Pesto Rotini with Tomatoes and Chicken

I learned an important lesson this last week, and that would be not to talk smack to Mother Nature. In the spirit of hopeful cajoling, I went around spouting that it wasn't going to snow, when it was forecast for us to get a blizzard last Thursday. " The predictions are way off, It's going south!" I remarked to my co-workers, friends, patients and passers-by. Oh boy, was I wrong. We got 20 inches within about 15 hours, and it left us completely stranded for almost two days straight out in the country. 

So after missing work, which I absolutely hate to do, we were totally at the mercy of the plows. Not to mention last night we had plans for over a month for a dinner party with some friends , and my obsessive food-planning requires lots of prep time to have everything just- so. I was able to get into town around 2 after we dug out after the plows, which didn't leave me as much time as I'd like, but it worked out great. After pain-staking internal debate about what to prepare, I decided on a dish I  to love making at the end of summer, when I have an abundance of tomatoes and basil in my garden to use up. It felt reassuring to think of gardens and greens, when all we see is 6 foot mounds of snow everywhere. It will be warm again, and things will grow. Until then, we'll shop at the grocery store and have dinner parties.

Pesto Rotini with Tomatoes and Chicken

Pesto:

-3 cups fresh basil leaves

-2 cloves garlic ( 2 T.)

-3/4 cup parmesan cheese

-1/2 cup olive oil

- 1/2 cup walnuts or pine nuts

- pinch salt

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in food processor and pulse until combined.

-1 box Rotini Noodles, cooked al-dente

-1 package grape tomatoes, sliced

-1/2 cup toasted walnuts, crushed

-3/4 cup parmesan cheese

-1 cup cooked diced chicken

Directions: Combine all ingredients and toss. Garnish with parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of walnuts.  Serve warm or cold.

My inner Minnesotan can always appreciate a good pasta salad. Simple with profound flavors that make this a satisfying main dish or side any time of the year. Or day for that matter...

I am completely enamored with the smell of basil. I never want to wash my hands after de-tassling it. (Yes, that's the term for pulling off the stems.... ) And it can be easily be made vegetarian by leaving out the chicken and adding a cup of walnuts for protein.

Snow-mageddon, indeed.