recipe: basil pesto

this is a sweet & simple basil pesto recipe that i pulled from allrecipes.com. we have a TON of basil in the garden right now, so it's good to have the pesto around for a quick / quick dinner or snack option. we used in caprese burgers (burgers topped with roasted red peppers, mozzeralla & pesto), and on grilled chicken with... more roasted red peppers and served with grilled asparagus and roasted red potatoes. YUM! 

when i first blended the ingredients and tasted it by itself it tasted SUPER garlicy, but after it sat a bit it seemed to mellow out a bit -- even more so after it was incorporated onto the burgers or chicken.

ingredients list: 
- 3 cups fresh basil
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup pine nuts
- 2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp minced garlic 
- 1/2 tsp chili powder 

to make: place the basil in a blended or food processor. pour in about 1 tbsp of the oil, and blend basil into a paste. gradually add pine nuts, cheese, garlic, chili powder, and remaining oil, and continue to blend until smooth. allow to sit 3-4 hours before serving / using.