I love Italian food, and that delicious taste of garlic and basil is never better than in homemade pesto! Pesto is super easy to make, tastes gourmet, and is nutritious. Grow lots of basil in your garden, and you can freeze this tasty topping for wintertime, garden fresh cooking.
Garden Fresh Pesto
2 cups fresh basil leaves and soft stems (or 1 cup basil + 1 cup spinach leaves)
1/2 cup parmesan or romano cheese
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup walnuts (use pine nuts to be authentic!)
3 medium garlic cloves, peeled
Put all ingredients into the blender and blend on high until smooth. Serve with bagel chips, crackers, raw veggies, as a sauce instead of tomato sauce on pizza, or toss pasta in it. Also great spread on sandwiches (panini-style). Once you taste this, you won’t forget it, and you’ll find ways to cook with it: salad dressing, topping for baked potatoes, on grilled chicken, etc.!
Stash your summer basil in the freezer to use all winter long. Just omit the cheese when you make pesto, and freeze in plastic containers. To use, thaw and stir in cheese.
Yummy!
Enjoy a garden fresh taste all year long!
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