Cilantro Almond Pesto

Cilantro Almond Pesto
Cilantro Almond Pesto

The other day, a friend curiously smiled as I discussed experimenting with a Cilantro Almond Pesto. With confidence, we talked about several versions of pesto, not being limited to the traditional ingredients of basil, cheese and pine nuts. The Witchy Kitchen blog made a Basil Sunflower Seed Pesto. The sunflower seeds are economically alternative to pine nuts. Although, Despite Nuisances I Will Be Happy’s blog creatively referred to her Arugula version as a spread; it’s still a derivative of a pesto. Aimée at Simple Bites, posted a recipe of the traditional basil pesto, and she offers ideas on how to incorporate it into recipes. This week, I pick up my household’s first CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) box full of greens, fruits, vegetables and eggs. In addition to prepping and cleaning the vegetables and fruits for proper storage that will extend their freshness, several of them will turn into a pesto and frozen for future use. Read more

The Niceness of Almond Poppy Seed Cake

Almond Poppy Seed Cake
Almond Poppy Seed Cake

Recently, the taste of raw almonds has become pleasurable. The crunchiness of nuts has always been enjoyed when mixed into a dish. A bag of raw mix nuts isn’t a nice treat. It was a return flight from Europe to New York that started the appreciation of almonds, although it was unknown at the time. My seat was next to a window. A lady seated next to me kindly asked if I could switch seats with her new husband, for he was sitting in the middle aisle, next to an Italian family with a young boy. That’s a big favor to ask when looking forward to seeing the welcoming skyline that defines home. Read more