Pesto

The garden and I are not usually on the best of terms. It is so needy, frequently messy and needs attention during the hottest times of the year. But today, the garden's peace offering to me was basil. Ok, garden, you and I are at peace today. Because today I am making pesto.

Pesto is EASY to make and yummy.

You can:

• toss it with penne pasta, some diced tomatoes and chicken for an easy pasta dish
• mix it with a can of tomatoes to make homemade marinara
• spread it on french bread, top with mozzarella and put under the broiler
• use it as a pizza topping with sliced tomatoes and bacon
• use it as spread in a grilled sandwich

If you are a measure-it-all, play-by-the rules cook (good for you! Will you teach me?), here is the recipe. However, this is not how I cook – I do the 'eyeball method' of making pesto – no measuring required. If you want to do it that way, read on past the recipe.

4 c. basil leaves;

3/4 c. olive oil;

2 t. salt;

4 T or more lemon juice;

2 cloves garlic;

5 oz container shredded parmasan;

1 c. nuts like pine nuts, pecans or walnuts.

Put in food processor until smooth

The Eyeball Method

You will need

a bottle of lemon juice

a jar of chopped garlic

1-3 5 oz. containers of shredded Parmesan

salt

bag of walnuts (I stopped using pine nuts when I realized the taste difference was negligible and the cost was nearly triple for pine nuts. So walnuts it is.)

• pick basil. I am sure everyone has their own method, but I try to leave the basil plants looking like this so they will regrow throughout the summer until frost.
  
  
  
• Wash basil and remove stems
  
  
  
• loosely pack leaves into food processor
  
  
  
• put in 1/2 container of shredded parmasan
  
  
  
• pour a bit of lemon juice (approx 1-2 second pour, like you are adding cream to coffee)
  
  
  
• olive oil – if using one with a pour spout, count to 9 while pouring
  
  
  
• add a heavy dash of salt
  
  
  
• add a spoon full of chopped garlic
  
  
  
• dump in some nuts (about a cup)
  
  
  
• blend until smooth and creamy
  
  
  
• Repeat if you have more basil! If you are doing several batches, combine them for continuity of flavor.
  
  
  
• Use within a week or freeze. Today's cheapy cheap freezing – because I didn't feel like going to the store – was using the Parmesan cheese containers, and then putting the rest in greased mini cupcake tins that I will freeze, pop out and put in ziplock bags to keep in the freezer.   
  
  There it is -- recipes for the left brained and right brained! If you make it, I want to hear how it turned out and your favorite way to eat it!