Pesto

How on Earth I haven't posted this yet I can't even imagine. This is such a summer staple. I make a few batches and freeze them in ice cube trays or other small containers (and if I'm feeling super housewifey, I seal them in those little seal-a-meal bags) for later use. Great on pizza, pasta, sandwiches, as a snack with cheese and crackers, mixed in with other cheese or red sauce. . . . everything basically. Feel free to edit the amount of garlic to your taste if you don't like it too garlicky. You can sub other nuts for the pistachios as well - I just made it with walnuts to avoid the whole salmonella scare or whatever it was.

6 small garlic cloves
1/2 cup shelled pistachio nuts
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
1/2 cup olive oil
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
(secret ingredients:)
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon Tabasco

In a food processor with the motor running chop the garlic fine, add the pistachios, the olive oil, the soy sauce, the Tabasco and the basil, then the cheese. Puree the mixture until it is smooth.

I also do a sundried tomato pesto from time to time, but I've yet to nail down a particular recipe. I'll put that on my to do list. Until then:

1 small jar of sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil
few cloves of garlic
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano
salt and pepper to taste
extra olive oil in case it gets too thick

Might be nice to combine the two as well - yum.

With both the sun-dried tomato and the regular pesto recipes, plus a thing of cream cheese you can make that awesome three layer torta - sundried, cream cheese, basil + crackers or baguette = perfect party snack.
Like this one.

Spray a container with nonstick spray. Line with plastic wrap, extending plastic over sides. I typically just do three thin layers - tomato on the bottom, cream cheese in the middle, pesto on top. Cover and chill overnight. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.)