PESTOS with Panache

As a mentioned in my last post, Lauren over at Pestos with Panache sent me some of her pestos to try out.  I was pretty excited! 

 I first broke into the Proscuitto and Smoked Almond.  It's awesome!

 

I loved the subtle hint of proscuitto and you could definitely taste the smoky-ness.  One of the first things I did was make an egg, cheese, bacon and pesto sandwich when I woke up. First, I toasted my bagel thin and added some pesto.

Then I layered a fried egg, cheese, and bacon.  This sandwich rocked!

For dinner I wanted to make Stuffed Acorn Squash with Proscuitto Smoked Almond Pesto Chicken, Kale, Chickpeas and Cheese.  First, I roasted the (cute, small) squashes with a tiny bit of butter and maple syrup.

Then I marinated chicken with the prosciutto and smoked almond pesto for a couple hours before cooking it.  I also sauteed kale, mushrooms, chickpeas and more prosciutto and smoked almond pesto.

Once the squash and the chicken was cooked through, it was time to stuff them!  I added pesto chicken, kale, mushroom and chickpeas.  Then I added cheese and baked it for about 15 minutes.

This is such a beauty and it was delicious....

 Stuffed Acorn Squash with Pesto Chicken, Kale, Chickpeas and Cheese
Ingredients:
Two Small Acorn Squashes
(Maple Syrup, Butter, Salt & Pepper)
1/2 Pound of Chicken, cut into small pieces
1/2 Cup of Pestos with Panache Prosciutto-Almond Pesto
1 Cup of Kale
1/2 cup of mushrooms
1 Cup of Chickpeas
1 Cup of Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cut Acorn Squash in half, scoop out seeds and place on a baking sheet.  Add some butter, maple syrup, and salt and pepper and bake for about an hour or until the squash is soft. While roasting, marinate chicken with pesto for about a half hour to an hour.  Then cook through.  After chicken is cooked, add a tablespoon or two of olive oil and add chickpeas, kale and mushrooms.  Once everything is cooked/wilted, take out the squashes, add the mixture and top with cheese.  Bake for 10-15 minutes until cheese is melted.

 I know you can't tell, but these acorn squashes were really small so of course I had to make something else!  (Plus my mom came over for dinner so I made extra food).  I decided to make Pumpkin Pesto Chicken Pizza with the Chilpotle Pumpkin Pesto from Pestos with Panache.

 

First I roasted sweet potatoes and then I cooked about a pound of chicken in pumpkin chilpotle pesto and about a 1/2 cup of canned pumpkin.

After that, I rolled out the store-bought pizza dough and spread about a half cup of pumpkin pesto on top.

Then I piled on the deliciousness. Sweet potatoes, leftover kale mixture from above, and pumpkin chicken.

Then I added the cheese.  I used cheddar and mozzerela.

 

Then I baked it at 400 for 15 minutes.

 

Pumpkin Pesto Chicken Pizza
Ingredients:
Store Bought Pizza Dough
1 Cup of Pumpkin Chilpotle Pesto, (1/2 cup used in marinade, half cup used as the "sauce")
1 pound of chicken, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup of canned pumpkin
salt and pepper
2 Sweet Potatoes, peeled, chopped and roasted
1 cup Kale, Mushroom, Chickpea mixture from above
1 cup of cheddar cheese
1 ounce of mozzarella cheese
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400. Roast sweet potato in the oven until soft. Marinate chicken with pumpkin and pesto, then saute until cooked through. Roll out pizza and spread pumpkin pesto on top.  Add sweet potato, chicken and kale mixture.  Then add cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes.

Oh and those cupcakes I made the other day....

I enjoyed them last night...

Worlds Easiest Pumpkin Spice Cupcake

Ingredients:

1 box of Duncan Hines Spice Cake

1 Can of Canned Pumpkin

2 eggs

2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

1 container of Duncan Hines Vanilla Frosting

Instructions:

Mix together ingredients until well incorparated. Put cupcake holders in your cupcake mold then add mix about 3/4 full.  Bake for 18 minutes.  Cool, then frost.  Enjoy!

Pestos with Panache by Lauren are absolutely delicious and I enjoyed all the flavors.  Cannot wait to try the rest of them.  Go check out her website and order your pestos!  It is totally worth it.