Hey there and happy Monday!  I feel I have a little bit of hop in my hands on the keyboard tonight.  I am writing this post and watching the Grammy’s at the same time in preparation for tomorrow.  My calendar tomorrow is jam packed with work stuff as well as a meeting with the folks at OpenSky regarding product sourcing.

As an aside, you will never guess what I had for breakfast Saturday morning!  Another classic rendition of Super Star Toast.  You can never get tired of this.

On Saturday evening I was wandering around the kitchen and pantry trying to figure out what I can make for supper.  I was in a weird mood and totally unsure what to prepare.  We had just finished shoveling for about an hour and we were starving.  I remembered that I had bought some fingerling potatoes a week ago and had yet to crack them open.

Just then the light bulb went off…. some roasted potatoes topped with red pepper flakes, chives and some Parmesan cheese.  What a choice!

Ingredients

• 8 Fingerling Potatoes ( cut in 4)
• 1 Tsp. Sea Salt
• 1/4 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
• Dash of Garlic powder
• 1 Tsp. Black Pepper
• 2 Tbsp. Parmesan Cheese
• 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 2 Tsp. Chives ( dried or fresh)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 400 Degrees



2. Slice potatoes and rinse ( hand dry)



3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and grab a large bowl.
4. Toss the potatoes in a large bowl and coat with all the ingredients ( preserving half the cheese and chives for the end )



5. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown
6. Top with leftover cheese and chives
7. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: Ensuring the potatoes are dry before starting will ensure they get nice and crispy.  I also like to give them a quick turn in the oven about half way through so they get brown on all sides.

These potatoes were amazing!  The red pepper heat warmed us up from being outside and the Parmesan cheese added a great flavor.  I have also been on a huge sea salt kick as of late. Do you use sea salt when you cook?

I am going to watch a little bit more of the Grammy’s, do a sudoku puzzle and call it a night.  Have a great Monday.

Take care

zesty

Homemade Basil Pesto

Happy Tuesday!  I am somewhat excited as I get to share with you a super simple homemade Pesto recipe that you have to try!  Usually I find myself focusing on one or two foods that I find in the grocery store that either happen to look great or on sale.  I then try to wrap my brain around ways to use those ingredients to make 2 or 3 dishes until the ingredient is gone.

Just last night I found some great looking basil which is a perfect excuse to use my Cusinart Food Processor.  I am a big fan, as you may already know, of using all the food in the fridge and trying to minimize waste as much as possible.  Although, I have been known to toss some spoiled food out at times but it really “ROTS” me.

I have been meaning to share this versatile basil pesto recipe with you for some time now.  As you may know, my favorite herb is “BASIL” – I absolutely love it.  This basil pesto is  a treat whether you use it as a sandwich spread, pizza sauce, on top of  pasta or even smear it on your favorite meat, chicken or fish.  You will be pleasantly surprised with the flavor it packs.
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