pesto! pesto!

I picked my basil plants tonight - I have 11 so it was time - and pulled together two bowls full. I am going to make some fettucine (from a local homeade pasta maker that we buy at the farmer's market) with pesto and freeze some to use later.

I'm also going to boil some carrots, kohlrabi and turnips - from our CSA - and mash them with a white sauce. I made this (minus the kohlrabi, which I didn't have yet) for Mark's family who was in town a few days ago and it was fantastic. I have to admit, I have never had turnips and I love them. I bet in the winter that a carrot-turnip soup would be unbelievably good. I'm going to look one up when my turnips grow and see if I can freeze it to eat in the winter.

PESTO:
basil, olive oil, pine nuts, walnuts, garlic, garlic scrapes

CREAMED TURNIPS, CARROTS and KOHL RABI:
Boil root vegetables for 15-20 minutes (until tender). Drain and mash with a potato masher. Melt one tblspoon of butter and mix with one tblspoon of flour. Meanwhile, boil one cup of milk with 2 peppercorns, 2 bay leaves and 2 cloves (start at 30 second and work your way up. As soon as it reaches a boil, remove from the microwave). Remove the bay leaves, peppercorns and cloves and mix the milk into the flour/butter. Make sure the heat is at medium and not too hot. Simmer for a few minutes and then mix into the mashed vegetables with some salt and pepper. ENJOY! It's delicious!