i think lots of folks have put their pesto into ice cubes tray and once frozen, pop out the cubes into baggies and consider it a genuine treat in the midst of winter!

i just made this last night for the first time and it will make good use of your bounty. you may wish to cut back on the lemon or increase the oil--it was a little "sharp" but i think it would be great to marinate chicken in. i used it over pasta and clams and it needed to be toned down with cream. wasn't that a shame :)

Sure, I freeze pesto every summer and I know lots of others do too. I don't see any reason why you couldn't gift pesto. For that I freeze in small canning jars (the 4-oz. or 8 oz. sizes) and pour a thin layer of olive oil on top before freezing. That helps reduce the likelihood of oxidation.

Marcella Hazen and others recommend freezing a pesto base without the cheese, but for myself I've done it with and without and haven't noticed a difference except that, of course, without cheese it takes up less freezer space. I think keeping it well-sealed is more critical to flavor.

You can also freeze basil as a slurry with a bit of olive oil or water, freeze in an ice cube tray, and then pop out and package the cubes to use in cooking as plain basil.

Carol

carol, you can also make a really good walnut and parsley pesto.

here ya go!

Parsley and Walnut Pesto

1 large bunch flatleaf parsley
2 large pinches sea salt
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
4 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan
2 tablespoons pine nuts
3 Tablespoons walnuts
1 tablespoons buttered, softened
1/2 cup EVOO

Put half the parsley, salt and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. (Parsley doesn't break up real well with a mortal and pestal, so the FP is a better way).
Add the rest of the parsley, salt and garlic until combined finely.
Crush the walnuts and pinenuts (reserving 3 or 4 walnuts*). Add the cheese, nuts and butter to the mixture bit by bit, until combined.
Very slowly drizzle in the oil until the mixture is a fine blended paste. This should take a while to ensure the oil is completely mixed in.
(Optional: *break the remaining walnuts into small pieces and add to the finished pesto for a additional texture).

I have a freezer full of frozen pesto....if you put a tablespoon or so of fresh lemon juice in when you are processing it stays nice and green...and the lemon brightens the taste...
I buy those little 1/2 cup freezer plastic containers. last year I counted 25 of them in my freezer! I took a bunch to the kids and grands!!
Linda C

I also freeze my homemade pesto in small tupperware containers.

It looks and tastes fine after defrosting and would be suitable to give as a gift.

SharonCb

Oh, this isn't quite the same, but make basil vinegar. Stuff a salad dressing jar as full as you can of dry basil and top with boiling vinegar. "they" say to take the herbs out but I leave them in and they are window decorations as they are ripening. I do them keep them in a dark place but hey for me..it's the taste.

I still have the ice cube trays that someone gifted me with, and if you read this...Thank you again!! Maureen

I make herb butter by softening a stick of UNsalted butter and stir in fresh herbs (1-2 T. or to taste). Then I reform the stick in some plastic wrap (or the original butter wrapper) and chill in the refrigerator for 1-2 days for flavors to blend. I cut the cold butter into cubes (about 1 T. in size), quick-freeze, and when hard I vacuum-seal (or you could place in zip-lock bags) the herb butter cubes and keep in the freezer. One of our favorites is a combination of thyme, parsley and chives. We add this herb-butter combination to boiled new (or small B grade) potatoes.

I also dry parsley. Line a cookie sheet with paper towels and place the washed and dried parsley on the lined sheet. Place in your oven with the oven light on, and you'll have dried parsley in 12-24 hours. Crush the parsley when completely dry, and store in a glass jar.

Yet one more Basil Pesto:

2 c. basil leaves
2-4 cloves garlic
1/4 c. pine nuts or walnuts
1/4 t. salt
1/2 c. parmesan cheese *
1/4 c. olive oil

Place basil, garlic, and nuts in a food processor. Pluse until well blended. Add salt and cheese. Pulse again. While food processor is running, add oil in a steady stream. Allow to process until a thick smooth paste is formed. Makes approximately 2 cups.

* This can be frozen. Just leave out the cheese. Add the cheese after pesto has been defrosted in the refrigerator.
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Another Herb Vinegar recipe:

2 cups vinegar
1 c. fresh herbs

Place herbs in clean, sterilized jar. Use a wooden spoon to bruise herbs slightly. Pour vinegar over herbs. Cover. Let mixture steep in a dark room, shake jar daily. Taste after 1 week. When flavor is right, strain the vinegar, pour into clean sterilized bottle, cap tightly and label. If using a canning jar and lid, cover first with plastic wrap, then put on the jar lid, or use the all-plastic lids for canning jars.

Use white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, or rice wine vinegar.

-Grainlady