Sometimes weeknights can get a little boring in terms of cooking—there are definitely weeks where I rely on veggie burgers and leftover soup. Once in a while, though, trying something a little outside the realm of your typical Tuesday is totally worth the effort.

Since my night classes usually get me home earlier than Chris’ do, I do a lot of the cooking. This has little to do with feminist issues and everything to do with hunger. Usually I just make whatever I have time for, but on Tuesday afternoon, when I remembered the gorgeous basil in the fridge, I texted Chris to ask what he’d choose given the options of stir-fry (of leftovers), (leftover) hummus with pita and veggies, or pasta with pesto. I was glad he went for the pesto, even though it meant more work for me.

It was easier than I thought and came together pretty quickly. We ate it with a big salad on the side.

Ingredients

• 2 c basil leaves
• 1/3 c pine nuts
• 1/4 c olive oil (if you need more, add more)
• 1/2 c grated parmesan
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Throw ingredients into food processor and pulse until smooth.

Awesome.

The next night, I served it with (leftover) pasta, tons of spinach and with an egg scrambled in. Don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it.