Pesto

My garden has turned into a basil factory - who knew it re-seeded itself?! The stuff is multiplying like crazy. I used up a good share of it with this tasty recipe from my mom. I definitely wasn’t going to use it all - so I froze it by spooning the pesto into a cupcake tray. Once frozen, I put the pesto cubes into a freezer safe bag for use later.

Thank mom!

What you need:
3 - 5 Cups fresh basil leaves
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1/4 Cup pine nuts
2/3 Cup olive oil
salt and ground pepper
3/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese (do not add if you will be freezing - it can be added when it is prepared)

Wash basil and drop into boiling water, drain immediately, rinse with cold water and pat completely dry. (Cooking the basil briefly helps pesto keep its green color. You can skip this step, but your pesto will darken a bit). Combine with garlic, nuts in food processor. Pour oil in while processing. Process until smooth. If pesto is too thick, add oil to thin. Freeze small portions or add cheese and use immediately.

Toss with pasta, spread on sandwich, stir into vegetable soup, mix with mayo for a vegetable dip or stir into mashed potatoes.

Enjoy!