The first blog!  Kaye is contributing 2 recipes:

Pesto Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes

from Our Best Bites

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced (about 3 cups)

3-4 tablespoons olive oil

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

8 ounces farfalle pasta (a little more than 3 cups)

1/4 cup pine nuts

1/2 cup pesto

1/3 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Bring a large pot of water to boil.

Place tomatoes and mushrooms on a foil-lined baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.  Toss with your fingers, making sure everything is coated with olive oil.  Sprinkle lightly with salt and freshly ground pepper.  Cook for 12-15 minutes or until tomatoes look plump and some of the skins just start to split.

When the water comes to a boil, add 2 teaspoons salt and pasta, and cook according to package directions.

While pasta is cooking, place pine nuts in a small skillet over medium heat.  Stir frequently until nuts turn golden brown and look slightly glossy, about 7-9 minutes.

To assemble, toss drained pasta with pesto and Parmesan cheese.  Top with tomatoes and mushrooms and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.

I made this for dinner tonight and felt like a chef.  I didn't even have enough pesto and it was still yummy!

Whole Grain Breakfast Cookies

from allrecipes.com, but fussed with by me

1 cup walnuts, chopped

1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant)

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup ground flax meal

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup almond butter (you could try peanut butter)

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup agave nectar

1/3 cup brown sugar (I use sucanot)

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup dried cherries (I use craisins)

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat over to 350 degrees.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Mix dry ingredients together.

Mix wet ingredients together.

Mix both together in mixer (Kitchenaid, Bosch, etc.--the dough is very thick and heavy)

Scoop up heaping teaspoons of dough and form into balls; lay the dough balls onto the prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart.

Bake until lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes.  (Watch them closely.  They go from LIGHTLY browned to too brown in a second!  Under-cooked is good.)

Remove cookies from oven and flatten with a spatula.  Allow to cool for about 5 minutes on the baking sheets before removing to finish cooling on wire racks.

So good and good for you.  Cookies for breakfast--Yum!