Pesto...

FINALLY, I got the courage up to try a new recipe! My son has been pestering me to get the pesto made or dry the basil leaves because he really likes the fresh basil! I poured over various cookbooks & online recipe sites for just the right recipe. But, basically, the recipes are all very similar.... so perhaps it was procrastination that caused me to wait so long before attempting this VERY EASY task!!

Basic ingredients: fresh basil leaves, Parmesan cheese, garlic & olive oil!

Fresh picked basil.... aromatic and delicious! But now what? Admittedly, I waited longer then I should have before I picked these, but all is not lost! :) After picking off all the leaves, tossing the stems & flowers,       I washed them in cool water.

                        

I added the basil by the handfuls to my food processor and layered the ingredients....

The ratio that I used is: 1 Cup Basil, 1 garlic clove (or 1 tsp. minced garlic) 4 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese to 1/4 Cup of olive oil.

(Taken from my cookbook 'Saving the Seasons' )

I layered the ingredients, put the lid on, turned on the processor

and the machine did the rest of the work!

After it was all chopped and blended I added

more and hit the go button!

Here is the end result and yum, does it smell good! I put it by spoonfuls into

ice cube trays to freeze and then into freezer containers!

Now it is all ready for me to use for added flavor in soups or spaghetti sauce

or for one of our favorites; "Pesto Chicken"!!

NOTE: I didn't add any pine nuts, walnuts or almonds. The recipe has them as an optional ingredient added in a 1/3 cup ratio. But I'm opting to add slivered almond to my recipes as I make them!!