Broccoli Pesto Pasta

I’m not sure if you all are aware, but October was National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. You’re probably wondering why I’m posting about this in NOVEMBER. Well, a 25-year campaign that has helped raise research funds and educate women on the importance of getting regular mammography screenings is sort of a big deal and should be remembered all year round. Today, more than ever, there is an awareness that taking easy, regular steps can lead to early detection when chances of survival are highest. But we can’t remind each other of this just in October. We need to try to remember and remind others of this year round.

For this post, I’ve partnered with KitchenAid to help spread the word and do a little fundraising for Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

The KitchenAid Pass The Plate campaign might just be the most perfect fundraiser I’ve ever heard of: you raise money by cooking and sharing food with loved ones. Start by purchasing (or winning!) a Villeroy and Boch Pass The Plate platter designed by Jacques Pepin and registering it on the KitchenAid site.

Then make a dish, serve it on the plate and, when you’re done, pass it to a friend. Your friend registers the same plate on the KitchenAid site, makes a dish, serves it on the plate, and passes it along to another friend.

Each time someone new registers the plate, KitchenAid donates $5 to Susan G. Komen® for the Cure.

This can go on forever. Way beyond one month of the year, long after we’ve forgotten about pink ribbons.

You can find out how to buy your plate for $24.95 on KitchenAid site. Or one of you can win one here! Scroll down below for that info.

But first, lets talk Broccoli Pesto for a minute. Are you broccoli fans? Do you buy it by the truckload at Costco like me? Well, I got this brilliant idea a few days ago and believe it or not, this pure veggie sauce is delicious, healthy, fast and my family ate it ALL. Talk about win win, folks! It might take a minute or two to get over the bright green part, but after one bite, they’ll be convinced! Just make sure to add extra cheese and they’ll be fine. At least that’s what I do with my 4 year old. And my husband.

Ahem.

ANYWAYS.

Here’s how you make it:

Start by chopping some onion and garlic. Get this cooking in a small skillet over medium heat with a little olive oil.

While that is cooking, chop up some broccoli into florets so you have 4 cups worth.

Bring a pot of water to boil and add in that broccoli.

Cook it until the stems are fork tender and remove from the water using a slotted spoon. Into the same hot water, pour in your pasta. Lets pretend there’s a picture of that here.

While the pasta is cooking, we can finish the broccoli pesto. Grate some real parmesan cheese…

and add it to the bowl of a food processor along with the cooked broccoli, sautéed onions and garlic, salt and pepper. Pulse it a few times and then add in a little pasta water or heavy cream to get it going and turn it into a pesto.

I like mine pretty chunky and thick so I didn’t add very much cream, but you can make this how you like. Be sure to taste and adjust seasonings as you like.

Toss the pesto together with the pasta and that’s it!

Serve it up with lots of extra cheese and you’re ready to eat!

This was a fabulous meal my husband and I enjoyed and it was pretty healthy too! Here’s the printable. Enjoy!

Broccoli Pesto Pasta

If you like regular pesto, then give this broccoli version a whirl! Delicious with lots of extra parmesan on top!

Yield: 2 servings

Prep Time: 8 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

4 cups broccoli florets
1/2 lb. short cut pasta, such as mini penne
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup diced yellow onion
2 cloves minced garlic
2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese {use the real stuff please!}
reserved pasta water or heavy cream
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Bring large pot of water to boil. Blanch broccoli florets 2-3 minutes or until stems are fork tender. Remove with slotted spoon. Pour in pasta to same water from broccoli. Cook 7-10 minutes or until al dente.

While pasta is cooking, sauté onions and garlic in olive oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until browned and softened. Spoon cooked onions and garlic into the bowl of a food processor with cooked broccoli, cheese, a little pasta water {or heavy cream} and salt and pepper. Pulse until it starts coming together, adding in more pasta water or cream to get it to the consistency you'd like. I liked mine chunky, so I didn't add too much. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Drain pasta and toss with broccoli pesto. Grate more cheese overtop and serve warm.

AND, if you’d like to win your own plate designed by Jacques Pepin, simply leave a comment below telling me what you’d cook first to serve on it! That’s it

Contest starts now and will end Wednesday, November 6 at 11:59pm. Winner will be drawn at random, announced Thursday morning and contacted by email. They will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen. Contest open to US residents only. Please note that I still love all my international readers

Thanks, friends!

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© Lauren for Lauren's Latest, 2013. | Permalink | 32 comments | Stumble It! Tweet This Share on Facebook Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: broccoli, cheese, parmesan, pasta, pesto

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