Pesto

Pesto is one of those make it in the summer and freeze it for winter foods. I end up freezing at least 5 pints which makes 10 dinners give or take. You can make pesto with any greens, any nuts, but you always want garlic, salt, and oil. And of course you can put in parmesan if you choose. I like to throw a spoonful in soups, on toast with cheese, for pizza sauce, or dab in mashed potatoes, along with just serving it with pasta.

You can make pesto with any type of greens and it works well to mix and match, but I always use a little basil and pecans as I like the flavor of both so much. If you are making it with some tougher greens like beet, chard, kale, etc you add the greens with the nuts. If you are using delicate greens like basil, arugula, parsley, etc then you add the greens after the nuts have been ground up otherwise you will over process the delicate greens and lose some of their flavor.

basil, chives, pecans, garlic, salt, oil, and cherry tomatoes (for immediate use only)

process the nuts, oil, and garlic till the nuts are finely chopped (if using tough greens add here)

then add basil and chives and process till just blended, adding more oil if needed

once you can see how much there is, add salt to taste
you want it slightly salty as you use less in terms of pesto quantity versus regular pasta sauce.

I removed 3/4s and then threw in tomatoes for what I was serving fresh

tonight's dinner on the left, for freezing on the right

toss pesto into al dente but hot pasta and cook 2 minutes

serve with parmesan and pepper flakes

It is definitely yummy to have sweet basil in the middle of winter.