Bowtie Pasta with Chicken and Pesto

I love the garden harvests of summer and last night, I made a dinner that tasted like summer, with a few things from the backyard!

Pesto:
2 cups (packed) basil leaves (remove the tough stems)
1/4 c pine nuts
3 cloves garlic (more or less depending on your vampire status and taste buds)
put the above ingredients into a food processor and pulse until well chopped

1/2 c good olive oil
add in a stream and pulse to incorporate

remove from processor bowl and stir in
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Let sit at room temperature until the next step is done


1 package of bowtie pasta (or your favorite shape) cooked according to the package's directions.

3 chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 clove garlic
1T olive oil
Heat the oil in a deep skillet, add garlic, cook chicken until no pink remains

Turn off the heat and add
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered or halved
cover for 4-5 minutes to warm the tomatoes

Add the cooked pasta and the pesto and toss, coating everything with that yummy greenness.

Serve with crusty Italian bread and a nice tossed salad.