Lets Get Cook'n

     Did someone say PESTO!

This year I planted basil for my Pesto fetish!

Here is a simply great little recipe I hope you'll love to eat as well as make and remember always make your Pesto to fit your tastebuds, if you like more garlic "then load-it-up".

Let me know what you think!

Most pesto recipes you find call for fresh Parmesan cheese (if you have it-use it) but I'm lazy and used what I had in the frig at the time which was Krafts shredded Parmesan, Romano, Asiago cheese which has a wonderful blend of strong flavors.

Often basil pesto recipes call for pine nuts (sorry pine nut lovers - I'm not a fan) so I easily made a substitute for my love of  raw almonds.

Fresh Basil Pesto Recipe
Ingredients
2 cups fresh basil leaves, washed and dryed on paper towel
1/2 cup Kraft Shredded Cheese: Parmesan,Romano,Asiago
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup raw almonds - chopped fine to corse (your choice)
3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced (Hey make it easy on yourself and use the jarred minced garlic - That what I use!)
Sea Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

First ~ Combine the basil in with the nuts, pulse a few times in the processor. (You can also buy the nuts already chopped, pulse them a few times first, before adding the basil.) Add the garlic, pulse some more.

Second~ Slowly (read that again ~ slowly) add the olive oil in at a constant tiny little stream while the food processor is on low.
Stop the food processor and scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula. (Not with a wooden spoon - you'll not know if that's nut or wood you're eating if you have a mishap)
Add in your grated cheese and pulse again (just a little to blended - not to oblierate).
Add a pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Makes 1 cup.

Serve with pasta and pan-grilled chicken tenders, or spread over buttery toasted italian style bread slices with fresh roma tomatoes and mozzarella wedges.(Yummy'yum'yum'yum)

I double my  recipe and place in to small jars tied with raffia or ribbon for friends and family, but mostly for my daughter Amanda Kaye (who loves the stuff and is a vegitarian).