I have an abundance of basil growing in my herb garden and what better way to use it up than Pesto. Today I thought I’d share my Cheat’s Pesto Recipe with you because not only is it colourful and easy to make, it’s delicious!
This is the second time I’ve made it and because I don’t use exact measurements, it tastes slightly different every time. But hey, that’s what home-made is about right?
So the cheat bit is using Macadamia nuts instead of Pine nuts, because pine nut are super expensive.
How to make pesto:
Here is the rough recipe
Ingredients
1/4 cup macadamias (you can also use cashews)
1/4 – 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (the best quality you can afford)
a big bunch of basil leaves
1 small clove of garlic (if that’s your thing)
nice olive oil, enough to moisten and extra for jar
Directions:
Wizz it all up in a food processor, spoon it into a clean jar and cover with extra oil for storage.
I like mine cheesy but you can adjust your quantities to suit your taste.
The best thing about having a fresh jar of pesto in the fridge is that it adds instant lift to any boring old meal.
10 Delicious ways to use Pesto
- Toss it through warm spaghetti – a yummy classic
- Stir through scrambled eggs – a green breakfast treat
- Use as a spread in a sandwich
- A yummy dip with veggie sticks
- Mix with mayo as a delicious salad dressing
- Serve over grilled chicken or fish as a sauce
- Toss through warm steamed spuds or mash in with mashed potatoes
- Replace tomato sauce on pizza with a thin layer of pesto
- Spread it on toast
- Stir it through soup
I could go on forever, I like it on toast.
So if your basil is out of control, or you pick up a nice bunch at the market, give this a try, and you’ll always have dinner a dinner option in the fridge.
