Like many of you, I have a little garden where I grow a few favorite vegetables — mostly tomatoes, peppers and a few herbs this year. I think it’s the farmer in me. I love to dig in the dirt, watch a plant take off and then harvest the bounty. There is nothing like the flavor of a fresh-from-the-garden tomato or a bit of fresh herb to brighten a dish.

My favorite herb to grow is basil. Growing basil is something everyone can do, and it’s not even too late to plant some this month. It will keep producing until the first frost.

My neighbor Zoe Braddock, who was from Greece, used to have the most prolific basil I’ve ever seen. She’d use it in any and every recipe she prepared, and she was more than willing to share.

My friend Jananne Finck always made homemade pesto, covered the top with a thin layer of plastic wrap to keep it from turning brown, and froze it in small glass canning jars. It brought a bit of summer to those winter days when all we can do is wish for summer’s garden flavors. She’d share them packaged with pasta for Christmas gifts.

Pesto just screams summer to me. And homemade pesto tossed with pasta is a real treat. But you can also add it to macaroni and cheese or quinoa, or just spread it on a slice of Italian bread.

I’m convinced that growing herbs and adding them to your cooking (usually at the last minute) is the way to elevate meals. A handful of fresh herbs can transform a simple pizza or pasta into something bright, flavorful and delicious.

Zoe taught me that to harvest basil, you want to pinch off the leaves right at the stem so the plant will create branches and produce more leaves. And if your plants flower, pinch them off. This way the plants will put energy into creating more leaves, as opposed to flowers and seeds.

Traditional pesto is a blend of fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, extra-virgin olive oil and Parmesan cheese. With a food processor, it’s easy to make.

For variations, you can add a few pinches of red pepper flakes or a few sun-dried tomatoes, or change the type of nuts (walnuts, pecans or hemp seeds).

Here’s my favorite Fresh Basil Pesto recipe. Toss with pasta for a quick sauce, dollop over baked potatoes, or spread on Italian bread or crackers.

Fresh Basil Pesto

2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
½ cup freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
⅓ cup pine nuts
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, minced (about 3 teaspoons)
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper

In a food processor, pulse pine nuts, lemon juice and garlic. Add the basil leaves and pulse again. Add the cheese and pulse. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil in a steady stream. Occasionally, stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor. Stir in salt and pepper, as desired. Makes 1 cup.

To serve over pasta, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup of the starchy cooking liquid before draining. Drain pasta and toss with a tiny bit of olive oil. Then in a large skillet over low heat, add the pesto and ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water and stir to combine. Add the pasta and toss to coat. Add more water as needed to create a loose sauce. Serve with Parmesan cheese sprinkled over the top.

To freeze, package pesto in individual jars with a layer of plastic wrap over the top; then seal with the lid. Pesto can also be frozen in ice cube trays.

Fargo is a registered dietitian with Southern Illinois University Medical School in Springfield, Ill. Send recipe ideas to her at [email protected]. The opinions of this writer are not necessarily those of Farm Progress/Informa.