Mango Salsa

Here's a lovely sweet and spicy mix that tastes like pure summer. This works great with chips, in a salad, or with chicken.

1 Mango, finely diced
8 Roma Tomatoes, finely diced
2 Jalapenos, finely diced
1/4 t Salt
1/2 Fresh Lime, juiced
1 t Sugar
1 T Cilantro, chopped (optional)

Give this about 30 minutes to let the flavors meld together. But yes, it can be eaten right away if you can't wait and it still tastes good.

Carne Asada Marinade

On our last freezer cooking adventure, we made a carne asada  marinade. We put the steak in a gallon freezer bag, put all the ingredients in a blender to mix it up, and poured the marinade over the steak.  Grill the meat to medium and allow the meat to rest/cool a bit before slicing. Be sure to cut the steak thinly, cross-grain to keep it as tender as possible.

When I pulled the steak out to make the tacos this week, it turned out tender and flavorful. My son couldn't get enough of it. This is a great way to use a less expensive cut of meat, and not a lot of it to feed the whole family. Serve with lots of veggies (peppers, onions, lettuce, tomatoes/salsa, etc) and a bit of sour cream.

3/4 c Oil (I used olive oil) - I'd use 1/2 c next time
1/4 c Lime Juice
2 cloves Garlic
1/2 t Cumin
1 t Salt
1/4 t Pepper
1/4 t Chili powder (optional)

Corn Toppers

It doesn't get much better than corn on the cob in the summer. The 4th of July is just around the corner and corn is likely on many of our menus. The sweet, juicy and crisp kernels are great on there own, but the right topping can make it over the top amazing. I have lots of fresh herbs coming from my container garden and I chopped a bunch of them for dinner tonight and the corn was AMAZING.

I melted a little bit of butter and let some fresh chopped flat leaf parsley hang out in the warm butter to infuse the flavor. Topped with a bit of sea salt - it was so good. I've got plans to try some of these options over the next couple of weeks. I'll keep you posted on the results.

Butter w/parley & lime
Butter w/cilantro & lime
Butter w/basil
Butter w/basil & lemon
Butter w/thyme
Butter w/thyme & lemon
* Butter can be replaced by Earth Balance dairy-free spread for dairy-free or vegans

Applying melted butter in a measured and moderate amount can be a bit difficult. I just used a butter knife to drizzle it on and spread it around. It worked, but it wasn't very efficient. Next time I think I will use a pastry or basting brush.

On to enjoy more tastes of summer.

Apple Au Jus

So, Monday was suppose to be pork roast on our Pantry Challenge menu. Slight problem. The package I thought was roast wasn't. Opps. So I found some pork country style ribs and concocted my own brine style braising juice. When the pork was done cooking, I strained the liquid  and then cooked it down a little bit. Served as a dipping liquid for the meat, it turned out wonderful. My 4-year-old thought dipping anything (including his hands) in the au jus was fun.

Pork Ribs, country style
2 c Apple juice
8-12 c Water
1 T Sea salt

I put the pork ribs in a large dutch oven pot. I added the apple juice, salt, and then enough water to just cover the meat. Cooked at 325 degrees for 2 - 2 1/2 hours, the meat was moist and flavorful. Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and keep warm. Pour the juices through a fine stainer or cheesecloth (my preferred method) and return to heat and boil for 5-10 minutes to reduce a bit.

Good news, enough left for leftovers to make BBQ pork and Mexican pork salad.

Slow Cooker Apple Butter

Apple butter is one of those great fall flavors. I've also found it INCREDIBLY easy and inexpensive to make. Break out the slow cooker and it pretty much makes itself. If you teach my kids, act surprised when you get this for Christmas...
Apple butter is a great topping for bread/toast and all those traditional uses, but I've also started using it in baked goods like the Apple Cinnamon Frosting and in pancakes. If I can use pumpkin in it, I'm trying using the apple butter in it's place for a different flavor. It cooks very much the same.

This is at the early stage of the process.

