The best thing I've made in a while...

I have been cooking a lot. I mean A LOT!!! I am really trying to make sure what we eat here at home is nutritious, tasty and easy to make. This has taken me to trying new things - things that I have never cooked. Most things are great. I check all these websites for recipes. I really like Rachel Ray's stuff, it's easy, cheap and quick to make. Barry also stumbled across this amazing site called CHOW.COM - it's a keeper. You really need to check it out.

As for the best thing I've made in a while... I saw this recipe for pesto which I have never made, but love. In my research, I came across a recipe for beet pesto. Seeing that it's beet season, I recently bought a 5 lb bag. I am not the biggest beet lover, but I know they are good for me. I made a beet soup and still have a half a bag left. Seeing that I had nothing to lose, I made the beet pesto.

IT'S AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cook up some pasta and you have an instant meal!!!

Here's the recipe:

1 pound cooked beets, 2 cloves garlic, 1/2 cup cilantro (or basil), 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, 1/3 cup toasted sunflower seeds or toasted walnuts (I used pecans since that's what I had), salt to taste, stream in some olive oil. Mix all the ingredients in the food processor until it reaches desired consistency.

It's as easy as that. I'm sure I'll have some more recipes to share. This cooking thing - I'm really starting to like it.