Can I tell you how much I enjoy my herb and vegetable garden!  I have a raised bed on the side of my house, right outside the kitchen door.  When we moved into this house over 10 years ago, the bed was filled with unruly shrubbery and the soil quality was terrible.  Over the years, we have moved the shrubs out and my pretty little garden has taken over.

My all-time favorite herb is basil.  I always plant 3-4 large plants and have more than we can possibly eat, even with cooking classes I teach!

If you are growing basil and have not harvested it, now is the time.  If the weather stays warm, it will continue to grow for a second harvest.

 I make huge batches of pesto in my Cuisinart food processor and freeze it in individual portions to be enjoyed all through the winter months.

My pesto does not have much olive oil, so it is thick like paste.  This gives me the flexibility to use the pesto in a variety of recipes when it’s pulled from the freezer.

My favorite way to eat pesto does not even require a recipe; just toast crusty bread and smear on plenty of pesto.

Add lots of chewy sun dried tomatoes for a sweet tangy bite.

Sprinkle on plenty of cheese and toast in the oven until cheese is bubbling.

It’s that simple!

You will find my recipe for Basil pesto below; I hope to see you soon in an upcoming cooking class!

Follow me along with my sweet travelers starting next week as we taste our way through the best of Provence 2018! The very best place to find us in on Instagram @atasteofparis OR Facebook Atasteofparistrips and for information on the last 2 seats for 2019 CLICK HERE!  

 

Basil Pesto

1½ cups fresh basil compacted

2 garlic cloves

½ cup walnuts

1/3 cup parmesan cheese grated

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ teaspoon salt

Place basil, garlic, walnuts, salt in food processor and pulse until smooth, add parmesan, olive oil and process until mixed well.