Basil Pesto

Basil Pesto
(recipe compliments of my Aunt Julie)

2 cups Basil Leaves (packed)
2 cloves Garlic
1/2 cup Pine Nuts (can also use walnuts or pecans.  Toast the nuts for a nuttier flavor)
1/2 cup EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
3/4 cup Fresh Grated Parmesan or Romano cheese (Manchego could work)
1/4 tsp Salt
2 tsp Lemon Juice
1 tsp hot water

Directions:
1) In a food processor, using the blade attachment:  Process the basil, garlic, and nuts.  Process until smooth.  You may need to scrape down the sides a few times.
2) Pour the EVOO through the shoot while the processor is running
3) Open the processor up, then add the rest of the ingredients.  Process until smooth, again you may need to scrape the sides to get it all.

Yields 1 cup.
This freezes well.

NOTES:
I made 2 batches, each using different types of basil and different olive oils.  I used DeCarlo Olive Oil with regular Basil, and then the Georgia Olive Oil with Christmas Basil.  Both are very tasty, but definitely different. 
Use Christmas Basil for a nuttier flavor.  I have not made this with Purple Basil yet, but I would love to try it.
Also, I made some pesto using fresh Arugula instead of Basil.  It turned out okay, but needed more salt and lemon juice than this recipe calls for.

The Office - Premiere's TONITE!

Friday night, happy hour at Tijuana Joe's to celebrate Jeff's new job! Jeff's one of Matt's co-workers. They decided to do shots named after girls, so we did the "Dirty Girl Scout" and "Red-Headed Slut" shots. This while I'm trying to sip a cultured and fancy bit of tequila. Thank goodness we went home right afterwards!
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Saturday I took Sport to the Red Bandanna for a "Dog Wash for Charity" event. He basically "took one for the team" and had a bath there. He hates baths. And then the money we paid for the bath went towards the AHIMSA House charity. YAY Sport! you did a good deed today!
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Saturday night was girls' night out at TAP. Yummy! We were hanging out with Ruth's sister who just returned from Swaziland and the Peace Corps. She mentioned another Peace Corps buddy was coming, and guess what? It was a girl I hadn't seen in years! Maggie! So we all caught up and had a nice bite to eat. What a small world. I had no idea these girls all knew one another.
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Sunday we went to a friend's house to watch Formula 1 Monza (Italy), and dine on Italian food. Delish!
Sunday afternoon-evening, (after we got Alex hooked on it too), we continued watching Weeds. We got all the way through the last episode of Season 2, and then AHHH! IT was a CLIFFHANGER! We all voted to watch just the first episode of Season 3, so we could actually sleep (even though it was LATE for a Sunday night). But lo and behold, Netflix doesn't have Season 3 on instant play. ARG! So we had to put it at the top of our queue and wait a few days to get it in the mail. NOoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
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Tuesday we had a surprise/impromptu dinner with an old friend (our dear Kymry) who is finally back from Boreway (aka Norway). We dined on scallops in basil pesto sauce and beef marinara sauce for the carnivores in the house, spinach salad, and lots of vino (of course).
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Wednesday, we had another impromptu opportunity to see her again before she left town, so I went over and we did girl's night at her friend's house. YAY for KY! I do hope she settles down into her new job soon, so we can plan visits and all that jazz.
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The OFFICE Premiere's tonight! I'm super excited about this.
AND
Weeds Season 3 has arrived, so it's ON like Donkey-Kong!

How to please your man in 15 minutes

Photo Credit After our trip to NYC, we desperately needed to go shopping for groceries, so I hit Trader Joe's on the way home. As usual, I found some amazing items that weren't on my shopping list, so I treated Matthew to a delicious dinner of Scallop Linguini with Pesto in a garlic butter sauce. He practically licked the pan dry. Here is a rough recipe (I hate measuring anymore, I just cook by sight and tasting:
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1 bag of Trader Joe's Frozen Scallops (roughly $5.99)
1 pkg of Trader Joe's Garlic Basil Linguini Noodles
2 large spoonfuls of Trader Giotti's Basil Pesto (sold in a jar)
1/2 stick (or a thick slice from a brick) of unsalted cream butter
Olive Oil
Chopped Garlic
Dried Basil spice
Garlic Powder
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Instructions al la VSLane: Slowly thaw the scallops in the fridge (it says on the pkg NOT to thaw them at room temp. - and btw this is the only step that WILL take longer than 15 mins. However, once already thawed, the rest of the recipe goes QUICKLY).
Pat the scallops dry with papertowels then put into a plastic container - season with salt (I used Dulse instead of salt), dried basil, garlic powder. Mix gently with spoon.
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In skillet, add generous pour of Olive Oil and spoonful of chopped garlic - heat on low, add seasoned scallops, cook for 4-5 minutes until scallops are opaque (ie: not see-through). Add some of the butter while cooking.
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Meanwhile, in saucepan, boil water, add the linguini, cook for 5-6 minutes, turn off burner, drain water off, but keep linguini in the pan (it's hot and this helps the rest of the recipe work), add the rest of the butter, toss gently as the butter melts, but don't break the noodles. Add pesto, toss gently again.
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Add cooked Scallops to Linguini, toss gently. SERVE immediately before it gets cold.
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VIOLA! you just pleased your man in about 15 minutes (assuming he likes Scallops).