Pasta with Pesto Alfredo Sauce

Pesto, pesto, pesto.  I i pesto!!!

Can I tell you how happy I am that my basil is thriving enough to make pesto this year?  So, so happy!  I just recently needed to give my basil a “little trim” when it was getting unruly and had enough leaves for 3 ½ batches of pesto.  Needless to say, my freezer is fully stocked for a winter full of pesto.  Yay!

Since the pesto can’t all be relegated to the freezer, I also made this wonderful pasta dish (and I am so making a tortellini version of this in the very near future because, OMGosh, can you imagine?!?)  Mucho delish pasta + amazing basil + light alfredo + garden fresh tomatoes...AHHHH!  Amazing!

Pasta with Pesto Alfredo Sauce

Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

8 oz (weight) whole wheat pasta (about 3 cups)

2 tbsp salted butter

½ cup lowfat milk

¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1/3 cup basil pesto

2 tomatoes, seeded and diced

Cook the pasta until al dente and drain.

While the pasta cooks, heat the butter and milk in a small saucepan over medium low heat.  Heat until the edges of the milk begin to bubble, but before it boils. 

Remove from heat and whisk in the parmesan and pesto.  Return to low heat to heat through, if necessary.

Stir the pesto alfredo sauce into the cooked pasta and top with tomatoes.

Serves 4