basil pesto

everytime i purchase basil from trader joe's, i always end up with more than half of the container. i love how they give you so much but i hate for it to go to waste. so i decided to make a pesto and keep it in the freezer so i can add it to soups or pasta sauces!

mise en place

basil pesto
1 cup of fresh basil leaves
2 garlic cloves
1/2 tablespoon of tomato paste
3 tablespoons of parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons of olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

place the basil leaves in a food processor (or blender) with garlic, parmesan and tomato paste. process until its thoroughly mixed. gradually pour in olive oil. salt and pepper to taste.

store in a airtight container in the freezer. can be used to flavor soups or sauces.

tip: adding lemon juice to the pesto keeps the color bright green

tomato soup with basil pesto

according to an article about women's health on webmd.com, they named tomatoes one of the six super foods, every women needs.

“research is starting to show that lycopene may protect against breast cancer...and it’s also a powerful antioxidant that can help a woman fight heart disease. The very latest research shows it may also help keep you looking younger longer by protecting against UV damage from the sun."


not only is it good for you, it also taste good as a soup!! to me, one of the ultimate comfort food is tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwhich. what i dont like is when restaurants put too much cream in my tomato soup, so i let the person eating it determine how much cream goes into their bowl.

mise en place

tomato soup
6 medium sized tomatoes
1 medium onion, diced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
5 cloves of garlic (paper skin still on)
1 bay leaf
1 can of san marzano tomatos
4 cups of chicken broth
pinch of sugar
salt and pepper to taste

to serve
basil pesto
garlic parmesan croutons
creme fraiche

pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees. cut the tomatoes in half and core the center. place the tomatoes, skin side up on a baking sheet. place the garlic cloves and thyme springs in between the tomatoes. drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast until tops are slightly brown, 20-25 mins. remove from the oven and let cool.

heat a large pot on the stove top to medium-high heat. drizzle olive oil to the pot so the bottom is coated. added the diced onions and saute until softened, about 8 mins. add the bay leaf to the pot. squeeze the roasted garlic out of its skin, should just pop out (discard the skin) and add the garlic to the onions. add the roasted tomatoes to the pot as well. the thyme springs can be discarded. stir in 3 cups of the chicken stock and the san marzano tomatoes and bring to a boil. reduce the heat and let simmer for about 20 mins. fish out the bay leaf from the soup and discard. using a hand blender, puree the soup until smooth (can also be done in batches in a blender). adjust the consistency of the soup with the remaining 1 cup of the chicken stock. season with sugar, salt and pepper to taste.


when ready to serve, garnish with a table spoon of creme fraiche, croutons and basil pesto. heck, garnish with a whole side of grilled cheese! go crazy.

bon appétit~!