Arugula and Garlic Pesto

There are a 3 girls I work with who have some uncommon allergies. Unfortunately, when I bring stuff to work, they sometimes can't partake in my snacks for the office. One of them is allergic to basil, which puts a damper on many Italian foods. Today's dinner recipe is inspired by her and my want for pasta tonight. I also didn't want my leftover arugula to go to waste from my Arugula and Pear salad, so this was the perfect Sunday night dinner pesto!

2 cups, packed Arugula
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup shredded mozarella
10 cloves garlic
1tbs dry thyme
1tbs dry oregano
1/4 cup dry chopped onions
1/4 cup sliced toasted almonds
salt and pepper to taste

Pack 2 cups of arugula into a measuring cup. Make sure the arugula is packed; you want a full amount of the greens. Next, measure 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil. Place the arugula into a blender or food processor. Pour the olive oil over the top.

Gather 10 cloves of garlic, peel them, and place them into the blender. Add the sliced almonds and cheese. Just a side note, I didn't want to use Parmesan, because it is a strong cheese. Arugula is a strong flavor, so I balanced it out with a milder cheese.

Measure out the thyme and oregano. Add them to the blender. Next, add the dried chopped onions to the blender. Shimmy the blender to have the ingredients on top fall a little bit to the middle/bottom.

Blend until everything is pureed together. The end result should produce about 2 cups of pesto.

Since the holidays are coming up, this would make a vibrant gift. Make some in advance, place in a mason jar, and send it off with a cute label or tag. Original, homemade, and delicious.