Basil Pesto Sauce

To kickoff the autumn season last weekend, I harvested our gigantic basil plant and tried my hand at some homemade pesto sauce. I didn't know how easy making this tasty condiment was, just a few common ingredients, a whirl in the blender, and voila!

ingredients

• 3 cups fresh basil leaves

• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

• 1/2 cup virgin olive oil

• 1/3 cup pine nuts (or walnuts)

• 3 medium garlic cloves, minced

• salt and pepper to taste

recipe (makes 1 cup)

- blend basil and pine nuts (I used a handheld blender and it worked great, though I imagine a food processor would make extra smooth sauce).

- blend in garlic

- slowly add olive oil in constant stream while blending, then add grated cheese and blend.

- add pinch of salt and pepper to taste

I served with pasta and diced grilled chicken, sprinkled with a few more pine nuts. We've also been using the pesto on panini sandwiches, with everything from turkey to steak to tomatoes and mozzarella. Enjoy!