Homemade pesto . . .

Why the heck haven't I made this before?

Well . . . because those itty-bitty packages of basil are so darned expensive ($2.99) & I would need at least 3 of them. So last week I found a large package of basil for only a dollar more & it was easy 3 times the amount of the small packages.

So I pulled out Vegan With a Vengence & made her pesto. I also treated us to her tofu ricotta. Oh man, the pesto rocks! I have so missed pesto since giving up cheese & it is so nice to have a tasty vegan pesto. It was very easy to make, too.

So, I experimented & mixed all of the pesto with the tofu ricotta & then mixed the pesto/tofu mixture with cooked penne pasta. Holy macaroni, that was some good stuff!!

Highly recommended!!

Mmm pesto, that is one I miss a lot. We always had fresh basil growing in the backyard, and my mom would make up fresh pesto all summer.....soooo good.

I will have to try a vegan version!

ahh fresh basil, I can smell it now...that has got to be of my favorite scent of all time. what's your parmesan substitute in your pesto recipe? do you just leave it out or add extra pine nuts? i'm fixin to grow me a big ole patch o basil this spring. my herb garden wasn't very successful last year, i got some parsley and that was about it. oh a little bit of oregano too.