Dana's Pesto Sauce

I love basil pesto.  I haven't had a lot of experience with it but have done some research.  This is my recipe.  I don't know if it's the best there is but I love it, especially with fresh homemade pasta.

Recipe:

2 packed cups fresh basil (or another herb such as parsley or cilantro)
1/4 C shelled pine nuts (or another nut such as cashew or pistachio)
1/3 C fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 C fresh grated Pecorino cheese (I use Romano)
3-4 medium-large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1-2 tsps sea salt
10 Tbs good quality extra virgin olive oil

Only use the basil leaves. Warm the pine nuts in the oven, on the stove or in the microwave just until you begin to smell them to release the oil. Put everything except the oil in a blender. Turn on blender to high and slowly pour oil in as it blends until your desired consistency, adding more of anything if needed. A good pesto is suppose to be well balanced so that not one ingredient is dominant in your mouth. I like my pesto very smooth and I can do this in my Vita-mix but if you don't have one it's hard to do. Authentically it is ground smooth in a mortar and pestle.

Creamy Basil Pesto Sauce with Farfalle Pasta

You can make a creamy sauce by adding 3 parts cream. You can put pesto on pasta, potatoes, steamed vegetables, meats or in soups.  You can freeze pesto in ice-cube trays.

Pesto Guacamole:

2 medium Haas Avocados
1 1/2 tsp Dana's Basil Pesto
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
Salt and black pepper to taste
Heavy cream

Mash all together, add cream to the consistency you like and serve with chips.