One of the last things we harvested from the garden last fall was a forest of basil. I was determined to pull out snack size bags of frozen pesto to enjoy during the coldest days of winter. Today was one of those days, but it wasn’t snowy it was a beautiful almost-spring day. When 45 degrees feels like summer, you know winter is coming to an end.

Basil harvest

I pulled a bag out of pesto from the freezer, and let it thaw for a few hours in the refrigerator. (I think I took pictures of this back in the fall, but it’s not very pretty. ) To the pesto mix, I added cheese (not frozen with cheese mixed in) and more olive oil and some salt to taste. I pureed everything together in the mini-chopper. If you had told me the pesto came from the freezer, I would have a hard time believing it!

Freezing Pesto

  1. Puree/pulse basil leaves (and spinach if you like) with a bit of olive oil, no cheese.
  2. Freeze in a snack size zip bag, or ice cube tray. If saving in a zip bag, squeeze as much air out as possible.
  3. Thaw when ready to use and combine with cheese and a bit more olive oil to taste.

Add the pesto with some heavy cream for a creamy pesto sauce, or with a bit of mayo as a sandwich spread, or simply enjoy it on top of your favorite pasta (we like ours with a bit of chicken and diced tomato!)

Pesto Pasta with Chicken

 

Pesto from the Freezerhttps://i0.wp.com/www.thesugarpixie.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/wpid-20140307_164557.jpg?fit=750%2C1000&ssl=1https://i0.wp.com/www.thesugarpixie.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/wpid-20140307_164557.jpg?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1thesugarpixieRecipesbasil,chicken,pasta,pesto,spinachOne of the last things we harvested from the garden last fall was a forest of basil. I was determined to pull out snack size bags of frozen pesto to enjoy during the coldest days of winter. Today was one of those days, but it wasn't snowy it was...Misadventures and fun in the kitchen and beyond