Afterthoughts

Hey guys! Thank you so much for those of you who spoke up after my last post. Shana, you were right on with your advice. I cannot tell you how right you were. I found The One last week and the process is rolling. Please send all your positive thoughts towards the management company!!

I wanted to talk to you for a minute about pesto. Did you know you can make pesto out of anything? Not just basil. No really.

Typically, pesto is basil + pine nuts + parmesan cheese + garlic + olive oil. There is a magic ratio that I've discovered over the years and there are only two numbers you have to remember. 2 and 1/2. Here's how it goes:

2 cups of basil

2 cloves of garlic

1/ 2 cup of pine nuts

1/2 cup grated parmesan

1/2 cup olive oil

This time of year, however, I make a lot of arugula pesto. More often then not, I buy a big bunch of arugula to make a salad and I have a bunch left over and that becomes the basis for the pesto. I simply swap out the arugula for the basil.

The olive oil and garlic are constants, but you can sub out the type of cheese or nuts and also the base. It helps if the cheese is a dry crumbly variety.

It might go a little something like this:

arugula + pine nuts + parmesan

sun dried tomatoes + almonds + goat cheese

sage + walnuts + parmesan

olives + pistachios + feta

Mix with pasta and veggies (remember to reserve some of the pasta water to mix with your pesto. At least a cup) for a great main dish.

I like to mix it with small white beans for a great side dish to serve with fish.

Ooh! Imagine an olive pesto mixed with white beans and luscious canned tuna for a great lunch! Maybe some diced tomatoes, too?

It also makes an awesome marinade for meats or fish and freezes like a dream. Often I make it when I have a lot of leftover herbs and then freeze it for a rainy day.

(The recipe above is enough for 1 pound of pasta.)