I love pesto!

It is an amazing, versatile  and super healthy addition to any menu.  This is my Spinach Cilantro Pesto.  It comes together really quickly with the help of my friend and yours, the food processor.

• 2 cups packed fresh spinach
• 1 bunch cilantro leaves (about 1 cup)
• 1 jalapeño pepper (seeded if you don’t like it hot…we love hot so I kept the seeds)
• 2 tbsp roasted pine nuts
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• Juice of one lemon
• Olive Oil
• Salt and pepper to taste.

Combine spinach, cilantro, jalapeño  pine nuts, parmesan cheese and lemon juice in your food processor.  Process until throughly combined.  Slowly stream in the olive oil until you get your desired consistency.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Possible Uses

1. Marinade for grilled shrimp.  Combine one cup of pesto with the juice of an additional lemon and your peeled and deveined shrimp in a gallon sized zipper bag.  Seal the bag.  Then have some fun and massage the bag to combine all the ingredients.  Place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to marinate.  This would be equally tasty on grilled chicken, chops, vegetables or tofu.
2. Pesto New Potatoes.  Wash and scrub 2 lbs of petite red potatoes (any potatoes would probably work). Place in a large sauce pan and cover with cold water.  Boil the potatoes until you are able to pierce easily with a fork.  Drain the potatoes and place back into a hot pot.  Add 1/2 to 3/4 cup of pesto and stir to combine.  They should be somewhat rustic looking as some of the potatoes will break up a bit as you combine.
3. Here is a link to 50 Things to Make with Pesto from the Food Network.  Try some of these out and let me know which ones you like best.

Now it’s your turn.  What is your favorite thing to do with pesto?