Pesto

My friend Eileen has an abundance of fresh basil in her garden, and she generously shared some with me to make pesto. I made basil and sun-dried tomato pestos and froze them in 1 Tbsp. measures in ice-cube trays. Once the pesto was frozen, I removed the cubes from the ice tray and placed them in heavy-duty zip-top bags, which are stored in the freezer. Homemade pesto is super easy and is a great addition to many dishes. A food processor is a must-have appliance for this recipe.

Basil Pesto
2 cups fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
4 garlic cloves
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Place basil and next 3 ingredients in a food processor. Process until mixture is smooth; gradually add in olive oil in a slow, steady stream. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

1 cup fresh basil leaves

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

4 garlic cloves

1/2 cup pine nuts

1/2 cup olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Place tomatoes and next 4 ingredients in a food processor. Process until mixture is smooth; gradually add in olive oil in a slow, steady stream. Season with salt and pepper to taste.