Pesto

In North Texas, our average first frost is around November 15, but already the nights are getting cool. It could creep up on us anytime, so last night I harvested my basil and made my annual batch of pesto. It's easy but takes longer than you think. I cobbled together a recipe from several sources and came up with this:
2 c. basil, packed
1/2 c. olive oil
1/2 c. Parmesan, grated
1/3 c. chopped pecans (pine nuts are traditional, but this is Texas, and we have lots of pecans)
3 cloves garlic
salt and pepper
lime juice to taste - I think I used two small limes
Put it all in the food processor and blend until it's smooth. Spoon into plastic ice cube trays. A couple of years ago I had the happy idea that I could just twist the trays and the pesto cubes would pop out, so I could put them in a baggie in the freezer. Doesn't work that way. You have to pry each one out carefully, using a table knife.
Once in the freezer, they're handy for all kinds of things. My family likes it when I split a large block of cream cheese lengthwise, spread  half with pesto (defrosted) and plop the other half back on. It's also a great treat spread over goat cheese, or drop a melted cube in the middle of a bowl of hummus. Throw it in soups, stews, etc.
For years I have fixed what my family calls green noodles. This idea came from a former sister-in-law, who was expecting my brother for supper and had no money for groceries, so she used what she had: pasta, butter and lemon. Over the years I've embellished it, but I'm hard put to give quantities.
One package of spinach fettucine, cooked
One stick butter (Megan used to claim that was way too much but she's fat conscious; don't use maragarine)
1 can chopped artichoke hearts
Lots of lemon juice
Sliced mushrooms (they soak up the lemon in a delicioius way)
Sliced scallions
Parmesan cheese
And in recent years I've thrown in a cube of pesto.
Makes one of the best pasta dishes I've ever had. Enjoy!

Roast beef and four-year-olds and a couple of food notes

So there I was last night with a four-lb. top sirloin roast (very garlicky) and a four-year-old (well, almost) who wanted chicken nuggets. I had bought myself two ears of corn, because they're so sweet and good at this time of the year, so I thought I'd cook them and maybe Jacob would eat half an ear. He ate an ear and a half, leaving me only a half and depleting my supply for the rest of the week. But he refused the roast beef--and refused it again tonight even when his mom put ketchup on his plate--he doused his sweet peas in ketchup and was perfectly happy, though he liked the roasted new potatoes done with salt, pepper, rosemary and olive oil.
Jacob and I were together from 1 p.m. yesterday until 5:30 tonight when his parents arrived. I have never been told "I love you" and "I don't love you any more" so often in 24 hours in my life! He fell out of bed during his nap and seemed to think that was my fault. He got upset because I toasted his frozen waffle--he wanted it cold (well, he did decide he loved it because it had chocolate chips in it!). We were on a roller coaster all weekend, and once again he sat up in his bed, quietly, until 11:45 last night. But when he woke up at 7:15 this morning, he said, "Juju, I love you!" When I went in to tell him last chance to go to sleep last night, he said, "Sweet dreams, Juju" and this evening as he left he gave me sweet kisses.
We had a major disaster this morning as the TV in the family room died--that's where he watches his DVDs (and I watch the news while riding the bike). Gone, dead, no rescue. I immediately ordered a new TV from amazon, but Jamie told me I should have waited so he could research. Too late to cancel, so I'm getting a Toshiba 15-inch TV sometime this week. Meantime, Jacob can watch cartoons in my office, but he is convinced he has to sit on my lap when he's in there, which makes it a bit hard for me to work or use the computer.
We did have some adventures. It was the first time I felt comfortable enough to take him out front to play. (The back yard is a dog yard and is off limits becaue of what he might step in.) In the front I have to watch that he doesn't run into the street (mine is a busy street with cars, trucks and motorcylces that travel too fast), and I won't leave him out there alone for a minute--paranoid about child snatchers. So I sit out there with him. Too bad our children have to be raised that way these days.
Our other first was our maiden ride together, with no one else, in my car and with the top down. He liked it but found it a little cold. We only went a few blocks to 7-11 on an emergency milk run. Today he wanted to go in the car again, but without a destination I declined. I think he and I were both glad to see his folks arrive tonight. We all had dinner on the porch, because it was such a lovely night. Supposed to be 90 by Wednesday. Who's ready for that?
A couple of food notes: I saw on the food channel today that several prominent chefs were to be interviewed about the best thing they'd ever eaten. Made me think about the question for myself, and I'm not sure of the answer. Often the best food is comfort food--shepherd's pie, or mashed potatoes and gravy, or squash casserole. But one appetizer stands out in my mind, from a now defunct restaurant: it was one large sea scallop, perfectly seared so that it was brown on the outside and soft on the inside but not chewy. It was set on a bed of pureed cauliflower (I'm not wild about cauliflower) and topped with a small piece of seared foie gras. Absolutely delicious. I later had a larger serving of foie gras and learned my lesson--just a dab will do you.
The other food thing I've noticed is that in cooking magazines people are making pesto of everything these days. It's no longer just basil, though the ingredients remain pretty much the same--oil, lemon, pine nuts, garlic, and whatever green. I have made cilantro pesto and liked it a lot, though I have one daughter-in-law who doesn't like cilantro so have to be careful if she'll be present.  But recently I saw a recipe for mustard green pesto--I'm not sure. Could be awful or could be really great--I love the tang of mustard greens. The one I really won't try is asparagus pesto. I'm sure it would be good, but as costly as asparagus is, I'm not going to use it in pesto. I can often make one bunch last a week, stir-frying a bit at a time for my supper.
Meantime I have good roast beef and au jus in my fridge. I just might make a French dip sandwich--or my version of such--with provolone for supper tomorrow night. And there's nothing better than a sandwich of rare roast beef with mayonnaise and a tomato slice--and maybe a bit of red onion.
Sometimes I think food is all I think about.