Pesto Perfection

I have never felt so Italian in my life. But really after making pesto I felt more Italian then I've ever felt before. Maybe eating pesto makes my 1/8 of Italian expand and swell into something a quite a bit bigger? I don't know but oh, it was an amazing moment. You can ask my family, the whole time I was making and eating the pesto I had an expression of pure bliss on my face. I think I have officially found my favorite food. Pesto seems to make any food ten times better, I plopped some on chicken and I felt like I was eating a gourmet meal, I spread some on a cracker and I felt like I was eating a fancy hors d'oeuvres at some five star restaurant. If one simple taste of pesto can do that for me, then why should I ever stop eating it?
Oh and did I mention how easy it is to make pesto? It's ridiculously simple, easy and fast. Making the basic pesto probably took me around 10-15 minutes. Yes, I did say that short of a time. Hmm, I may have just found my go to food to make me look like a pro.

So, pretty much all you do is toss Basil, Romano (or Parmesan), olive oil and garlic into a food processor or blender.

Then blend it all up until the basil is thoroughly chopped. 

 And you are done! Yes, that is all you have to do. It's as simple as that. 

I also tried a couple variations to the basic pesto. I Substituted the leftover oil from sun dried tomatoes and ended up with sun dried tomato pesto and I also made a batch with pine nuts. I really can't quite decide which is my favorite. They're all so delicious. 

Now, what to do with the pesto. I could just eat it all by the spoonful, but I think my family might protest.

I took a baguette sliced it into half inch slices, lightly toasted it in the oven on both sides, spread pesto on each piece, sprinkled diced tomatoes and Romano on top and then toasted in the oven until the cheese was melted. 

Mmm, deliciousness I'm telling you! 

Well, I still had some pesto left over. Now what to do with it? How about pasta with pesto?

I quickly cooked up same pasta, threw some butter and the rest of the pesto in with it. I then added chopped chicken and sauteed tomatoes to it. Ahhh! So good! Looked like restaurant food. And if I do say so myself it tasted just as good. 

And so I invite you to join me in the land of pesto love. It an amazing place to be. I think I shall stay here for the rest of my life.

~Alyssa <3