Oh my goodness! Has summer hit you yet?

It is not super hot here, I mean last year at this time it was 20 degrees hotter 

But this year it is muggy as all get out!  I honestly think I would rather it be 90 degrees, than 70-ish with what feels like 100% humidity. Even with the fan on polar vortex, pointed directly at my face, I still wake up in a puddle 

Needless to say, cooking, or eating, hot heavy foods is not something on my list of what I want to do today.

Pesto is always a great alternative to putting together a light meal. Even over pasta, it doesn't feel heavy and you don't have to heat  up your kitchen.

However, one can only eat so much pesto, and with someone here (uuhhhh hello Kevin) that isn't a huge pesto lover (I know right? How do you not like pesto?), I have to come up with twists on the traditional basil pesto.

Oh, don't get me wrong, I have come up with quite a few already Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto, Green Chile Pesto, and Garlic Scape Pesto, but I was craving something a bit thicker. Plus I have been looking for ways to amp up the veggie consumption.

I started thinking about what green vegetable I would like to give a whirl, and even though asparagus is my fave green veggie, I jumped to broccoli right off the bat. I had just bought a few crowns of it on sale, so broccoli it was!

Now, before you say it, yes it does require a teensy bit of cooking. But it is only 6 minutes of boil time, so I really didn't count that (that is my prerogative right?)

A quick boil, and blanch, a whirl in the food processor, and tadaaaaaaaaaaaa pesto. 

We chose to use it as a stuffing for a grilled pork tenderloin (recipe tomorrow), but it would be fab with some rotisserie chicken, and mozzarella cheese, on a nice crusty ciabatta, or  you could boil pasta at the same time as the broccoli and make a pesto pasta for a meatless Monday meal.

I of course was eating this pesto just on its own. I licked the spatula I used to scrape it out of the food processor, then continued with every utensil we used in dinner prep. But we all know that I am a HUGE pesto fan.

The real test was going to be if I could get the pesto Grinch to like it.

The first positive? He made a comment about how good the stuffed tendeloin looked as it came off of the grill and was sliced. Now, I do have to admit there was cheese in there, but I will take it as a pesto win nonetheless  

We sat down to eat, and in my head there was a silent drum roll as he took the first bite.

Of course he couldn't give me his opinion right off the bat. He had to make me wait....impatiently.

But I finally got a smile (yes...I said a SMILE) and a "OK this is really good".

Why does he have to torture me like that?!?!

So my darling pesto peeps, and maybe not so pesto peeps.

I love it

And it got a two thumbs up, or rather one thumb and one fork up from Kevin!

Broccoli Pesto

By Bobbi Burleson

Ingredients

• 1 broccoli crown (about 8 ounces)
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 1 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Fresh cracked black pepper

Equipment Used

Instructions

1. Separate broccoli stalk from florets and finely chop florets. Trim woody end of stalk, then peel and finely chop. Cook stalks in a large pot of boiling salted water for 3 minutes. Add florets and cook for 3 minutes more. Transfer broccoli to a large bowl of ice water, then drain on paper towels.
2. Add the broccoli, garlic, parmesan, basil, and lemon juice to the bowl of a food processor and turn on. When contents are finely chopped, stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Turn on the machine again and drizzle in the olive oil. Purée until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste and process until well blended.

Yield: About 2 cups
Prep Time: 00 hrs. 15 mins.

Nutritional information via Calorie Count