More pesto, please!

Today I made basil pesto for the first time.  This is yet another thing where I didn't realize how easy it was.  Where on earth did we get this idea that cooking from scratch is difficult??  It took about 10 minutes to make a cup of pesto, which I later added to a cream sauce and served over bowtie pasta and steamed carrots, broccoli, and zucchini.

Here's the recipe for the pesto:

1 cup of basil leaves/stems tightly packed
3 cloves of garlic
5 tablespoons of grated parmesan or romano cheese
1/2 teaspoon of salt

Process ingredients in a food processor until finely chopped.  Slowly add 1/4 to 1/3 cup of olive oil, creating a paste.  Use immediately or refrigerate.

For the cream sauce:

3 tablespoons of butter
1/4 cup of flour
3 cups of milk

Melt butter in saucepan, then add flour and cook for 3 minutes stirring constantly.  Add milk and bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 more minutes.

Add 1 cup of pesto, 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg, and salt to taste.  Remove from heat and serve over pasta and veggies of choice.

I think my next feat will be to make a tomato cream sauce.  I love the roasted red pepper and sausage pasta at Friday's; maybe I can make something similar at home.