On Fridays during Lent, I try really hard to make meals without meat for Mike. It's a challenge to come up with a variety of meals that taste great. It definitely gives me new respect for vegetarians. This week, I tried this Roasted Red Pepper Pasta. This recipe sounded interesting and we knew it would provide plenty of leftovers, too. I started out by bringing water to a boil in my large cast iron pot. While that was boiling, I made my pesto sauce. I pulsed my pine nuts in the food processor. Next, I added in parmesan cheese, spinach (which replaced the basil), roasted red peppers and garlic in oil, salt and pepper. I pulsed that until it was nice and smooth. I left out the olive oil, as my peppers were in a oil mix. Once the pasta was done, I stirred in the pesto sauce and some heavy cream. The results were delightful! We had pasta with a different flavor than a traditional white or red sauce. If I was wanting a bit more protein, this recipe would be great with some grilled chicken or Italian sausage. This recipe is a definite keeper and makes a great meal when paired with a salad.

The New Austonian