Tasty Tuesdays: Summer Tastes Like Pesto

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Welcome to Tasty Tuesdays!

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How was your weekend?  Mine was busy - it included breakfast with a friend from high school (who I haven't seen in 14 years...Hi Carrie!), A Keith Urban Concert with an overnight stay Downtown, and a surprise birthday party for my Dad.  It was busy and fun.

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I am re-posting this pesto recipe from last Summer because my basil is in full swing and it's definitely pesto season!  Yum.

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Pesto is such a wonderful, easy meal to make in the summer. Cooking is minimal and pesto only requires 5 ingredients!

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Pesto is so simple, you don't really even need a recipe, but just to make sure I got the measurements right I followed Mark Bittman's recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks.

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Basic Pesto - Ingredients:

- 2 loosely packed cups fresh basil leaves, big stems discarded, rinsed and dried

- Salt to taste

- 1/2 to 2 cloves garlic, crushed

- 2 tablespoons pine nuts or walnuts, lightly toasted in a dry skillet or in the oven on a cookie sheet

- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, or more

- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or other hard cheese

- cooked pasta

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Basil is the star ingredient in pesto, so make sure you use the freshest basil you can find. I have lots of basil growing in pots on my deck so basil has been showing up in lots of summer meals lately.

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1. Combine the basil, salt, garlic, nuts, and about half the oil in a food processor or blender.

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2. Process, stopping to scrape down the sides of the container occasionally, and adding the rest of the oil gradually. Add additional oil if you prefer a thinner mixture.

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When finished, the pesto will look like this:

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Toss with freshly cooked pasta, top with additional nuts and grated cheese, and enjoy!

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Pesto can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, or in the freezer for several months.

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What did you cook this week?

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