Pesto!

We have been lazily enjoying our summer vacation here in Northern Virginia...wait...no, that must be some family from some other house because I have been "losing my mind" busy!  I have increased my tutoring hours trying to make a little extra dough, especially since those fine folks at the student loan institution insist on having their money.  Go figure.  We decided not to go on a big vacation, so that means lots of little trips here and there.  All is not lost for my adventures in the kitchen, though, because there is always time for pesto!  Man, this stuff is really easy to make and we will eat it on anything from Italian bread to plain old pasta.  Here is my quickie recipe, even quicker if you are growing your own basil like we are.
Quickie Pesto
What you need:
About a cup or two of fresh basil leaves
Olive oil
Salt
Walnut halves (Pine nuts...I am currently walnuts because, well, read the student loan line above)
Fresh garlic cloves...maybe 2-4, depending on how much you like garlic
What you do:
Get out your blender.  The best thing for a quickie recipe is a "Magic Bullet", but a blender works fine.  Crush your garlic into the blender.  Pour in about a quarter cup of olive oil and about a half cup of walnuts or pine nuts.  Throw in a half teaspoon of salt, less if you want less salt.  Blend for 10-15 seconds.  Put in all the basil, and pour another half cup of olive oil on top of that.  If using a blender instead of a magic bullet, you will want to use a wooden spoon to mash everything down before blending for about 20-30 seconds more.  Mix it up, add more oil to give it a syrup-like consistency.  Notice that this recipe is not terribly accurate...go with how it looks.  Taste as you go...that's the best part of cooking.  If it is too lumpy, add a little more oil and blend a little more.  Leave out the salt if you want.  Make it your own, and enjoy it right away, super-fresh!