Presto! Pesto!

I'll admit that there are days that I just can not get it together and prepare a made from scratch dinner for my family. For whatever reason, dinner has snuck up on me again, and I've fallen down on the job. What in the world am I going to fix for dinner and on the fly?

Presto! Pesto!

A few weeks ago, I gathered all my basil growing in my little container garden and made fresh pesto. I then froze it in ice cube trays...each little cube is the perfect individual serving size. Now all I have to do is cook some pasta, add a few cubes of pesto, toss a salad, and dinner is served.

It is that easy and so yummy.


Here's what you will need...a big bunch of fresh basil, pine nuts, garlic, shredded Parmesan cheese, olive oil and salt and pepper.



Toast 1/4 cup of pine nuts in a dry skillet on low heat. Don't walk away because these suckers will burn quick. Just shake the pan every once in a while.


Break out your food processor and load it up with all your goodies minus the oil and cheese. And if you don't love garlic like I love garlic, stick to one clove.


Give it a few pulses to mix up all the yummy goodness.


Add your oil while the food processor is on. Don't forget your lid!


And finally the shredded cheese. I add just enough to get the consistency I want. The more cheese you add, the thicker your pesto will be.


Have some now...


Or save some for later.

These little cubes are just the thing to give chili, soup and spaghetti sauce a little extra somethin, somethin too. Just throw one in the pot. Or thaw a cube, spread it on a loaf of French bread, top it with shredded Parmesan cheese and broil it until the cheese is melted and golden brown. YUM!

Basil Pesto

2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
2 garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, more or less for desired consistency


Place the basil, pine nuts, garlic, salt and pepper into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. With the processor running, gradually add the oil. Turn the processor off and add the Parmesan cheese. If you want a thin consistency, add less...if you want a thick consistency, add more. Pulse to blend, and it is ready to serve.

To freeze the pesto, divide it among the cubes of an ice cube tray and freeze. The pesto freezes nicely for up to 3 months.