5-7 pounds apples - peeled, cored and finely chopped
3/4 c brown sugar**
3 t cinnamon
1/4 t ground cloves
1/4 t nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Place the apples in a slow cooker and toss with sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt.
2. Cover and cook on high 1 hour.
3. Reduce heat to low and cook 9 to 11 hours, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened and dark brown. (I let it go overnight)
4. Blend in either food processor or blender for a smooth consistency (or leave it lumpy if you'd like). Return to slow cooker and continue cooking on low 1 hour uncovered.
5. Spoon the mixture into sterile containers, cover and refrigerate or freeze. To can, pour hot apple butter into hot jars and process in a hot water bath for 10-12 minutes.

** I use sweet apples (Jonagold, Golden Delicious, Gala, etc.) that don't require much added sugar. Sweeten to you own liking.

Double Roasted

I thought I was so clever with this one and you might be rolling your eyes at me with a "well duh" look. I like to use roasted garlic and roasted peppers in lots of my Italian cooking. All I had on hand was minced garlic (I usually like to roast the whole bulb usually). I was really sick of washing dishes by this time, so I cut off a piece of pepper for my salad, put a couple of tablespoons of garlic in it, and drizzled a bit of olive oil over the garlic.

I loosely wrapped the pepper in tin foil so the oil wouldn't leak all over, set it in a baking pan, and roasted it for about an hour at 300 degrees. It turned out great and worked nicely in my spaghetti sauce. Oh, and I didn't have to wash anything extra. Bonus.

Lime Vinaigrette

I'll be posting soon the DELICIOUS summer Jicama Lime Chicken Salad I made to go with this dressing. It has to be almost as good as it gets for summer flavors.

1/4 c Lime juice, fresh squeezed if you can
1/4 c Canola oil
1 T White wine vinegar
1 T Sesame Seeds
1/2 t Ginger, freshly grated
1 T White sugar (adjust to taste or use agave nectar)
dash of salt

Wisk all the ingredients together until well mixed. Serve over your favorite salad, or use as a marinade for chicken or shrimp. I'm thinking about adapting this sauce for a rice or quinoa dish. More to come on this later.

Chicken Chimichangas

I adapted this recipe a bit from one I found at allrecipes.com - My husband and I both loved it, and the kids - not so much. Next time I might skip the work of rolling/frying and heat the filling to dip chips in.

1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1/2 can diced green chilies
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 T fresh lime juice
2 T sour cream
4 oz cream cheese
4 oz shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
1-2 T taco seasoning
2/3 lb shredded cooked chicken meat
4 (10 inch) flour tortillas
1-2 c canola oil
Garnish - chopped green onion, sour cream, lettuce, chopped tomato, Cheddar cheese


In a blender, puree soup, green chilies, jalapeno, sour cream, and lime juice (or use canned enchilada sauce with 2-4 T of sour cream mixed in). Heat over low heat while making recipe.

In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, Monterrey Jack cheese, and taco seasoning until well blended. Stir in chicken. Scoop 1/4 of mixture into a warm tortilla, fold sides in and roll up.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Test oil with wooden spoon to see if oil bubbles for heat test, or put a piece or broken tortilla in. If oil is too hot, the chimichanga will burn before cooking through. Fry 2-4 chimichangas at a time until golden brown, then drain on a plate lined with paper towels.

Serve immediately with warm sauce and garnish as desired.

TOTAL COSTS: $5.65+
Soup: $.70 (Cashwise)
Chilies $.60 (Cheep Foods)
Jalapeno $.25 (Cashwise)
Lime $.50 (Cashwise)
Cream Cheese $.50 (Sunmart)
Cheese $.50 (Sunmart)
Meat $1.75 (Cashwise)
Tortillas $.85 (Cashwise)
Seasonings from pantry stock

VARIATION:
The filling would work GREAT as a hot dip for chips.

Frugal Tip: Spices

One of the great things about moving is the opportunity to purge. We've moved 3 times in 3 years. We've managed to weed out a lot of stuff and learn to part with what isn't necessary. I love being able to do that. I'm looking at this as a fresh start.

As a fresh start in the kitchen is starting with my spice rack. It's easy to let the contents of those little jars get old and before you know it, there is a bunch of flavorless powder or flakes inside. It goes against everything I was taught growing up - but I'm throwing out what I have and getting new. (We found some spices of my mom's from the 80's when we moved her a few years ago).

