Basil!

Fresh basil is one of my favorite herbs to have on hand! I have it growing in pots out back so I can pick some off anytime to make a great-tasting meal.
Here are a few tips about growing your own basil:
-It needs full sunlight (at least 6 hours), and they are both indoor/outdoor plants.
-Clip any buds or flowers off your plant as soon as you see them. You don't want a bitter taste or your plant to go to seed.
-Pruning your plant makes more basil!


Now onto using it! Let me share a couple of our favorite recipes-- Avocado Basil Pasta and Fresh Basil Pesto!

Avocado Basil Pasta (from Peacocks on My Porch)

8 oz. bow-tie pasta
2 med. avocados, halved, seeded, peeled and coursely chopped
6 slices bacon crisp cooked, drained, and crumbled
2/3 c. chopped fresh basil
2 tbsp. lemon juice (fresh is ALWAYS best)
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 c. finely shredded Romano or Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain. In a large bowl combine the avocados, bacon, basil, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, pepper & salt. Add the hot pasta and toss to combine. Transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with cheese.

Obviously any kind of small pasta will work!

 

Fresh Basil Pesto

2 c. fresh basil leaves, packed

1/2 c. grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
1/3 c. pecans, walnuts or almonds (pine nuts is traditional, but pricey-I use what's in my pantry)
3 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and ground pepper to taste

Combine the basil with the nuts in a food processor and pulse a few times. (If your nuts aren't chopped already, pulse them alone first a few times, then add basil.) Add the garlic and pulse a few times more.

Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. (Check the consistency of the pesto and add more oil if it is too thick.) Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.

We like to toss this with pasta, or use this as the sauce on home-made pizza! For the latter, I use my go-to pizza dough recipe, spread pesto on top of dough, sprinkle shredded mozzarella (or slices of fresh) all over, and top with bacon (cooked, drained and crumbled) and fresh tomato slices for us grown-ups. My daughter says pesto is her favorite, so kids DO like the green stuff. :)