Jalapeno Pesto

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   * Disclaimer- I have been making this for so long, I dont measure my ingredients anymore, however these are my best guesses at the amount I typically use.

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   Pesto is such an easy sauce to fix if you add to much or too little of something, so play around!

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   Start a pot of water to boil.

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   Get out your food processor or blender, I prefer a food processor for making pesto.

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   Start by grating the Parmesan cheese in the food processor.

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   I usually grate the whole wedge and use the extra for any cheese you like to sprinkle on top of the finished dish.

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   Set aside 3/4 of cup for use in the pesto.

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   Put in the garlic cloves and chop them up.

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   Put in the basil leaves and let them get chopped up.

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    Cut up a jalapeno in chunks for easy mixing.

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    I left a couple of seeds, but not many because I didnt want it too spicy, you can always add more seeds at the end if you want some more kick.

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    Next, put in the cheese and oil at the same time and mix.

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    Add in the salt and pepper and give it another quick pulse.

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    Your water is probably boiling, toss the pasta in!

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    Now comes the taste testing.

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    Too much cheese or oil?

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    Add some more basil.

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    Not enough flavor- try adding more garlic, it can be hard to properly mix at this point so I recommend chopping it a little before putting it in.

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    Optional- add in some nuts for a different consistency and flavor.

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    I dont tend to keep walnuts of pignoli nuts on hand so I have adapted to pesto sans nuts.

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    Once your pasta is cooked to your liking, pour it back in to the pot you boiled it in and pour your pesto over the top.

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    Use a spatula to get all the green goodness out of the food processor or blender.

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    Toss up vigorously in order to ensure every inch of pasta is covered, your diners will thank you.

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    Enjoy!

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.