45 mins. I served this with pot bread and Parmesan cheese and fruit. I really liked this. Next winter this will go on my favourites list.
Tomorrow for throw back Thursday I am posting one of Doug's favourites adapted for a crock-pot. Also, I have a favourite thing to add to the give away basket. :D