lil' queezie

A few weeks back I discovered the mini-cuisinart * hiding in the back of a cupboard. No one seems to know where it came from, but it has quickly become one of my favorite things that plugs into the wall, and yet another reason why I will never be Amish. Many a delish meal has been whipped up by it's whirring blades. Tomatoes go straight from the garden into the chopper. Here I share two quick delights that I have made with lil queezie, as I affectionately call it.



PRESTO PESTO:
1 cup or so of Basil leaves washed and picked. Not the stems, or the tops.
1/2 as many Parsley leaves washed and picked
Plop of garlic (about 1/2-1 Tablespoon, depending on who is eating it)
Pecan, pine, or wal-nuts, about 1/4 cup
Olive Oil, about 1/3-1/4 cup
Shredded Parmesean cheese (i like LOTS, like about 1/2 cup)

Start by chopping up the leaves, then add the garlic. I add the nuts, oil, and cheese last so they have a coarser texture. If you can let it sit for a few minutes on the countertop, the flavor develops a bit more. I have also added chili peppers and/or cherry tomatoes to this and had it taste AMAZING.

SORTA SALSA:
Broil the following:
1 large jalepeno pepper, covered with chopped garlic (one clove or 1t of canned), 1/2 a large white onion or a few scallions chopped, and 1 T of olive oil

Remove when the pepper starts to turn color, and the onions and garlic have gotten some color, about 12 minutes on low. I de-seed and de-vein my pepper so it's not so super hot. Leave the broiler going to melt cheese on your tortilla chips.

To the lil' queezie add the pepper, oil, garlic, onion, and two large tomatoes or 8 small, cherry sized ones. I remove the 'stem' end and cut in half so the blades don't have to work so hard. Pulse until everything is pretty well blended, then add 1/4-1/3 cup sour cream to cut the heat of the pepper, blend until you like the consistency. You can also add 'hamburger spice' or something like ground pepper if you want.


*I can't even find a photo of it online, it's that old. I love my new one too, but this one is just so teeny and cute.....