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Artichoke Walnut Pesto

We have 4 amazingly large basil plants growing in our garden this year. What better to do with basil than make oodles of pesto. I've been experimenting and this is the knock-your-socks-off recipe I have come with. Ingredients 3 cups of basil leaves 6 cloves of garlic 2 cups of walnuts 3 tablespoons of champagne vinegar 14 ounce can of quartered artichoke hearts (drained) 1-2 cups extra virgin olive oil salt & pepper to taste Anyone who has ever watched me cook knows I hate to measure things, especially when I am experimenting. So, these measurements are all approximate. The basil leaves are enough to fill my small salad spinner. The walnuts I just dump into the food processor until it looks like about 2 cups. The champagne vigegar I add a generous splash of (which I am estimating is 3 tablespoons). Directions

1. Rinse basil leaves if picking from garden.
2. Place basil leaves, garlic, walnuts, champagne vinegar, salt and pepper into a food processor or blender and start the blending process.
3. Slowly add extra virgin olive oil until get a smooth pesto like texture.
4. Add artichoke hearts and blend again. The color and texture will look more like a paste than usual pesto, but will taste oh so much better.
5. Makes several cups of pesto. It will save in the fridge for about a week. If you want to hold onto it for longer than that, spoon the pesto into ice cube trays and freeze. Once frozen the cubes can be placed in bags and frozen for a couple of months.

1. Over pasta ... that's the obvious one!
2. Last night we had it as a garnish to a panko crusted fried pork loin chop.
3. Spread on a sandwich. I have used it as a spread on a grilled cheese sandwich. Delish!
4. Throw a tablespoon into your rice which it is cooking. Adds tons of herbalicious flavor.
5. Add a tablespoon to a salad dressing vinaigrette (I can post a recipe for a killer vinaigrette as well if anyone is interested)
6. Here is the best one .... blend some of the pesto in with some cream cheese and sour cream. Then stuff the mixture in to some mushroom caps. Place the mushroom caps onto a glass pie pan that has some melted butter on the bottom. Sprinkle some bread crumbs over the tops and cook in the over at 350 F for about 10-20 minutes. Bake them long enough that the mushrooms become tender and delicious but not so long that they burn. These little appetizers are