Sun Dried Tomato & Feta Pesto

I like to envision myself as a superb gardener with a knack for growing fresh fruits and vegetables all year long.  I imagine my garden yielding baskets upon baskets of plump, juicy tomatoes, bright yellow squash and earthy potatoes and onions.  The butterflies flitter around the vibrant annuals that mingle throughout the beds.  Oh, it's a beautiful and thriving garden.  

Sadly, my imaginary garden that I dream of in my mind is a far cry from what actually exists on my property.  My big dreams have translated into a large pile of dirt on the side of my house waiting for the beds to be constructed (sorry for the eyesore, neighbors!), two overgrown citrus trees (that aren't looking too fruitful this year thanks to last year's rough winter), and two gangly potted tomato plants (that were lucky to have survived the summer under my not so green thumb).  

A few years ago, I did grow one herb made me feel like the expert that I long to be.  Basil.  That basil grew into a thick, tall bush that made me proud.  What better to do with an abundance of basil than make pesto?  This is a tasty twist on a traditional pesto with the addition of sun dried tomatoes and feta cheese.  We tossed it with pasta, sauteed chicken breast and garnished the dish with additional pine nuts and feta.  Delish!

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 tbsp crumbled feta cheese
• ½ cup parmesan cheese, grated
•  ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted (See Notes for toasting instructions.)
• 2 tbsp oil-packed sun dried tomatoes, chopped
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions 

1. In a food processor, finely chop the basil and garlic.
2. Add the parmesan, pine nuts, feta and sun dried tomatoes.  Pulse into a coarse paste. 
3. With the machine on, slowly add the olive oil until incorporated.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

• To toast pine nuts, spread onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  Remove all broken nuts.  Bake at 350° for 6-10 minutes until golden brown, stirring every few minutes.  Immediately transfer to a bowl or plate.  (Some might say to use a skillet to toast, but this will more often than not lead to burning the nuts.  Trust me, go the oven route.) 
• Pesto can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to one week.
• To freeze, spoon into ice cube trays to make cubes, then put cubes into a freezer bag.
• Try adding to soups or sauces, tossed with pasta or as a dip for crusty bread.
• Source:  Inspired by Rachel Ray's Pesto and Feta Pesto on allrecipes.com.