Spices can be really expensive and you don't necessarily get a lot for your money. I grow a lot of my own herbs, but winter/spring in ND isn't exactly a great growing season. Until I can, I found a bulk herb rack in the organic section of the supermarket. Yeehaw did I have fun. I'm rationing myself to a few each week so that I work on developing recipes with what I did get...

Seriously - scored enough basil to last for quite a while for $.10 and Italian spices for $.16. I think I got 3 or 4 T of nutmeg for $1.16 and a big batch of sea salt for $1.18. Lastly, I was thrilled to find good coconut in bulk. I'm talking the unsweetened finely shredded stuff that doesn't taste like sweet plastic. I got almost 4 cups for $1.56.

The sweet deal on the spices is definitely anything flaky/lightweight. The best part of the deal is that they are all organic and VERY fresh (as fresh as dried herbs get). Next up is oregano (my fav herb), garlic powder, ginger (I bought fresh ginger too - sm root for $.75), cinnamon (my fav spice), and some seeds.

In MI there were several stores that specialized in bulk spices. Kicking myself that I never made it there, but this isn't bad. You can also check you local health/organic stores often sell bulk or in small packets rather than larger jars. It's a lot cheaper that way, and often a lot fresher (due to demand/turnover).

Mini Grasshopper Ice Cream Pie with Hot Fudge

Portion control and desserts - that's a hard one. If there is a pie, cake, or large dessert to be eaten, than it's easy to overeat. Put them into a personal size serving makes things easier. The muffin tin is again my friend. This little mint treat is easy to make and then keep frozen until the mood strikes you. Great for parties because they are pre-made and ready to serve.
25 Chocolate wafer cookies, filling removed
1/3 c Butter, melted
1 qt Mint chocolate chip ice cream, softened
Hot fudge (recipe following)

HOT FUDGE (or store bought)
1 cup Butter
1/2 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cups White sugar
1 (12 fluid ounce) Can evaporated milk
1 tsp Vanilla extract

Combine butter, cocoa, sugar and evaporated milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and boil for 8 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Carefully pour hot mixture into a blender and blend for 2 to 4 minutes. Serve immediately. Store in refrigerator.

Crush chocolate cookie wafers until crumbs, add melted butter and stir until incorporated.
Gently press 1 tsp of cookie mixture into a cupcake liner in a muffin pan. Place a scoop of ice cream in each cup and press in until cup is full.

Place ice cream cakes (still in muffin pan) in freezer until firm. Allow ice cream cakes to thaw for a few minutes before serving. Top with hot fudge. The recipe makes tons more fudge than you'll need. Store in a airtight container and refrigerate.

Makes 18-24 Servings

Total Costs: $6.40**
Ice Cream:$2.50 (Cashwise)
Cookies: $.50 (Dollar Tree)
Butter:$.40 (Sunmart)
Fudge: $3.00 (Various or store bought)

** That may not sound frugal, but that's 18-24 servings depending on how big you make them. That's a lot of dessert. A family of 4 can eat one a day for 5-6 days or serve a big crowd.

Grilled Pork Chops

Spring weather just drives me to the grill. In fact we grill year round because we love the flavor so much. In our recent move, our 10-year-old gas grill did not make it. But that's okay because it was a pain to have to use pliers to turn the gas knobs (broken) and tongs or pliers to open the top (the handle broke off). It has done a serious tour of duty in harsh MI conditions.

So we are on the hunt to buy a grill now that the 3-4' drifts have melted away. Cannot wait to get one set up because I can just taste these beauties.

Simple marinades for pork that make the grill flavor even better. These proportions are for about 4-5 large chops. I rarely measure marinades, so these are more estimates These marinades are nice for a "fresh" taste. Can use them for chicken and some for steak as well.

