recipes

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Delicious pizza does not need to be difficult or take forever to prepare. In 15 minutes you could be enjoying this insanely good pizza! Please note, this pizza is best hot, right out of the oven. 

Prep time: 5 min.

Cook time: 10 min.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 frozen pizza crust (thawed) 
• 1/2 C cherry tomatoes
• 1/3 C Mozzarella balls or sliced Mozzarella cut into quarters
• 1/3 C thin Parmesan slices (I use a potato peeler to slice the cheese into thin slices)
• 4 tbsp. Country Gourmet Herbs Chive and Parsley Pesto (try our other flavors; Sage, Parsley and Celery)
• 1/3 C pine nuts or sunflower seeds
• 1/4 C sliced green or black olives (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place crust onto a baking sheet.
3. Spread the pesto sauce evenly on the pizza crust, just like a classic tomato sauce. Our pesto is concentrated so you may need to add a small amount of olive oil to the pesto to create a spreadable consistency. 
4. Add the Mozzarella balls and the thin slices of Parmesan cheese. 
5. Add the cherry tomatoes, cut in half, and the sliced olives, if desired.
6. Sprinkle with pine nuts. 
7. Top everything off with grated 
8. Parmesan cheese.
9. Bake for 10 minutes.

Note:

If you happen to enjoy garlic, just add 

the desired amount of minced garlic to

 the pesto sauce. You will find yourself making this pizza over and over as it will become a family favorite. 

This quick and easy pesto pasta is a delicious weeknight dinner or dress it up for company.

Note:  I save my leftover pasta and place it in a Ziploc bag and place it in the freezer. Take it out 

and place in the microwave, it will taste like

 it's freshly cooked. 

INDREDIENTS

• 6 oz pasta, reserve ½ cup pasta water 
• 1/3 C Country Gourmet Herbs Chive and Parsley Pesto 
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• Fresh lemon juice, as desired
• 4 C arugula, spinach or green of your choice
• 2 tbsp. sunflower seeds
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions or until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the starchy cooking liquid before draining. Drain the pasta and toss with a tiny bit of olive oil. 
2. In a large skillet over very low heat, add the pesto and ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water and stir to combine. Add the pasta and toss to coat, and more pasta water as needed to create a loose sauce. The amount of water needed will depend on the thickness of your chosen pesto. 
3. Turn the heat off. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Then add the greens and toss to a wilt. Garnish with the sunflower seeds. 
4. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese.

This recipe is so versatile. You can substitute the greens for your favorite veggies or add shrimp, leftover sliced chicken, etc. For a quick snack or dinner for hungry kids, just cook or reheat the pasta. Add pesto and a little butter to pasta and mix well. Shave on some Parmesan cheese and you have satisfied their hunger. 

  These appetizers are easy, delicious, and even look beautiful on a holiday platter. 

They can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated until it’s time to cut and serve.

Oh, and yes it is a no-bake recipe!

Makes:  24 appetizers

INGREDIENTS

• 2  tbsp. Country Gourmet Herbs “Chive and Parsley” or “Sage and Walnut” Pesto
• 8 oz. package of cream cheese 
• 1 jar roasted red peppers or pimentos
• 1 C chopped walnuts or Sunflower Seeds
• 4-6 flour tortillas (white or whole wheat)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Bring cream cheese to room temperature and mix with pesto. Stir until well combined. 
2. Spread the pesto mixture on each tortilla. 
3. Cut roasted peppers into ¼” wide strips and put them on top of the spread approximately 1” apart, covering the entire tortilla. (Or sprinkle chopped pimentos over the spread)
4. Sprinkle each tortilla with chopped walnuts or Sunflower Seeds.
5. Roll up each tortilla into a tube shape. Wrap each roll individually with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
6. To serve, cut each tortilla roll into 1 to 1 ½ inch pieces. Place on serving plate cut side up.

Options: 

• Prepare the white tortillas with the Chive and Parsley Pesto and sunflower seeds. 
• Prepare the whole wheat tortillas with the Sage and Walnut Pesto and chopped walnuts. 
• The pesto cream cheese mixture can also be served on its own with crackers.