Foodie Friends Friday: Picnic Party!

This week, Foodie Friends Friday is back!  This week is all about Picnics! Picnics during the spring and summer are so much fun! Just follow the rules and link up some recipes that are perfect for this party! Also, host favorites will be featured on Daily Dish!  This week I'm linking up Dark Chocolate Fudge Brownies, Chocolate Chocolate White Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Lemon Brown Butter Pasta Salad with Arugula, Tomatoes and Pine Nuts.

Most Clicks:

1. Rustic Christmas Candle

2. Homemade Christmas Ornaments

3. Old Fashioned Christmas Fudge

And Host Favorites!

Welcome to Foodie Friends Friday!

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An InLinkz Link-up

An InLinkz Link-up

Lemon Brown Butter Pasta Salad with Arugula, Tomatoes, and Toasted Pine Nuts

I have fantastic news to share!  I passed!!!

I took TWO more teacher tests recently so that I can become certified in Illinois as well as Wisconsin and I just found out that I passed! So, I am one step closer to being a full-fledged certified teacher!  This is both very excited and a little scary, but I am so glad that I passed those dang tests and now I can relax!

Today I am sharing a fun recipe that I found while watching Giada on the Food Network.  I love Giada and her food always looks so good!  This pasta dish sounded amazing and so I made it right after I watched her show!  Instead of warm pasta, I served it as a chilled Pasta Salad and it was a huge hit!

Lemon Brown Butter Pasta Salad with Arugula, Tomatoes and Toasted Pine Nuts (adapted from Giada's Recipe)

Ingredients:
1 box whole wheat penne pasta
4 cups arugula
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup pine nuts
1 cup italian blend shredded cheese
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
Dressing:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 lemon
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:
1. In a small bowl, making the dressing.  Pour olive oil in and then zest the whole lemon and put that in.  Next, juice the lemon and add that to the mixture.  Finally add in salt and pepper and whisk to combine. Set aside.
2. Place pine nuts on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 5-6 minutes at 350 degrees.  They should be fragrant and lightly browned.
3. Cook pasta to al dente according to directions.  Drain and place back into the pot.
4. In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat.  Continue to cook the butter, stirring occasionally  until browned and fragrant.  Turn off the heat, add in the pasta, arugula, tomatoes, pine nuts, cheese, and dressing.  Toss to combine.  The arugula will wilt.
5.  Serve immediately as a hot dish or chill in the fridge to serve as a pasta salad.

Enjoy :)

Spinach, Artichoke, Pine Nut Pesto Pizza

Oh hey there! I haven't been here for a little while so I figured it was about time to say hi! I have been pretty busy with school stuff lately.  I can't believe that I am about to begin my last week of student teaching.  I have learned so much from the cooperating teacher, the teachers around me, and, of course, my students.  I truly feel prepared to take on this next year where I will be flying solo in my very own classroom!

I had to come home this weekend because I needed to take the teacher certification tests for Illinois.  So, yesterday, I spent the entire morning and afternoon taking tests.  It was super fun.  Aside from an hour Starbucks break, I was literally testing from 8 until 4:15.  It was awful! However, I am glad it was over and now I am just praying that the tests went well so I don't have to do them again!

After all those awesome tests, I came home in time to see the second and third periods of the Hawks Game! They won!!!! I ran six miles on the treadmill while watching and then showered and spent a lovely evening with my parents, some family friends, and Bri.  We had a yummy dinner and then I crashed for the night since I was exhausted!

Today I have big plans.  I am making INCEPTION COOKIES! I need to make enough cookies for every single one of my students.  That is about 150 cookies...  I have been promising them cookies for an end of the year celebration and now it is finally the end of the year! There are two more days and then FINALS! So, I feel that cookies are a great way to celebrate!

I also have a great recipe to share today that Bri and I threw together for dinner one night.  We decided to make our own pizza and we went with a Spinach, Artichoke, Pine Nut Pesto Pizza! We bought some whole wheat pizza crust from the store since we didn't have much time, but you could totally make your own.  Then we topped it with our pizza toppings, baked it, and had one heck of a dinner!

Spinach, Artichoke, Pine Nut Pesto Pizza

Ingredients:
cornmeal
16 oz store bought whole wheat pizza dough
1 can artichokes, rinsed and chopped
1 cup packed baby spinach
4 tbsp pine nuts
1/4 cup pesto (your favorite)
1/2 cup shredded light mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 and roll our your pizza dough.  Sprinkle some cornmeal on a cookie sheet or pizza pan and then place the pizza dough on top.
2. Spread the pesto over the pizza dough, top with spinach, artichokes, and pine nuts, and then sprinkle on both types of cheese.
3. Bake for about 20 minutes or until dough starts to brown and cheese is melted.

Enjoy :)