Freezer-Bound Pesto

My mother has a real passion for gardening and as a result, she has some magnificent flower and vegetable gardens.  She has always been incredibly generous sharing from her gardens, and now that we live a mere fifteen minutes away, she is constantly gifting us with fresh, seasonal vegetables. 

After my mom's basil started growing like crazy, she recently gifted me with bunches and bunches of basil!

I knew that we wouldn't be able to eat them fast enough so I decided to make some easy pesto to freeze for future use.

I threw the rinsed basil in the food processor with the stems on.  I didn't really take measurements of the ingredients but just added olive oil, garlic cloves, Parmesan cheese, shelled walnuts, salt and pepper to taste.

I pureed until I was left with a beautiful, vibrant pesto.

I split the pesto into two plastic containers.

I drizzled some extra olive oil on top of the pesto.  I also put some plastic wrap on top of the pesto to help seal it from the air.

The pesto went straight to our freezer and will be ready for use long after the summer is over.  For me, it is a great way to keep these great summer flavors alive all year long.

Tell me, what do you do to preserve your favorite summer ingredients for the rest of the year?

Blogger-Inspired Pasta with Sardines

Last month, my friend Bianca wrote about a Spicy Anchovy Pasta dish she made in her kitchen.  I really liked the idea of anchovies with pasta and her dish recently inspired my own quick pasta dish with sardines.  After a long day of work and a committee meeting in the evening, I wanted to make a quick dinner on Wednesday night that would be still be healthy and delicious.  I remembered Bianca's dish and decided to make my own version.

Bret had an equally long and busy day but he wanted to help with dinner.  Over text messages on the T, I asked him to get a pot of salted water boiling and to put together a simple side salad with romaine, grape tomatoes and cucumbers.

When I got home, I got to work and gathered my ingredients.  I didn't take exact measurements so the below is an estimate of measurements used:

Please forgive the flash photography. 
I was too tired to set up proper lighting.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Tin of boneless sardines canned in olive oil
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed
• 5 large cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup grape tomatoes
• No yolk egg noodles (you can really use any pasta)
• Parmesan cheese (to taste)

I warmed up the Dutch oven on the stove with the olive oil.  I slowly added the capers, sardines with the olive oil, tomatoes and garlic to the pan at five minute intervals.  I lowered the heat and put a cover on the Dutch oven.  I mixed these ingredients from time to time but let them really break down in the pan and let the flavors come together.  When the capers and tomatoes began to burst open, I then seasoned the sauce with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes for more flavor.

When the pasta was almost done cooking, I drained the pasta but reserved a cup of the pasta water.  I added the water to the sardine mixture and let the sauce cook on high uncovered to thicken up.  I then added the pasta to the sauce and gave everything a mix.

The pasta was served with a generous sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

This pasta dish was so warm and comforting.  The capers and tomatoes added a nice acidity to contrast with the sardines.  Bret mentioned that a squeeze of lemon juice would have been a welcome addition to the dish to add even more acidity and I couldn't disagree. 

I normally take step by step photo instructions of my meals but I was just too exhausted.  But I guess that is why I liked this dinner so much - it was so simple and easy to make!

Do you cook dinner after a long day or do you order out?  If you cook, what do you like to make that is quick and easy?