Pesto

This is a simple, easy recipe for pesto that you can use for mixing with olive oil for bread dipping, adding to turkey sandwiches, or mixing into pasta for a great meal.

Makes:  1 cup of pesto

2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
2 small-medium gloves of garlic, depending upon taste
1/4 cup of pine nuts
1/4 cup of olive oil
Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Throw all the ingredients, except for the olive oil, into the food processor.  Turn on the food processor, while mixing, add in olive oil through the top of the oil holes in the lid.  If you don't have a processor with oil holes in the top, add the olive oil at the beginning.  Scrape the sides of the processor bowl, return the lid, and mix again.  The pesto should be like a paste.

All the ingredients are dependent upon taste.  If you like more salt, add more salt.  If you don't like a strong garlic taste, or you want more of a garlic taste, adjust the garlic.  You can also substitute walnuts or almonds for the pine nuts.

Refrigerate any unused portion of the pesto up to a week.  You can freeze for up to 3 months, but if you do, leave out the cheese and add that when you plan to use the pesto.