What to do with all that basil?

Have a crazy amount of basil this year? Make some freezer pesto!

You will need:

3 cups fresh basil, packed
2/3 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
3 to 4 large cloves of garlic
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper
2/3 cup pine nuts (walnuts can be substituted)

Place all ingredients into a food processor and process until no lumps remain and the mixture is fairly smooth. Make sure to scrape down the sides as you go.

Pesto can be spooned into ice cube trays, covered and frozen for single serve portions, or place in a freezer-proof container (I LOVE the plastic Ball freezer jars) and freeze. 

This recipe is great for add-ins since it is basic. Sun dried tomatoes are a favorite. You can also mix in a little sea salt, spices of your choice, romano cheese and enough olive oil to "liquify" the pesto and it makes a great dipping oil!