Cashew-Pesto Pasta

January has been a rough month for me. I had two wisdom teeth pulled at the beginning of the month and have been recovering ever since. You'd be surprised what foods you miss eating when you're only able to eat on one side of your mouth.

I've spent most nights cooking quick pasta dishes, typically just cheese and butter but have actually come across a few gems. Every Day with Rachel Ray Magazine featured a great recipe for Cashew-Pesto Pasta. This recipe was featured in the Everyday Menu Planner, a section that is prefect for the busy chef that doesn't have much time during the week. It includes 7 different recipes, many containing similar ingredients to use through out the week. While the point is to cook all the recipes, I only chose one (although they all looked great!) And it was delish!

Recipe:
1 12 oz box of farfalle pasta
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 pints grape tomatoes, halved
salt and pepper
2 cups flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/2 cup roasted cashews
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1 clove garlic
juice of 1/2 a lemon

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large pot of boiling water cool the pasta according to package. Drain and return the pasta to the pot. Toss with 2 tbsp of olive oil. Cover to keep warm
2) Meanwhile, on a baking sheet, toss the tomatoes with 2 tbsp of olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven until wrinkled, about 12 minutes.
3) Using a food processor, finely chop the parsley, cashews, parmesan, garlic and lemon juice. With the machine on, slowly add the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil and process until smooth; season with salt and pepper.
4) In a serving bowl, combine the pasta, tomatoes and pesto. Serve with more parmesan.