And Presto...Pesto!

So, my last post mentioned freshly made pesto to use in the recipe for the most delicious pizza in the world.  Pesto is another food that I prefer to do myself.  You could always buy it pre-made in a jar but it's always really oily, never tastes amazing, and you never really know what you're getting with some of that stuff.  So, it's another thing in my DIY kitchen!  I'm going to just give you the recipe for basic green pesto but this recipe can be altered to fit your tastes.  If you can't find pine nuts, don't give up. Exchange them for pistachios or almonds.  Toasting the nuts creates a deeper flavor.  Green doesn't always have to mean basil either; try using different greens such as spinach, arugula, mint, flat-leaf parsley or even raw broccoli!  To add yet another dimension, add in some sun-dried tomatoes (dry, not packed in oil), or omit the basil completely and make "red pesto" with fresh (skinned and de-seeded) or sun dried tomatoes.  Find your favorite and make your own!  It keeps for about a week in the refrigerator or your can divide it into a plastic ice cube tray and freeze until solid, then put into a freezer baggie and just pop one cube out when you need it.  One cube is about 2 tablespoons.

Green Pesto
1 cup packed basil leaves
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled
1/4 t cracked pepper

Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until smooth.

What to do with your fresh pesto:

toss it with hot pasta, top grilled chicken with it, spread it on dough for pizzas, toss it with roasted or grilled vegetables, add it to soups to "freshen" up the flavor, toss it with cold pasta for a quick pasta salad, top grilled bread with it for a different take on garlic bread, add to baked or mashed potatoes or use it as a dip for baked french fries, use it as a marinade for chicken or fish, stir into mayo and spread onto your turkey sandwich, mix with olive oil and vinegar to make a really fresh tasting vinaigrette for your salads,  mix into your basic chicken salad,  spread some onto your corn on the cob instead of butter, stir into your potato salad...

the possibilities are endless!