Pesto Sauce

Have so much basil and don’t know what to do with them? How about making your own homemade pesto sauce? Here’s a delicious and easy-to-make basic pesto sauce.

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves (optional tip: mix sweet basil with lemon basil for a “lemony” flavor)
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts or walnuts (optional tip: mix pine nuts and walnuts)
• 2 large cloves of garlic
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (optional tip: mix parmesan cheese and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese)

Preparation

1. Combine basil leaves, pine nuts, and garlic in a food processor and process until very finely minced.
2. With the food processor running slowly dribble in the extra virgin olive oil and process until the mixture is smooth.
3. Add the cheese and process it briefly, just long enough to combine all ingredients. Season with salt and pepper (or lemon pepper seasoning).
4. Store in the refrigerator or freezer. Seize the opportunity to make up a few batches so you’ll have enough homemade pesto for fall and winter. Here’s a tip for easy storage for freezing: On a sheet of the clear, plastic wrapper, create a log form. Seal both sides and store in a square or rectangular plastic tupperware. Ice cube tray is also a great option for freezing.