Chicken Pesto Pasta

On my trip to Vegas my friend Kari made this for me, which for Kari is a big deal. Growing up she was never much of a cook, but now that she married she has grown emensly in that department! I liked it enough that I'm adding it to my blog and tweeking it just a bit.

1/2 cup prepared pesto
1/4 water
1 onion diced
1 tsp garlic, minced
2 tomatoes, diced
3 chicken breast
1 tsp parsley
salt and pepper to taste
1 pkg penne pasta
1/4 cup Romano cheese, grated

Start the pasta and cook till al dente. set aside. In a saute pan, add a bit of olive oil and saute the garlic and onions. Carmelize slightly, add the chicken breast with the parsley and salt and pepper. allow chicken to get golden brown and cooked through. In a smaller pan heat the pesto and the water to make a thin sauce. When the chicken is completely cooked, shred with forks add to the pasta, add the tomatoes and then the thin pesto sauce. Toss till coated and serve hot top with Romano cheese. Serve with rolls and a salad.

Long time no cook...

Sorry it has been awhile since I last posted. My mom came for a visit and we were busying visiting and painting Emery's room. Then I just got beck from a weekend in Vegas to visit a friend. I have a tri tip roast that I'm going to make for dinner tonight and I wanted to do something different than the regular meat and potatoes roast. I've made this befor with skirt steak and a different marinade but we are going to do it with this marninade and tri tip. Should be yummy!

For the trip tip:
1 tablespoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon dried dill
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
1/4 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary
1 (2 1/2 pound) beef tri-tip roast

Rub all over the tri tip and allow to sit for a few hours in the fridge. Broil, roast or grill the tri tip till cooked to your desired doneness, usually about 40 minutes. Allow to rest and then slice against the grain.

1 loaf crusty french bread, thinnly sliced
2 tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup calamata olives, chopped
1/2 red onion, minced
1 T garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1 T olive oil
1 cup mozzrella cheese, grated
3 T fresh Basil, chopped

Combine all bruschetta ingredients. Toast the sliced french bread in oven till they are light brown and crunchy. Top with a slice of the tri tip, then the tomatoe mixture then top with cheese. Melt cheese on top with broiler and serve hot.

Conference Breakfast

So for Conference this year we invited friends over for Breakfast and to watch the morning session. My dear friend Michelle makes this fabulous Buttermilk syrup it is SO good and yesterday while I was thinking what to make all I could think of was this syrup! I wanted to make something that would go great with the syrup, so I came up with this stuffed french toast recipe. It sure was yummy!!

Stuffed French Toast

French toast bread
6 eggs
2 T milk
1 1/2 T cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground clove
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 T vanilla

For the Stuffing:
1 pkg cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup strawberry preserves
1/2 tsp cinnamon
sliced strawberries

Combine the french toast ingredients and proceed to dip the bread in the egg mixture and cook on a gridle top. Flip to cook the other side, when cooked set aside. Combine cream cheese, preserves and cinnamon. Combine till well mixed. If the cream cheese isn't soft enough nuke in microwave for 30 seconds. Spread a layer of the cream cheese mixture on one side of each piece of french toast. Then top with some sliced strawberries then another piece of frnech toast. Place on a baking sheet and place in a 350` oven for about 5 minutes to heat through. Serve warm with syrup and extra strawberries on top.

I figured that since this is a cooking blog I could post some pictures of the cakes I've made. I'm in the process of building a portfolio and am gathering pictures of all the cakes I've made through the years. Here are a few from the last year or so. I recently been asked to make afew cakes and have been paid to do and each time during delivery I've been asked for my business card... I guess it is time for me to really think about getting business cards!


Sabrina Maki's baby shower cake for their little boy Mason due in April 2010


Close up of the baby face cupcakes, so cute and so much fun to make!

Cakes

Jeff and Sheryden Cary wedding cake I made for their December 2009 wedding



Darwin's brother Cody and Amanda Jo Johnson's wedding cakes for their January 2009 wedding

My son parker's 2nd Birthday cake

My son Porter's 3rd Birthday cake