Add the cheese, salt and pepper and mix well. To serve it, toss with hot pasta or serve over chicken breasts. It makes a terrific appetizer when spread over toasted bread or even used as a dip. This recipe makes about 2 cups of pesto, enough for 2 pounds of pasta or 8 chicken breasts, and has about 400 calories per serving. Pesto freezes well, and will keep for several months.
Raw garlic can turn bitter when frozen, so add it after the pesto thaws.
Simply pack pesto, minus the cheese, in a jar, cover with oil and close tightly. Drain the extra oil and add cheese before serving. Growing your own basil makes it easy to stockpile for use in winter soups and stews. Basil will keep frozen for about six months. It's amazing the finished look this kind of garnish gives your dish, and your family or guests will appreciate the effort to make the meal more special.