Pesto pasta salad

BBQ 2!! Happy 4th of July! Our friend Christine hosted today's festivities at a local hillside park with a view of the ocean and the fireworks. We decided to use our leftover basil and bring pesto pasta salad. OMG, we had to taste test, obviously, and it is delicious. Again, pretty light flavor - good for eating outside. I like this recipe because it is not too much garlic and not too much basil. Well balanced.

The leftover sauce is delicious on bread. We are considering using it on a pizza tomorrow. Yum.

Pesto
2 cloves garlic
1/3 c pine nuts, or walnuts or the two mixed
2 c basil leaves, packed
3/4 c olive oil
1/2 c parmesan, grated
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Pasta
1 lb pasta, I used elbow macaroni and a little bit of rotini spiral
2 tbsp olive oil

Pesto, from above
1 bag spinach - saute and cool
1 tbsp lemon juice

10 oz package sliced grape tomatoes- probably 1 1/2 c
1/3 c pine nuts and walnuts mixed
1/2 c parmesan
1/4 tsp pepper

Make pesto:
Put garlic, pine nuts in food processor, puree. Add basil, salt, and pepper to processor. With processor running, add olive oil in through feed tube. Process until thoroughly pureed. Add parm and puree for an additional minute. Leave in processor.

Boil pasta, drain, add olive oil so it won't stick together. Cool.

Sauté spinach in olive oil. Cool.

Add spinach, lemon juice to pesto and puree. Add mixture to cooled pasta with parmesan, nuts, pepper, and tomatoes.