Name: Pesto Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Ingredients: 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves; 1/3 cup pine nuts; 1 tbsp minced garlic; 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (fresh); 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil; 1/4 tsp sea salt; 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

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I have a ton of fresh basil so I’m going to share 5 things to make with your fresh basil.

Basil is one of my favorite herbs and it is used very prevalently in Italian dishes.

My 5 Favorite Things

Caprese Salad
Chicken with Tomato Basil Sauce – I will post my recipe on Tuesday (Simple, quick and tasty)
Summer Tomato Basil Pasta
Topping on homemade Pizza
Pesto Sauce

I’m going to focus on Pesto because there are so many things you can do with Pesto.

French Bread Toast with Pesto Sauce – Sliced Avocado and Everything but A Bagel Seasoning

Pasta with Pesto Sauce – You can put pesto on any type of pasta. I especially like ravioli or tortellini because they are available in so many different flavors and each flavor changes the essence of the dish.

Pesto Pizza – Replace tomato pizza sauce with pesto and to with anything you like. I personally like tomato slices, garlic, and crazy enough, green olives

Pesto Salad Dressing – Mix your favorite vinegar and oil with some pesto. My favorite is red wine vinegar, avocado oil, and pesto.

Best Pesto Tip

You can freeze pesto sauce. I freeze it in ice cube trays and when it’s solid I take them out of the tray and put them in a freezer bag.
You only have to take out what you need and thaw and use

One Last Basil Tip

I also freeze my basil in olive oil in ice cube trays. I then have that fresh basil taste to throw into your recipes that call for basil that your cooking in the fall and winter.

Pesto Sauce

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Course: Sauces

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: 30 minute meal, Basil, pine nuts

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup pine nuts
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese fresh
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Place basil and pine nuts in food processors, pulse until course
Add garlic and cheese, pulse some more, scraping down the sides with spatula
Slowly pour in the olive oil while food processor is running, until well blended and smooth; scraping down the sides with spatula. Add salt and pepper and pulse for a few more seconds.