Walnut Pesto Paula Deen Recipes

WALNUT PESTO (PAULA DEEN)

Steps:

• For Pesto: In a food processor, blend all ingredients until a coarse paste is formed.
• Place in an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.
• (Yield: about 1 1/2 cups).

INSTANT PESTO TORTA WITH BREAD AND VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Line a small shallow dish or bowl with plastic wrap or waxed paper. Coat wrap with vegetable spray. Arrange a pattern in bottom of the dish using the sun-dried tomatoes and basil. Add 1 1/2 tubs of garlic and herb cheese (about half a pound) to the dish and smooth over, then layer in the sun-dried tomato spread and the pesto. Spread the remaining cheese on top of the pesto. Place a serving plate over the bowl and invert the bowl. Hold on to the edges of the waxed paper or wrap to release the cheese. Remove the waxed paper or plastic wrap. Arrange the sliced baguette along 1 side of the torta.
• Arrange carrots and tomatoes along the opposite side of the torta.

BROCCOLI-WALNUT PESTO WITH PASTA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the nuts out on a small baking pan and toast lightly, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Pulse together 1/4 cup of the walnuts and the garlic in a food processor; add the broccoli, basil, broth, nutmeg, red pepper flakes if using, 3/4 teaspoon salt and the lemon juice, and pulse until just combined. Slowly drizzle in the oil through the feed tube with the processor running and puree until a slightly chunky sauce forms, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add 2 tablespoons of the cheese and pulse until incorporated.
• Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.
• Toss the pasta with the pesto in the dry pot or a mixing bowl, along with some of the reserved cooking liquid. Add the remaining cooking liquid if needed and additional salt to taste.
• Transfer the pasta to individual bowls and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon cheese. Chop the remaining walnuts and scatter on top. Garnish with basil leaves and serve.

PAUL'S FAVORITE SPINACH-WALNUT PESTO

Steps:

• Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse several times until coarsely chopped. Scrape sides of bowl from time to time. Process continuously until the sauce is smooth.
• If the pesto is too thick, add a little hot water and pulse again.
• At this point, you can either freeze the pesto for future use or toss immediately with prepared, hot spaghetti noodles.
• Serve with crusty bread and a good white wine.

PAULA DEEN'S BANANA NUT BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Cream shortening and sugar.
• Soft together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda and add to creamed mixture.
• Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
• Pour into a well-greased loaf pan.
• Bake for 40 to 45 minutes.

WALNUT PESTO

Steps:

• Blend basil, walnuts, olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice together in a food processor until pesto has a paste-like consistency.

PESTO CHEESE BLOSSOM (PAULA DEEN)

Steps:

• Line a medium bowl with plastic wrap, leaving enough overhang to cover the top.
• Reserving 3 slices of provolone, line the bottom and sides of the bowl with remaining provolone, overlapping slices.
• For the cream cheese layer, process the cream cheese, pistachios, and 1 garlic clove in a food processor until blended; scrape the mixture into a bowl and set aside.
• For the pesto layer, process the basil, parsley, pine nuts and the remaining garlic clove in the food processor until blended.
• Dissolve the salt and pepper in the olive oil and mix well.
• With the machine running, add the oil in a fine stream.
• Scrape this mixture into a second bowl and set aside.
• For the tomato layer, drain the tomatoes, reserving the oil.
• Puree the tomatoes with a small amount of the reserved oil in a food processor.
• Spread some of the cream cheese mixture over the cheese slices lining the bowl.
• Layer the pesto mixture, half of the remaining cream cheese mixture, the sun-dried tomato mixture and then remaining cream cheese mixture in the bowl.
• Cover with remaining provolone.
• Bring edges of the plastic wrap together over the top and secure with a twist tie.
• *Freeze until firm to the touch.
• Remove the plastic wrap and invert the mold onto a serving platter.
• To serve, slice thinly and serve with party crackers.
• This will keep in the refrigerator for up to three months.
• *Note:Original recipe says to freeze until firm, but I wasn't sure how that would work out.
• I just froze for about an hour until it was firm enough to unmold.
• Can be store easily in the refrigerator.

ORANGE WALNUT SALAD (PAULA DEEN)

Steps:

• In large salad bowl, combine lettuce, spinach, oranges and onion.
• Melt butter and sauté walnuts until lightly browned (this will just take 2 or 3 minutes).
• Sprinkle over lettuce mixture.
• To make dressing, combine all of the ingredients in a jar, shake well and chill in refrigerator.
• Shake again before serving.
• Hint: To cut oranges so there is no membrane--cut peel and outer membrane off with paring knife.
• Cut orange in half across segments.
• Slip knife around and free each segment from membrane.

WALNUT AND PARSLEY PESTO

Steps:

• Place garlic and salt in a mortar; smash and mash with the pestle until it becomes a paste, 5 to 8 minutes. Add walnuts; mash walnuts into a paste until you reach your desired texture (coarse or smoother), another 5 to 8 minutes. Add parsley and mash to break up and blend with the walnut/garlic mixture, about 4 minutes. Add lemon juice and olive oil; stir, mash, and emulsify liquids into the mixture until it becomes very thick and well blended, 8 to 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings. If mixture seems too thick, whisk in a tablespoon of water, or as needed.
• Spread on bread, use on pizza or pasta, or on roasted chicken. The taste is just like garlic butter, so use it as such.