When a recipe calls for just a bit of fresh basil, don’t let the rest go to waste—in fact, buy a little extra (three bunches total) and make a delicious pesto. It’s easy!

Ingredients

　　4 large garlic cloves

　　3/4 cup toasted pine nuts

　　3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (3 ounces)

　　1 1/2 teaspoons salt

　　1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

　　3 cups loosely packed fresh basil

　　2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

　　Place ingredients in a food processor and blend. If not using immediately, put the pesto in a zip-top plastic bag and freeze for up to 2 months.

　　From The Casserole Queens Cookbook by Crystal Cook & Sandy Pollock. Copyright © 2011 by Crystal Cook and Sandy Pollock; Food photographs copyright © 2011 by Ben Fink. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers.Crystal Cook and Sandy Pollock, the Casserole Queens, have been delivering casseroles in Austin, Texas, since 2006; they also teach cooking classes at Whole Foods stores in the area. They have been featured on Food Network's Throwdown! with Bobby Flay and Bobby Flay Radio on Sirius XM, as well as on television news and radio talk shows.