Karen, Your basil is beautiful! I can never get any that pretty from my plants. And as far as peppers, I got two the size of a nickel.

Good job!

Hey Sis, "And as far as peppers, I got two the size of a nickel."

LOL!

Come on over and we can have a pesto making party.

Mostly I make pesto like you do, but if I am at the end of the basil I sometimes make it with half parsley, sometimes with half spinach, sometimes I use blue cheese instead of the parmesan, sometimes add oregano....but I don't like that as well as the other varieties.
I have used walnuts instead of pignoles but don't like that as well...also tried almonds and pecans....and pignoles win hands down.
And I always add a couple of T of fresh lemon juice to a 2 cups of greens batch....brightens the flavor and keeps the color.
Linda C....with baby basil!!

Great idea about the lemon addition.

I just made 10 batches=20 cups of fresh basil. I guess I froze 7 cups of pesto made like Linda likes it. Next week I'll have as much to make as I made today but next week I'll add fresh lemon juice to it.

I kept some some of the pesto out and made a toasted french bread, pesto and fresh tomato sandwich. I love summer!

but stay inside because it's way to hot to go outside. LOL!

Good heavens!! 20 cups of fresh basil!....that's a lot of pine nuts and parm reggiano!

I think just about the only two things that I always have in my pesto recipes is garlic and olive oil (and not necessarily extra virgin).

I almost always use basil but I'll add to it for something special, such as some parsley, some cilantro, and especially if I'm going to use it with seafood, some fennel leaf. I don't personally like dill but I'm sure it would work fine in pesto.

I almost always use pine nuts but I've found other nuts really good: Brazil nuts, almonds and even hazelnuts.

For the cheese, I've been across the board. Parmigianno reggiano does it if I really want Italian flavor but I've frequently used asiago, gruyere, peccorino romano, cacciacovalo (like a well-aged provolone) and even aged swiss.

For your peppers, I'd saute them and put them onto a sausage sandwich.

Joe

Oh we love fresh homemade pesto, and I have some basil ready for picking too, so will probably make some in the next days.
Wolf gets pesto withdrawal symptoms if we don't have pasta with pesto regularly!
At least when I don't have enough basil growing in my pots, the supermarkets here always have plenty.

Here's the recipe I use, taken from a TV show Italian cook:

PESTO

4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups basil leaves
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 teasp salt
1/2 teasp f.g. pepper
1/2 cup parmesan grated
1/2 cup pine nuts
teasp water

Process in food processor, adding oil slowly until all is creamy.

SharonCb

Riverrat, I use the same basic ingredients as you but I do toast the pine nuts. I made some a couple of weeks ago and I really need to make more in the next couple of days. I usually freeze mine in ice cube trays or mini muuffin tins and pop it out to go in freezer bags once it's frozen. Think I'll add a little lemon juice next time.

Should have tomatoes ripe in a few days and my mouth waters thinking about that first tomato sandwich. Nothing but mayonnaise, salt and pepper on the first one, then I can get creative with pesto mayonnaise and the like. I love summer too, especially the fresh fruit and vegetables. South Carolina freestone peaches will be in before long. Can't wait for those either.
jude

My favorite pesto is made with arugula, pistachio nuts, garlic, Parm and evoo.

Oh and Joe, A sausage sandwich with my sauted peppeers will be for lunch today. Nice thought! Thanks!