Bunches of Basil

What should you do with all that basil in the garden? Make basil pesto, of course - it's easy and well worth it! The scent given off by the basil as you prepare this dish will fill the whole kitchen with an intoxicating aroma. And enjoying fresh pesto is absolutely a treat to savor. I could eat it plain, by the spoonful, because it's so delicious.

The ingredients are:

2 cups packed basil

1/3 cup pine nuts

3 cloves garlic

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan (or similar) cheese

salt and pepper

Blend 2 cups (packed very tightly) of basil and 1/3 cup pine nuts.

Add 3 cloves of garlic. Blend.

Add 1/2 cup olive oil a little at a time. Blend.

Now add 1/2 cup freshly grated cheese - parmigiano-reggiano, parmesan, romano, etc. (If you plan to freeze your pesto, then don't add the cheese - you can add it directly to your dish later, or combine it in the blender with your pesto once defrosted.) Blend.

Add salt and pepper to taste. Blend.

Basil Pesto!

Now have a snack before dinner...

Are you still hungry for dinner?

For a variation on this pesto, substitute 3/4 cup sundried tomatoes for 1 cup of the basil and you will have a delicious sundried tomato basil pesto recipe. It is also delicious mixed with pasta, or spread it on sliced bread for a mouthwatering treat.

Anticipating Cabbage from the Garden

Baked egg rolls are a good way to use surplus cabbage from your vegetable garden.  The baked version with olive oil is much healthier than the standard deep frying method.  They won't be quite as crispy, but it's definitely worth trying!

Favorite Summer Harvest Lunch

If you need  something delicious to make for an easy lunch during your gardening break, then you might try this combination.  Bagels, hummus, fresh basil leaves, tomato, and aged provolone cheese.  I toast the bagel, put it all together, and then melt the cheese a little.  Delicious with a glass of iced tea out on the deck.  This will also be a nice way to enjoy your summer harvest of homegrown tomatoes and sweet basil.

Eggplant Harvest (not yet)

I'm making plans for later this summer when my eggplant and tomato will be ready for harvest.  Here's a baked stuffed eggplant dish with tomatoes and lots of fresh herbs.  It was delicious with sauteed crimini mushrooms, zucchini and spiced rice.  Thanks to my mom and dad for the summer tablecloth birthday present!

Garden Break

Not everything delicious grows in the garden...

Mmmm... crispy around the edges and chewy in the middle, warm from the oven.

Basil Harvest for Dinner

I think that we will be eating a lot of basil this summer.  This pasta dish uses a fair amount of it and is easy to make.  The ingredients are:  pasta, sun dried tomato, garlic, onion, jalapeno, crushed red pepper, olive oil, salt, black pepper, pine nuts.  Simple and delicious!