• Lightly coat with Soy Sauce & Lawry's Season Salt (can just do on grill do not have to marinade ahead of time
  
• 1/2 c Soy Sauce, 1 T brown Sugar, 1/4 t Cumin, 1/8 t Paprika
• 1/2 c Soy Sauce, juice of 1/2 lime, 1 T Olive Oil, 1 t Sugar, 1/8 t Pepper
• 1/2 c Soy Sauce, 1/8 t Chili Powder, 1/8 t Cumin, 1/4 t Garlic Powder, 1 t Honey
• 2 T Olive Oil, 1/2 t dried Thyme, 1/4 t Garlic Powder, 1 t Salt, 1 t dried Oregano
• 1 t fresh chopped Cilantro, 2 T Olive Oil, juice of 1/2 lime, 1 t Salt, 1 t Sugar

TOTAL COSTS: $4.00
Pork: $4.00 (Sunmart or less on full loin chopped up)
Most of these are items you already have on hand in your cupboards. So in my book, I count the marinades as free.

Couple of grilling tips: Make sure that your grill is good and hot before putting the meat on. Rub a bit of oil on the grates (use a basting brush or a coated paper towel) to keep it from sticking if there isn't any in the marinade. Use the reserve marinade to baste while cooking. When done cooking, allow to sit for 5-10 minutes to keep juices locked in.

Bring on Spring.

Caramel Apple Bread Pudding

Yum, Yum, Yum. It tastes like fall.


BREAD PUDDING
4 c soft bread cubes (french bread)
2 1/2 c peeled and sliced apples
1 c brown sugar
1 3/4 c milk
1/4 c butter
1 t ground cinnamon
1 t vanilla extract
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 c Caramel ice cream topping

SAUCE
1/4 c white sugar
1/4 c brown sugar
1/3 c milk
1/2 c butter
1 t vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x9 inch baking dish.
In a large bowl, combine bread and apples. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine 1 c brown sugar, 1 3/4 c milk, and 1/4 c butter. Cook and stir until butter is melted. Pour over bread mixture in bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together cinnamon, 1 t vanilla, and eggs. Pour bread mixture into prepared dish, and pour egg mixture over bread. Drizzle caramel over top. Bake in preheated oven 40 to 50 minutes, or until center is set and apples are tender.

While pudding is baking, mix together sauce ingredients (except vanilla) in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat, and stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Serve over bread pudding (I prefer under). Drizzle additional caramel sauce over top if desired.

Total Costs: $4.40
Bread - $1.00 (Family Fare)
Sugar - $.40 (Aldi)
Milk - $.20 (Aldi)
Butter - $.80 (Aldi)
Apples - $1.00 (Meijer)
Eggs - $.20 (Aldi)
Caramel $.80

The Frugal Freezer - Marinaded Meat

A quick fix for weeknight meal. Instead of thawing your meat, cutting it up, and then marinading it... try it in a different order. I often buy meat in a large piece when it goes on a great sale. For instance, when I can get a whole pork loin at a ridiculous price. I do. Bring it home and get it set up for several meals. I'll cut some into a large roast (that I can use the leftovers for another meal), slice up into pork steaks to grill, and dice it up for stir fry or braising. The same with steak.

I'll watch the reduced price area for quick sale following a large sale. The leftovers there are discounted off even their sale price. They can be immediately used or frozen for later grilling. I thinly slice some for stir fry and fajitas as well. So instead of thawing and then marinading... I put the marinade in the quart bag with the sliced meat, allow it meld for a bit and then throw it in the freezer. I put several different meals in a "Beef" gallon bag that can be reused.


I'm trying to keep beef, pork and chicken on hand. For chicken I'll buy the extra large packages and roast (be sure not to over cook) them ahead of time. Bone in cooked chicken can be frozen and then used to grill for BBQ chicken. You simply are reheating and adding sauce. No more pink chicken off the grill. The rest I debone and shred for stir fry, soup, tacos, fried rice, enchiladas, etc where I use pre-cooked chicken.

THIS SAVES TONS OF TIME on meal night. I can use marinades like this that I bought at a discount (based on upcoming expiration date) and get meat marinading in the freezer. I don't have to eat a week worth of meals of the same sauce because it's about to expire. And I also don't have to eat the same protein all week as well.

