Stirring the Pot

Someone who loves to proliferate the tension and drama between 2 or more feuding people/groups in public to get a raise of people in hopes of starting a storm of drama and uncomfortable conflict, sometimes for personal gain but oftentimes just for the thrill of confrontation.

Mike is always spreading rumors about "whats goin' on" between Josh and Emily but we know he just loves to stir the pot.

That's the first thing that pops into my mind when I think of stirring the pot. But that's not what this is about. It's about a cooking pot. This Day....it's a canning pot. Canning requires a lot of stirring. I've been doing a lot of canning lately. I've been doing a lot of stirring lately. I set two timers when I'm canning. One timer for the entire length the ingredients have to cook. A second timer to remind me to stir the pot. I have a tendency to multi-task which causes me to lose track of time. So I set the second timer to help keep me on task.

At this time of year, there is so much fresh produce available. I love it! I've pickled jalapenos. Made peach jam. Caramelized onions. Salsa. Pesto. Hence, stirring the pot.

Today, I'd like to share with you the awesome recipe I found for Lemon & Almond Basil Pesto. Normally, I would use pine nuts in my basil pesto. Have you priced pine nuts? They are off the charts. Seriously. So, I started searching for some alternative pesto recipes. This one is amazing. You will love it! I made some changes to the original recipe. So this is truly my recipe. FYI. I buy big bags of almonds and walnuts at Sams all the time. They are my go to snack.

Lemon & Almond Basil Pesto

4 C Fresh Basil Leaves
1/2 C Toasted Almonds
1 Clove Garlic, Minced
1 1/2 tsp Finely Grated Lemon Rind (Zest)
1/2 C Finely Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1/2 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil
A few drops of Fresh Lemon Juice

Preparation Instructions
In a food processor or blender, briefly pulse basil leaves. Add toasted almonds (I gave them a rough chop then toasted them for about 5 minutes in a skillet set over medium heat), garlic, and grated lemon rind. Pulse several times until mixture is finely chopped, but still with some texture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper, and pulse until combined. Add a few drops of Fresh Lemon Juice. This really brightens the flavor without making it soupy.
With the motor running, slowly pour in olive oil and run until combined.
Store in an airtight container until ready to use.
Makes 1 1/4 cup pesto.

I divided mine into 3 small portions and placed them in freezer safe containers for later use. Well, except for the one in my fridge that I'm using tomorrow in a pasta dish.

The fine folks at CSN Stores are going to give you an opportunity to win a $40 gift certificate to purchase whatever your heart desires from any of their online stores. This is my first sponsored giveaway, and I'm super excited for you. Be on the look out for it. It's coming up this week. Be sure to tell your friends and followers.

Peace and Joy,
Susan

Psalm 119:60 (NKJV)  I made haste, and did not delay To keep Your commandments.