Roasted red pepper alfredo

This is SO GOOD!

Ingredients:

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 roasted red peppers, chopped

1 eggplant, roasted, peeled and chopped fine (optional)

4 oz plain goat cheese

10 oz good Parmesan cheese

1 TB olive oil

1 TB butter

8 oz heavy cream

1 # linguine

2 TB fresh basil, chopped

Directions:

Cook pasta according to directions on package.  While pasta cooks, heat butter and olive oil in a 2 QT saucepan.  Add minced garlic, red peppers, and eggplant.  Saute for about 10 minutes.  Add cream and turn down the heat to low.  Add cheeses and stir well.  Turn up heat to med low till cheese melts, then with an immersion blender, blend well.  Peppers and eggplant will be finely chopped at this point.  As the sauce heats, it will thicken.  If it gets too thick, add a little milk, or chicken broth.  Add drained, rinsed pasta.  Serve with fresh basil sprinkled on top.

**optional**  You could cheat a little and omit the eggplant and just use Trader Joe's roasted red pepper & eggplant spread.

Chicken pesto lasagna

Ingredients:

2 grilled chicken breasts

1/2 cup pesto

1 1/2 QT tomato sauce

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 med onion, sliced

1 TB olive oil

homemade ricotta (or 1 container store bought)

1 cup shredded provolone

5 lasagna noodles, broken into thirds

1 TB agave nectar, or sugar

Directions:

Make ricotta according to directions.  (Or you can use store bought, probably one container)  While the ricotta is firming up, broil or grill 2 chicken breasts.  Saute onion and garlic in olive oil.  When it starts to brown, add agave nectar (or sugar).  Cook a few minutes more and turn off heat.  Set aside.  Slice chicken thin after it's cooked.  Start layering items.  No need to cook the noodles ahead of time!  (yay!)  Start with tomato sauce on the bottom of the crock pot.  Just toss in broken noodles, a handful of chicken, handful of provolone, and dot with pesto, onions and ricotta.  Keep layering till crock pot is almost full,  making the top layer cheese and pesto.  Cook on low for about 1 1/2 hours, or until noodles are cooked.