Variations:

• Pork - plain, soy sauce, terryaki/ginger marinades, chipotle, bbq, molasses and stock, etc
• Beef - plain, chipotle, soy sauce, dry rubs, A1, Italian dressing, taco seasoning, fajita seasoning, tomato sauce/juice, etc
• Chicken - plain, lemon pepper, lime and tequila, soy sauce, Italian dressing, herbs & olive oil, fajita seasoning, taco seasoning, chipotle, terryaki/ginger marinade, bbq, chicken stock (for soup), Cajun, etc

Fresh Salsa

My youngest boy LOVES salsa. Must have something to do with all the Mexican food I ate during my third trimester (after the puking stopped). Usually it's the thinner restaurant style. Today I made a chunky pico de gallo style and figured he wouldn't touch it with visible tomatoes and peppers in it. To my astonishment, he inhaled it. If salsa gets him to eat more veggies, I might make this every week.

1/2 sm sweet onion, chopped
2 t garlic, minced
1/2 green/red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 c fresh cilantro, chopped
1-2 fresh Jalapeno Peppers (to taste)6 fresh tomatoes, quartered (or diced)
2 t olive oil
2 t red or white wine vinegar
1/2 lime, juiced
1/2 t salt
Sugar (to taste)

OPTION #1 DIRECTIONS - Restaurant Style
1. Place onion, bell pepper, cilantro, and jalapeno peppers into a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Add tomatoes, and pulse just a few times until the tomatoes are coarsely chopped. Transfer to a bowl with a tight-fitting lid.2. In a separate bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, lime juice, garlic, sugar, and salt.
3. Pour dressing over tomatoes, and stir well. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

OPTION #2 DIRECTIONS - Pico de Gallo
1. Place finely dice onions, bell pepper, cilantro, jalapeno peppers and tomatoes. Toss together.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, lime juice, sugar and salt.
3. Pour dressing over tomatoes, and stir well. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

VARIATION:

• If you like a bit milder/smokier taste (which I do) you can saute the onions, peppers, and garlic before adding. Makes the onions a little sweeter.
• Add a bit of FRESH (or frozen if no fresh is avail) corn and it's a sweet taste to top it off.
  

Loaded Tomato Sauce

I got drawn into the whole "Deceptively Delicious" cooking method when the cookbook came out from Mrs. Seinfield. I have to admit that I haven't cared for too many of the recipes I've found in the book, but the method has changed my thought process as to what I use to sweeten, thicken, and add to a recipe. The best application of this is a basic tomato sauce that I use for everything (spaghetti, lasagna, pizza, etc).

One could start with fresh tomatoes and I'm sure that it would taste wonderful. I don't have that kind of time, and it could be cost prohibitive in the lands of long winters. So I opt for the industrial size cans of tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes. This really is a texture preference. I like the mix of the two. The crushed gives it a fresh taste more like a marinara and a homemade touch. If you prefer a smoother finished sauce like a canned spaghetti sauce, I'd suggest sticking with just the tomato sauce.


In a REALLY large stock pot I pour in the tomatoes. In the spring/summer/fall I'll add fresh herbs from my herb gardens (oregano, rosemary, parsley, & thyme). Winter batches get dried herbs simply as a cost measure.

What I load the sauce with really depends on what I have on hand. Usually I have purees* of carrot, peppers, sweet potatoes, and spinach to add to the tomato. The carrot and sweet potato adds a sweetness. The sweet potatoes add a thickness to the sauce. The spinach is excellent for you and I never make it without it. The peppers are personal preference. I like the flavor of red peppers the best, but will use whatever I have. A bit of ground sausage or turkey works nicely with this.

The balance of the sauce is completely personal preference. I like my sauce a bit on the sweeter side. Therefore I'll add more of the sweet potato and carrot purees. To balance out the sweetness with acid, I add a bit of vinegar. A bit of sugar or honey can be added if you get a bit too much vinegar in there (which never happens to me ;)

Let it simmer for about 1/2 hour to let the flavors meld together. It's a big batch so use some, can/freeze some, or give some away.

