Basil Pesto

Fresh Basil

I love fresh pesto and it is really easy to make. I was in the market this week and they had a great selection of fresh basil and I decided to make a batch of fresh pesto. I usually grow my own basil in the spring and summer and keep a batch of pesto on hand for use in a variety of dishes. For example I use pesto with pasta, pizza, Crunchy bread, scramble with eggs and as a marinade for chicken and fish.

Pesto always makes me think of spring, so in the middle of winter it is a nice departure from the heavier comfort foods that we crave. You can create a heart warming pesto recipe with the hope of spring to come. Check back for my pesto chicken, pesto pizza and grilled cheese with pesto, red peppers and chicken sandwich recipes. 

Pesto Ingredients:

•  1/2 cup of olive oil

• 1/4 cup fresh Parmesan cheese grated

• 1/4 cup of walnuts or pine nuts

• 4 cloves of garlic, remove the skin

• 1 cup of fresh basil

• Dash of sugar or honey 

• I like to keep walnuts in my refrigerator to keep them fresh and eat as a snack, add to a salad, sprinkle on broccoli, use your imagination

• Place all ingredients in a blender and blend on high 2 to 2 minutes until the mixture is smooth

• You can store the pesto in the refrigerator for about a week

Just cook something! Cheers! Kary~