Menu Monday

This weeks Menu Monday will be slightly different.  Last week's menu was amazing if I say so myself and even though I didn't have time to do a Menu Monday last week I still wanted to share our delicious meals and a few recipes from the week.  So here is a recap of last week's menu complete with reviews.

Monday

*Sauteed Arctic Char and Arugula Salad with Tomato Vinaigrette

From the July 2010 issue of Cooking Light.  This recipe was incredible easy and really delicious.  In addition it was super healthy.  I'm horrible about making vegetables a big part of our meals but this was the first of several meals this week that are heavy on fresh vegetables.  Review: 7/10

Tuesday

*Shrimp Pesto Pizza

I finally did it!  After weeks of talking about making homemade pesto, I finally found a great recipe to motivate me and my basil plant just got out of control enough to warrant some major pruning.  The Shrimp Pesto Pizza recipe is from the April 2010 Southern Living and was absolutely amazing.  It is the perfect Summer pizza and I am already anxious to make it again.  Next time I plan to step up my game and attempt to make homemade dough versus using store bought.  Review 9/10 (only for the quality of the dough)

Recipe below!

*Homemade Pesto

I used a mix of several pesto recipes to come up with my ideal pesto.  It was delicious and best of all, we had leftovers to eat on the rest of the week.  It was relatively easy to make with the most time consuming part being my lack of familiarity with our food processor.  I really need to use it more often.  Review 8/10

Recipe below!

 Wednesday 

*Summer Vegetables and Sausage Pasta

One of my favorite Spring/Summer meals because it takes full advantage of all of the fresh vegetables available to us this time of year.  This meal was first introduced to us by our friends Connor and Mariel during a Hilton Head trip several years ago.  I will definitely share the recipe in the weeks to come as I'm sure it will show up in the menu again soon.  Review 7/10

Thursday

*Leftover Summer Vegetable Pasta

Friday

*Dinner out at Sushi Rock with Callie and Brennan

Saturday

*Grilled Burgers

*Salad

*Pesto Pasta Salad

Yet another use for the delicious pesto.  I tossed it with cooked farfalle pasta, cherry tomatoes, red onion, pine nuts, and olive oil.  Review 7/10

Fresh Basil Pesto

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup pine nuts
• 3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350.  Bake pine nuts in a single layer in a shallow pan for 6 minutes or until toasted and fragrant.   Let cool 5 minutes.  

Combine basil with pine nuts in a food processor.  Pulse a few times.  Add the garlic, pulse a few times more.

Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on (my processor had a tiny hole in the top that allowed the olive oil to slowly pour in for me, check for one on yours).  Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula.  Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended.  Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Makes 1 cup!

Shrimp Pesto Pizza

•  1  pound  unpeeled, large raw shrimp
• 1  large yellow onion, chopped
• 1  red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  pepper
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  olive oil
• 1 1/2  pounds  bakery pizza dough
• All-purpose flour
• Plain yellow cornmeal
• 1/2  cup Pesto
• 3/4  cup  freshly grated Parmesan cheese

 Coat cold cooking grate of grill with cooking spray, and place on grill. Preheat grill to 350° (medium) heat. Peel shrimp, and slice in half lengthwise; devein, if desired.

Sauté onion, bell pepper, salt, and pepper in 1/2 tsp. hot oil in a large skillet over medium heat 5 minutes or until tender. Transfer onion mixture to a large bowl. Sauté shrimp in remaining 1 tsp. hot oil 3 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink. Add shrimp to onion mixture, and toss.

Divide dough into 6 equal portions. Lightly sprinkle flour on a large surface. Roll each portion into a 6-inch round (about 1/4-inch thick). Carefully transfer pizza dough rounds to a cutting board or baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal.

Slide pizza dough rounds onto cooking grate of grill; spread Garden Pesto over rounds, and top with shrimp mixture. Sprinkle each with 2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese.

Grill, covered with grill lid, 4 minutes. Rotate pizzas one-quarter turn, and grill, covered with grill lid, 5 to 6 more minutes or until pizza crusts are cooked. Serve immediately.

*I cut this recipe in half to accommodate my Pillsbury pizza dough so we made one large pizza.  We also did not grill the pizza but instead used a pizza stone in our oven which was preheated to 400.

Our pizza prior to entering the oven