Best Estimate on Recipe (really depends on flavor of purees and preferences)
1 lg can (105 oz) Crushed Tomato
1 lg can (105 oz) Tomato Sauce
1 - 1 1/2 c Carrots Puree
1 1/2 c Sweet Potato Puree
3/4 c Spinach Puree
3/4 c Pepper Puree
1/2 c Fresh Parsley, diced
1/4 c Fresh Rosemary, chopped small
1/3 c Fresh Oregano, diced
1 T Fresh Thyme
2 T Garlic, minced
1 sm onion, diced small
2 t Sea Salt
2-3 T White Wine Vinegar
1 t Black Pepper
Sugar or Honey to taste

* To Make a Puree
Steam the veggies until they are soft. Puree in blender or food processor. Add small amount of steaming water to puree until smooth consistency is reached. I measure my purees into usable amounts into snack size ziploc bags or freezer containers to freeze until needed. For spinach, buy a box of frozen diced spinach, thaw and drain water off before blending (much cheaper and easier than fresh without a taste difference).

Basil Cream Chicken

This is not a difficult meal to make. In fact, my husband made this for dinner the other night. I was more than impressed. Typically I double the sauce to have enough for the pasta I serve with it. Rarely use the pimentos as I never to seem to have them on hand, while the rest is usually in my cupboards and fridge.


1/2 c Milk

1/2 c Italian bread crumbs

1 t Oregano

1 t Parsley

1 lb Skinless, boneless chicken breasts or tenders

3-5 T Butter

1/2 c Chicken broth

1 c Heavy whipping cream (can use Half & Half)

1 (4oz) Jar sliced pimento peppers, drained (optional)

1/2 c Grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 c Chopped fresh basil

1/4 t Ground black pepper

Place milk and bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls. Dip chicken in the milk, then coat with bread crumbs. In a skillet over medium heat, fry chicken in butter on both sides until the juices run clear. Remove from skillet and keep warm.

Add the broth to the skillet; bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir to loosen browned bits from pan. Stir in the cream and pimentos; boil and stir for one minute. Reduce heat; add the Parmesan cheese, basil and pepper. Simmer and stir until heated through. If too thin, cook down to thicken or use a bit of corn starch. To serve, pour the sauce over the chicken.

TOTAL COSTS: $3.50 - $5.50

Chicken $2.00 (Meijer)

Cream $.75 (Aldi's)

Bread Crumbs $.10 (Aldi's)

Butter $.35 (Aldi's)

Basil Free from garden or $2.00 (Meijer)

Broth $.30 (Aldi's)

VARIATIONS:

Use cilantro & lime instead of basil

Add lemon juice to the basil cream sauce

Leave out the basil add extra pepper & lemon

Grill the chicken instead of pan frying

Pesto

Love the fresh taste of pesto over cavatappi pasta with shredded chicken. Yum. Throw a few pine nuts on top and I'm a happy woman. Here's my pesto recipe. More recipes about what to do with the pesto coming soon.

1 - 2 cup fresh basil
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (can use grated)
1/3 cup + 1 T olive oil
4 T pine nuts, toasted
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 t garlic, minced

If raw pine nuts are purchased, toast them by placing in a skillet over medium-low heat - stirring or tossing frequently until lightly browned.
Be careful, they will burn. Set aside to cool.

In the same skillet heat up 1 T of olive oil until hot. Add garlic and remove from heat, set aside to cool.

After all ingredients have cooled, combine all the ingredients in a food processor or blender; cover and process until finely chopped.

NOTE: If you chop the basil on it's own it has a tendency to brown or blacken. Make sure to process with the olive oil.

Use sparingly. A little goes a long way.

FREEZING:
A little goes a long way. I make a double batch and freeze it in individual portions. Makes a great homemade gift at the holidays as well.
Place in a freezer container (1/2 - 1 cup) and top with a bit of olive oil to prevent browning/oxidation. Cover and freeze for up to 3 months.

COSTS: $2.75
Basil - from the garden = almost free
Pinenuts $2.00 (D&W - hear it's cheaper at Costco)
Cheese $.75 (Aldi's)
Rest from pantry stock

VARIATIONS:
Can use other nuts: walnuts or sunflower seeds (never tried either)
Serve over pasta, with chicken or turkey
Top biscuits or crossiants with pesto & Parmesan cheese
Can use as a condiment on sandwiches
Make mini pizzas with pesto and mozzarella and Parmesan cheese