We love Christmas at camp and we love pasta!  Red and green (Christmas) pasta sauce seemed like the perfect thing to cook with the girls…especially after they’d had a morning of sweets between their stockings, donuts, and hot chocolate.  This is not a traditional pesto sauce in that it includes spinach and lemon, but it makes a great sauce for pasta…or for dipping garlic bread into and the marina sauce is full of hidden, healthy vegetables.  Both were very popular with the campers and could also be used on pizza or in lasagna or with any other Italian meal.  

Camp Merri-Mac Red and Green Pasta 

Ingredients for Green (Pesto) Sauce:

  • 1 cup fresh basil
  • 3 cups spinach leaves
  • Juice and zest of one small lemon
  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed
  • ¼ cup pine nuts
  • ½ cup shredded parmesan
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 cup half & half—added last!

Directions:

  1. Place all ingredients except half & half in food processor and run until pureed into a smooth paste
  2. Pour pesto sauce into large sauté pan over low heat and slowly add half & half
  3. Stir until sauce begins to thicken and remove from heat

Ingredients for Red (Marinara) Sauce:

  • 1 sweet onion (Vidalia), cut into chunks
  • 1 small green or red sweet pepper, cut into chunks
  • 1 carrot, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon dried basil
  • 4 cups canned crushed tomatoes
  • 1 bay leaf

Directions:

  1. Place onion, pepper, carrot, and garlic in food processor and chop completely
  2. Place olive oil in large sauté pan, add chopped vegetables and cook about 5-10 minutes or until softened and beginning to brown
  3. Add salt, pepper, oregano, basil, and crushed tomatoes.  Add bay leaf last
  4. Simmer over low heat for at least 15 minutes, stirring occasionally

SERVE OVER YOUR CHOICE OF PASTA—SIDE BY SIDE, MIXED, OR INDIVIDUALLY.  TOP WITH GRATED PARMESAN CHEESE.