Late Night Snack...

So I'm up late, as I often am, and I wanted a snack, but not anything too crazy. I'm not a sweets girl but my friend said the word Oreo and that sent my stomach into a tail spin...

I was tempted to skip across the street and get a bag of cookies.

Having a store this close can really get you in trouble...

But alas, I remembered that I made pesto the other day, so semi healthy I shall be!

I toasted some wheat bread and topped it with my pesto,
mozzarella cheese on one piece and sharp cheddar
on the other and toasted it until it was nice and crispy.

Let me start by saying traditional pesto is made with basil and toasted pine nuts. I have made it with those ingredients in the past but decided to try something different this go round.

For the PESTO you will need:

• 2 cups fresh Italian flat leaf parsley
• 2 cups fresh basil
• 1/4 cup almonds
• 1/4 cup shelled pistachios
• 1-1/2 cups olive oil
• 1 cup fresh Parmesan cheese
• 5-8 garlic cloves (TIP: Smaller garlic cloves pack more flavor.)
• 1 cup sun dried tomatoes in oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• A food processor or a very good blender
  

SUN DRIED TOMATO SIDEBAR:

The sun dried tomatoes are optional, but I love them and feel it gives the pesto a bit of tangy flavor against the garlic. Because I am sick of paying those high a$$ prices for tomatoes and oil in a damn jar, I decided I'd do my own. A good health food store that sells dried fruits and veggies by the pound should carry sun dried tomatoes. They are dirt cheap this way... I just chopped them up and put them in a jar with some olive oil, bay leaves (slightly crumbled), fresh parsley and some salt and pepper and put them on my window sill so the sun could do it's thang. I throw them on top of my salads and toast with cream cheese sometimes...Tre tasty!!!

OK, on to the Pesto itself...

Throw all your dry and semi dry ingredients into the food processor (or blender); the almonds, pistachios, garlic, and your sun dried tomatoes (No need to drain them, you can even use that olive oil if you'd like. The more flavor the better I say). Process those for about 30 seconds.

I didn't do it this way because i broke my fool size food processor,
so I just stuffed everybody in there together.

Then add your basil and parsley leaves and continue to process until semi smooth. If possible while the food processor is still running pour all but about 1-2 table spoons of the olive oil in slowly. Then add your Parmesan cheese and processor for another minute. That's it...easy right?

It's harder to get the ingredients that it is to make the stuff and it keeps well in the fridge for weeks and is great on an array of things. Just pout that last little bit of olive oil on top and place in the fridge.

I coated some stuffed chicken breasts with it when I made it with parsley and walnuts last time.

Recipe coming soon...

Nighty Night...