We are always trying to find new and exciting ways to bring our herbs to life. When we moved to Colorado, we moved into a condo complex, so any chance of having a garden in the ground was slim. We did have a large patio though, so Zach and I decided to create a container garden to grow our favorite herbs. Fortunately these little plants sprung to life, and sooner than later we were overwhelmed with herbs (mostly basil)! Sure you can add herbs to almost any dish to liven it up, but how do you use a lot of herbs at once!? Why, you make a pesto of course!



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This pesto dish is not your everyday pesto dish, hence the name we gave it. Not only did we add a ton of basil, but we added oregano and marjoram as well (two other herbs we were overwhelmed with =). Add some pines nuts and pistachios and a touch of EVOO, and you have yourself a very simple, quick “sauce” for your pasta. We decided to take it one step further however, and add a breaded chicken to it. You can take or leave this step, but we thought it a great addition to this pesto. We are sure that you will find this dish as easy and quick to make as we did. This easy recipe makes it evident that you don’t have to put in a ton of hours to make something taste good. Fresh ingredients and some love make this dish a crowd pleaser.

Iron Fist – Golden Age

At the beginning of the year, Zach and I visited a small brewery in southern California called Iron Fist Brewing Company. We fell in love from the very first taster. This is why we decided to pair this dish with their Belgian-style Strong Pale ale: Golden Age. It has an effervescence very similar to a champagne, so it helps to bring out the “nuttiness” in the pesto, which can often be masked by the amount of herbs, especially the basil. Basil can come off as being an overwhelmingly sweet ingredient in pesto, and we feel that this beer balances out those characteristics.

Have fun and enjoy this very easy and simple, yet elegant recipe!

Pesto Sauce

Not Your Everyday Pesto Finished!

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