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Basil Pesto-Janet Brocklehurst (Alex’s Aunt)

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
  • 1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, packed
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts or walnuts
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • salt and cracked pepper to taste

Directions:

Place ingredients in a food processor. Blend until pesto forms a thick, smooth paste. Store in fridge up to a week or freeze for a few months.

Tips:

  1. I do this with lots of different herb blends
  2. Cheese doesn’t always freeze well, so I typically leave it out and add it during cooking process later if I want it
  3. If you freeze it in zip lock bags (flat), then it’s very easy to break off pieces (however much you want-a little or a lot) for whatever you are making
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Tomato Basil Pasta

  • 1 package Spaghetti
  • 2-3 TBS Olive Oil
  • 1-2 tsp. Garlic puree
  • maybe 1 to 2 TBS Basil
  • maybe 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
  • Salt
  • Fresh Tomatoes, diced.

Cook pasta according to the directions on package.

Drain pasta and set aside.

In the same pan add 2 to 3 TBS olive oil and 1 to 2 tsp. garlic puree or minced garlic. Heat the oil and garlic. Add the pasta back into the pan. Add basil, salt, and Parmesan cheese. This isn’t an exact recipe as you can see. You just need the oil to lightly coat the pasta so the other ingredients stick to it. Add the garlic, basil, salt, and Parmesan as much as you like. Add the diced tomatoes and heat just till warm. The pasta is warm so it won’t take long.

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Grilled Chicken with Lemon Basil Pasta

Ingredients

4 whole Grilled Chicken Breasts, Sliced
1 pound Penne Pasta, Cooked Until Al Dente
1/2 stick Butter
3 whole Lemons, Juiced
3/4 cups Heavy Cream
1/4 cup Half-and-half
1-1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese (or Romano)
Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
20 whole Basil Leaves, Chopped

 

 Preparation Instructions

Cook pasta, reserving 1 cup of hot pasta water when you drain. Set pasta aside in a colander.

In the same pot, melt butter over medium heat. Squeeze in the juice of 3 to 4 lemons. Whisk together. Pour in cream and half-and-heat. Whisk until hot. Dump in cheese and whisk until melted. Add salt and pepper. Check consistency, adding some of the hot pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed.
Pour pasta and sauce into a large serving bowl. Sprinkle remaining basil all over the top, then add sliced chicken breasts. Serve immediately!