Homemade pesto is something I’ve been making a few years in a row now, and it’s an excellent way to use up the rest of the fresh basil in your garden before a hard frost. Freeze what you don’t use in ice cube trays to enjoy in the middle of the winter.
How to Use Your Homemade Pesto:
- As a pasta sauce
- Add a little homemade pesto to mayo for a sandwich spread
- Top salmon or chicken with pesto before grilling
- Add to mashed potatoes
- As a baked potato topper
- On homemade pizza as a sauce
- In artisan breads
- Make pesto butter as an appetizer spread
Frugal Tips: Even though fresh Parmesan is somewhat expensive, it’s worth it. A little bit goes a long way. You may also experience sticker shock if you’re purchasing pine nuts for the first time. If you have walnuts at home, they are a good substitute. Some even prefer the taste of walnut pesto to pine nut pesto.
Thanks to the Mommysavers Forum members for the inspiration behind this basil pesto recipe
- 1½ C. fresh basil leaves
- ½ C. extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ C. pine nuts, toasted (or walnuts)
- ⅓ C. grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Dash of salt
- Pepper or Tabasco to taste
- /2 c chopped fresh basil
- /3-1/2 c extra virgin olive oil(just eyeball how ya like it as you go)
- /4 c pine nuts,toasted (or you can sub walnuts)
- /3 c grated Parmesan cheese
- Tbs minced garlic
- /4 tsp chili powder
- Blend all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Freeze leftovers in ice cube trays, remove and place in a freezer bag until ready to use.