This summer has been pretty rough on my gardens. I lost my peppers, eggplants and all but 2 cucumber plants. My squash plants have been flowering quite a bit but not producing like in years past. Not to say we haven’t been eating anything, we have some wonderful potatoes, carrots, beets and apparently I only know how to grow enormous cabbages; who knew!
 The one up side are my herbs; they are amazing this year so much so I think I need to do some research on how to start drying them. I’ve never attempted drying my own herbs; how hard can it be right? Stay tuned!
Basil being one of my favorite herbs but never really having great luck in growing it in abundance; until this year, this is the first time I didn’t have to pick up a package from the store in order to make my yummy pesto.
I had taken out of the freezer some bone in skin on chicken quarters the other day that I needed to cook up. I can’t express enough that a liberal amount of kosher salt and black pepper on both sides and baked in the oven for about 45 minutes on 400’F and you will have the most tasty piece of chicken that honestly doesn’t need anything else but to cover it with a little garlic basil pesto and ahhhhhhh a simple but glorious dinner. I used my trusty little vegetable swirler; I don’t even remember what it’s really called; but for about $20 a few years it is pretty cool!. A small diced up onion sauteing in a little olive oil and add your swirled veggies a little salt and pepper and in a quick 3-4 minutes you have a wonderful side.
  
Basil Pesto

6 Ounces of washed and dried basil leaves, stems removed
4 Ounces of pine nut
6-8 Cloves of Garlic
2 Ounces of grated parmesan cheese
Olive oil – Salt and Pepper

Combine first 3 ingredients in a food processor or blender, pulse to combine. Add olive oil until you get the consistency you like, finish by adding the Parmesan cheese a little salt and pepper pulsing until combined.  Enjoy with and/or on just about anything.