My Recipe for Fresh Basil Pesto

 I love to eat basil, so I grow a lot of basil in the garden. I am considering expanding still more next year--I cook with it, I make basil-lemonade with it, and I just love rubbing my fingers in it and sniff the amazing scent all day. Mmm.  Winter comes wet and cold here in Seattle, which basil hates, so when the end of the harvest comes, it's time to make use of what's left before it yellows and withers.  Make a big old batch of pesto and freeze it!  This recipe is for one batch, but an end-of-season harvest can easily make up 2-4 batches, depending on how much you grew. I made two batches this year, simply doubling the recipe.


FRESH BASIL PESTO RECIPE
2 cups packed basil leaves
1/3 cup pine nuts
4 medium garlic cloves, minced (I may even have put in 5...)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1 dash each salt and ground black pepper

Using a food processor, I pulse together the basil and pine nuts. Then pulse in the garlic. Keep processor running as you drizzle in the olive oil, stopping to scrape sides as needed. Then add in the parmesan, and finally your dash of salt and pepper.

I portioned it out into 2 Tbsp scoops in "individual size" disposable Glad containers and freeze it. 2 Tbsp is what I typically use for two servings of pasta, for Chris and I, so they are just right. Some people do this in ice cube trays--I don't own any ice cube trays, but if I ever get some I might do it that way.