SPICED ESPRESSO FRAPPE

This Sunday with breakfast, we felt like having a refreshing iced coffee with chocolate hazelnut spread and the little kick of grated ginger.  Make your coffee the night or day before and pour into 2 plastic ice trays so they are ready to go in the morning.  The sugar is optional. . .it may be sweet enough for you without.

2 cups freshly brewed espresso coffee or strong coffee, cooled and frozen into cubes (2 ice trays)

2 cups almond milk

¼ cup granulated sugar (optional)

½ cup chocolate hazelnut spread (I use Nutella)

1 ½ t freshly grated ginger

½ t ground cinnamon

¼ t freshly ground nutmeg

Add all of the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.

Pour into 4 chilled glasses and serve with a straw.

¼ cup brandy can be added for an after dinner dessert-frappe.

SPAGHETTI WITH PESTO SAUCE - Spaghetti al Pesto Genovese

In this recipe for Pesto sauce, I added some spinach to tone down the strong flavor of basil and to make it even healthier and the color brighter.
You can make it with just basil leaves and just one type of grated cheese. . .the choice is yours, but this is delicious!

½ cup pine nuts (pignoli)
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, peeled
3 cups packed basil leaves, about 3 large bunches
1 cup packed baby spinach, about 1 small bunch
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
½ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lb spaghetti

Place pine nuts in a non-stick skillet and over medium heat, toast the nuts until golden.  Do not walk away because they burn easily.  Let cool.
Pulse pine nuts in a food processor until they are completely smooth.  Scrape down the sides from time to time.
Add olive oil and garlic and pulse until the garlic is finely chopped.

Chop basil and spinach very roughly, then add to the processor.  Pulse, stopping every few seconds to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Scrape pesto into a bowl and add the cheeses and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cook spaghetti in boiling salted water for 7 to 8 minutes, until al dente.
Drain spaghetti, reserving about ½ cup of the pasta water.
Pour pasta back into the pan, add some of the pesto, add some of the pasta water to slightly thin the sauce.

Serves 4