Quick Artichoke Pesto
By: Samantha Master...
Published: Sunday, February 28, 2010 - 10:28am

Ingredients




1 inch jar of artichoke hearts, oil (do not drain the oil)
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup parmesan cheese (not the powdered stuff!  I use Grana Padano
Dash coarse grain salt

1/2 bunch Italian parsley

Preparation

1 Add all ingredients in a blender or Cuisinart. Pulse, pulse, pulse until smooth. Pour over pasta or eat with a baguette.

About


I can't stay inside today, just can't. It's prematurely summer here. And it's Friday. Signs of seasonal, sunshine induced insanity are everywhere, I've been listening to recent reactions.
This past Saturday, my girlfriend Yesenia told me that I had to boss my wisteria around or I would get no bloom. "Listen, you give me the billowy purple blossoms I long for, the ones like I see in Sunset or Southern Living magazines, or I'll rip you out from the ground, you understand me?" I felt crazy saying that to a plant, but it felt good.
During dinner yesterday, my daughter, Zoe said, "Momma, I just can't stop eating this food whatever it is, I know it's healthy and good for me because it's green so can I eat it all plllleeeeeeeeeeezzze?" Watching her down that artichoke pesto - comprised of pine nuts, parmesan, and olive oil wrapped around and through whole wheat penne - I bounced a bit on my tippie toes with a wooden spoon in my hand. I am winning the battle against sugar and helping to build a healthy little person. I let her eat it all and my husband was so pissed.
I don't care how silly things look or sound sometimes.  Feeling good is good enough. I forget how good the sunlight feels warming my skin after windy, overcast days. I am always surprised at how sweet artichokes can be, especially the ones I grow in the vegetable garden besides my bedroom.  I drink in my children's appetite for life, and food, and this is why I spend so much time talking to botanicals and toasting pine nuts.
These are the things I am supposed to footnote in my script. These are the gifts I asked for as I rubbed my belly, bursting with baby. These are the things I'll remember as the sun goes down.
I can't stay inside today, I need more.