Recent recipes: basil pesto, garden veggie pesto pasta and chipotle brownies

Here are three recipes recently submitted by Northern Gardening fans.
Do you have a favorite using vegetables from your garden? Send to [email protected] and we'll post it here.
P.S. The Chipotle Brownie recipe doesn't really qualify unless you're growing anaheim chilis and smoking them yourself, but I thought people might be interested to try it. They've gotten rave reviews.

Fresh Basil Pesto
Submitted by Ann Rosenquist, Grand Marais

Ingredients
2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan Reggiano or Romano cheese (leave out cheese if freezing)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup pine nuts, walnuts or roasted, unsalted sunflower seeds
3 medium-sized garlic cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

A food processor makes this a lot easier.

Combine the basil with the nuts and pulse a few times in a food processer. Add the garlic, pulse a few times more.
Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste.
Makes 1 cup.
Serve with pasta or over baked potatoes, or spread over toasted baguette slices.
(Source: Simplyrecipes.com)

Ingredients:
1 pound of your favorite pasta ( I use rotini so it holds more pesto)
olive oil
parmesan cheese
pine nuts
2 cups of your favorite garden vegetables, cut up small ( I like carrots, broccoli and cauliflower for color and texture)
1/2 to 1 c pesto to taste

Cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than the full time listed on the package.
Keep it in the pan and add the vegetables to the pasta and boiling water for that last 2 minutes and turn up the heat.
Drain pasta and vegetables. Do not rinse.
Return them to the pan and add pesto and some some olive oil to dilute the pesto a little. Stir to blend.
Add pine nuts and parmesan cheese in it or on top, to taste.
Vary the amounts based on what you like. Eat hot or cold.
For leftovers ( if there are any!) store well in fridge and reheat with a little water added.

Enjoy!

Cami's Chipolte Brownies

Submitted by Laurie Horn, Ely

 

These are best made a day ahead to let flavors meld, then serve with a good vanilla ice cream.

 

2 c. sugar

1 1/4 c flour

3/4 c. cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

3-4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)  (I use 2-3)

1/8 teaspoon chipolte powder (optional) (I've used more but be careful)

3/4 c. veg. oil

4 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 c. choc. chips (optional)

 

Mix dry ingredients together.

Mix wet ingredients together.

Combine.

Add choc. chips if using.

 

Greased round pan or 8 X 8 square.  350 degrees preheated.