Lots of basil means pesto.
Pesto is such an easy thing to make and having it in the freezer in winter makes summer seem not so distant a memory.
These are the ingredients: 2 cups firmly-packed basil leaves, 3 cloves garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts, 1/2 cup oil, 2/3 cup Parmesan cheese
Process garlic with salt, add basil, pine nuts, oil and cheese
Pesto will look like this
You can freeze in ice cube trays, pop out and then store in freezer bags. Great portion size for adding when cooking.
all photos by me
This is a homemade pizza with pesto, onion, red pepper and feta cheese.
My friend, Pam, served salmon, grilled with pesto on Saturday at her lake house. Yum!
Try it on chicken and on pasta salad. Toss a pesto "cube" into soups.
ok, where are you hiding the hidden camera in my house? this is like the third time you've read my mind and posted the answer for me. I swear Deborah, just last night, hubby said to me, "let's see if we can find a recipe for pesto." not kidding!
ReplyDeletewe shall make this over the weekend :) THANK YOU!
xoxo
Great! Tell me how you use it. Don't you love this time of year. I just got back from the Farmers Market. Can't wait to get in the kitchen.
ReplyDeleteI do love this time of year so much.
ReplyDeleteYou wouldn't believe how badly I want to cook all day long right now. I know hubby is going to use the pesto on pasta this weekend. I want to make your pizza too. We'll probably make both over the weekend :)
I hope you share your Farmer's Market creations??? :)
we have been making your pesto for years. same recipe year after year. it can't be beat. we take a day for pesto making. our plants are like trees right now. we get all our ingredients in large quantities the day before making it. trader joe's for olive oil, costco for pine nuts and parmesan. we do it assembly line- gary "shucks" the basil, measures ingredients and i keep the food processor whirling. we put it in small 'glad' containers and load the freezer. last year we had 65 containers. elizabeth loves it so much. she hoards it when getting low. then i know i MUST personally deliver more to denver! it makes a great hostess gift, as well. i remember you making it years ago when elizabeth, the tennis girls and i stayed with you. you used your mini food processor and made just enough for dinner. so, so good!!
ReplyDeletei'd love your pizza dough recipe. can't believe i don't have it. brad loved sunday night pizza making at your house! the pictures are making me want pizza for breakfast!
ReplyDeleteHI girlfriend. We still do pizza night. My favorite is carmelized onion, sauted mushrooms with thyme a touch of balsamic topped with gruyere. Sometimes I add sausage.
ReplyDeletethe dough recipe is
1 cup warm water, add 1 pkg yeast and 1/4 teaspoon sugar. When it starts to foam, add 1 1/2 teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Put 3 cups flour in the food processor and add the liquid to the flour as it processes. Allow to process for about 30 sec and let rise in covered, oiled bowl for 2 hours. Makes 2 pizzas depending on size and thickness. (bake at 450 degrees for about 10 minutes)