How to Make Pesto: Part 2

Now we get down to the nitty-gritty pesto-making process. I removed all the stems, washed the leaves, and ran them through the salad spinner to get rid of the excess water. Then, into the food processor.

I added salt, garlic cloves, and parmesan cheese. The recipe called for pine nuts, but I didn't have any so I left the nuts out. We'll use the olive oil in just a minute.
Turn on the food processor and let it go until everything is nice and chopped up. Then add the olive oil, a little bit at a time, through the spout on top while the food processor is running. When the pesto is the consistency you want, stop adding oil and turn it off.And here is our finished pesto! Lovely green goo. It tastes better than it looks, trust me. :-)
I used it to make "Creamy Pesto Pasta" which was just a basic white sauce with pesto added and served over whole wheat rotini. Everyone gobbled it up! Which is a big deal in my house, since I have some picky eaters around here.

So there you go. Find a friend with basil plants, or go pick some up at the farmer's market and make your own pesto! It's easy and yummy.