A pesto hit.  We have an abundance of basil and as promised several posts ago, I am attempting to come up with great recipes to use it.

Shortly after I posted Menu Plan #24, I tried using my homemade pesto in a way described by Pioneer Woman.  Actually she had posted several uses for pesto and I made a choice based on ingredients on hand.  Her suggestion was to make a pesto cream sauce using heavy cream and pesto, adding it to a pasta of choice with fresh tomatoes.

First let me explain that I initially used Ina Garten’s recipe for basil pesto.  I made enough to save in the refrigerator as well as package in individual portions in the freezer.  I particularly like the use of both pine nuts and walnuts for great flavor.  I also appreciate her tips for packing the pesto, being certain to cover and make it as air tight as possible.  An immensely important tip.

Pesto : Ina Garten : Food Network

Total Time: 15 min Prep: 15 min Yield: 4 cups Level: Easy Total Time: 15 min Prep: 15 min Yield: 4 cups Level: Easy Ingredients 1/4 cup walnuts 1/4 cup pignolis (pine nuts) 3 tablespoons chopped garlic (9 cloves) 5 cups fresh basil leaves, packed 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 1/2 cups good olive oil 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan Directions Watch how to make this recipe.

Pesto : Ina Garten : Food Network

Total Time: 15 min Prep: 15 min Yield: 4 cups Level: Easy Total Time: 15 min Prep: 15 min Yield: 4 cups Level: Easy Ingredients 1/4 cup walnuts 1/4 cup pignolis (pine nuts) 3 tablespoons chopped garlic (9 cloves) 5 cups fresh basil leaves, packed 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 1/2 cups good olive oil 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan Directions Watch how to make this recipe.

The first recipe that I made was not a success.  The creamy pesto pasta is not a recipe I would repeat.  I used the suggestion of Pioneer Woman and winged a recipe.  Failure.  I have further researched her suggestion and realized that she actually had a posted recipe.  She used a cream, butter, pesto, and parmesan blend over pasta with chopped fresh tomatoes.  I used only cream and pesto with chopped grape tomatoes.  Maybe the butter and cheese would have made it better? but not worth the try for me.

However, last night I prepared a pesto pasta salad recipe that was delicious, really delicious.

Caprese Pesto Pasta Salad – The Girl Who Ate Everything

This Caprese Pesto Pasta Salad is the traditional Caprese salad in pasta form! So fresh and perfect for BBQs and get togethers!I’m in the middle of a laundry fiasco. For some reason this year our dryer, dishwasher, AC, and now washing machine have kicked the bucket.

I was actually on a roll yesterday attempting to create ways to utilize foods in my refrigerator that were loosing shelf life.  I had a few grape tomatoes left when the ‘Ole Buckeye came home from Costco with more, and refrigerated pesto and fresh mozzarella that needed to be used.  There was not enough mozzarella for a traditional caprese salad, but just enough for this recipe.  I decided this was a must try, since all was on hand.

Delish!  Another recipe to add to my salad collection.  This one is particularly good because it stretches the fresh mozzarella cheese and makes great use of my abundance of basil.  By the way, I was generous with my use of pesto in this salad.

Not only did we have a great salad, but I utilized ingredients that might well have gone to waste in just a few more days.  I have made it a practice recently to review my refrigerator and pantry stash and utilize foods on the verge of purging.  I am finding that I am wasting less and utilizing more.

This practice leads to a transition for my next posts.  Zucchini bread using “on the verge” zucchini (wow is it good), And a scratch fresh pineapple upside down cake. Yum!