Tag: Blended

Sauces

Recipe—Basil Pesto Sauce

Diva di Cucina

If you follow me on Instagram, you have probably seen my backyard pride and joy, my little garden. One of the first springs in our home I had my dad and husband build me this big, beautiful redwood garden box. It has been a couple of years of figuring out what grows good and what doesn’t. Tomatoes, zucchini and pesto thrive during the hot California summer months.  

Well, this year by spry little basil plants turned into full on basil bushes in a matter of a couple of weeks. They were thick, tall, and bushy and I knew they had to be harvested before they went to flower and became bitter and tough. Homemade pesto coming right up!

While I absolutely love store bought pesto nothing beats the freshness of making your own. It can be a little pricey with the cost of pine nuts, quality parmesan, and extra virgin olive oil but it is absolutely worth it! Plus, it is so easy to make. Load all the ingredients in the blender, and blend!

With how much basil I harvested I actually made a massive batch but you certainly don’t need to make that much at a time unless you are sitting on a big basil harvest yourself. The recipe below is written for a single batch.

One thing that is really great about pesto is that it freezes great! I proportion it out into larger containers for pasta dinners and then smaller containers that work great for pizza sauce like when I make my Shrimp Pesto Pizza. 

What makes my pesto unique is I like to add some fresh lemon juice to the mix. I find it helps serve as a natural preservative, gives it a great flavor, and also helps to keep the vibrant green color.

INGREDIENTS
2 c basil leaves, packed
3/4 c parmesan cheese, shredded
1 c extra virgin olive oil
1/2 c pine nuts
3 cloves garlic
juice from one lemon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 pepper

STEPS

  • Combine all the ingredients in the blender and blend string periodically if needed.
  • Add additional olive oil if you need more liquid to blend.
Beverages

Recipe—Peach Margarita

Diva di Cucina

When we bought our house 7 years ago, the backyard was a bare lot. I told my husband right off the bat that if we plant any trees in the backyard, they have to produce fruit. I don’t want to water something unless it provides more than shade. So over the years we have planted a lemon tree, lime tree, apricot tree, and a peach tree. This year the peach tree has produced more than ever before so I have been enjoying coming up with new recipes to try.

Now if you know me, you know I love a margarita and something I have found through the years is that you can make a margarita with pretty much any fruit. I’ve posted recipes for Grapefruit Margaritas, Mango Margaritas, and more recently a Watermelon Margarita. So why not a peach margarita!

The peach schnapps in this recipe replace the typical triple sec in a margarita and really gives it that peachy flavor. Perfect for a warm summer day!

Notes: This recipe makes two margaritas. I doubled the recipe and put the margaritas in a carafe so I could enjoy a couple poolside. If you like a frozen blended margarita, use two cups frozen peaches instead of fresh and then also add in about a cup of ice. 

INGREDIENTS
2 peaches, peeled and pit removed
4 oz silver tequila
2 oz peach schnapps
2 oz lime juice
lime wedges (optional)
tajin or salt for the rim (optional)

STEPS

  • Add the prepared peach to a blender or food processor and blend fully, you want it nice and smooth.
  • Pour some tajin or salt on a small plate. 
  • Rub a lime wedge around the rim of two glasses and dip the glasses into the tajin or salt to coat.  
  • In a drink shaker, combine the peach puree, tequila, schnapps, lime juice, and ice and shake well.
  • Pour the margarita into the prepared glasses over ice. 
  • Garnish with a lime.
  • Put your feet up, sit back, and enjoy!