Making Pesto

On this lovely first day of spring that feels more like summer with the 80 degree temps, I found this blog draft about making pesto...for some reason I never got around to sharing it last fall so I am posting it as encouragement for garden planting this spring...... I just visited my local nursery and tomato plants are $4.00 each....seed packets are less than $2.00..easy to do the math..there is plenty of time to still plant seeds for basil, tomatoes, eggplant...so this is about helping you get a head start on your garden growing...and a little inspiration for what you can expect after a few months of growing.....so here we go..

Genovese Basil..easy, easy to grow

basil, Extra Virgin olive oil, pine nuts

sometimes I add parmesan cheese but not always...I make a lot of basil, garlic, and olive oil pesto....

mix in food processor with 2 or 3 garlic cloves

this pasta salad is so easy..cream cheese, pesto, tomatoes, and pasta..I used the chocolate cherry tomatoes from my garden..another easy vegetable to grow..

pesto pasta salad 

several different eggplant varieties..  

I didn't grow these..I am not a very good eggplant grower..too many flea beetles...we bought these as a farmer's market near Clayton...

Juliet grape tomato

these are Juliet grape tomato.....grown in my garden..one of my favorites and so prolific...try it.

roasted tomatoes and eggplant with  pesto pasta salad......makes me want to get my seeds started for a summer of good eating..

Planting a garden is so very rewarding..I have had a garden for as long as I can remember...then 9 years ago we bought a house on 2 acres...... now I plant more than ever....it is fun, it is healthy, and it is rewarding....and it is oh, so LOCAL.....right in my backyard......

Spring......a time for new life....a do over...a new beginning...put a seed in the dirt and before long there will be fruit from your labor......of course, it takes a little more than just planting a seed....just saying...wink, wink..


Thank you for stopping by today..and I hope to see you again soon....
are any of you planting a garden?  what do you grow?  let's compare notes....

                                                                           Happy gardening...
                                                                                
                                                                                    Mona