That headline took a little bit more thinking than they usually do… I didn’t want to imply that I was making bacon pesto (although… hmmm..) Totally kidding – that would be taking things too far I think.

Things grow ever busier as we head toward the holidays. I have a bunch of fun things lined up and can’t wait to get going. First I’ll be headed to sunny LA for work, and then we’ll see family. It’s going to be such a great month. Meanwhile, I am probably going to blog many of the meals we eat between now and then, so I have enough content for when it gets to be busy. Like this really easy pasta we had tonight:

I hope there’s never a time when pesto isn’t “cool” anymore, but if there is, we will still be eating it on the regular. There’s just nothing like the smell of fresh basil. It makes me immediately hungrier. I like to add kale, too, for an earthy twist on one of my favorite condiment. And at this point, I almost never use pine nuts. They are delicious, but so much more expensive than delicious walnuts.

Here’s what you need:

For the pesto:
2 cups basil leaves, packed not too loosely but not solid either
2 cups kale leaves, stems and center rib removed
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
Juice of one lemon
3 large garlic cloves
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup walnuts

And also:
6 oz. fettucine
1/4 cup reserved pasta water
2-4 strips of bacon, according to your preference
Parmesan for serving
Freshly grated black pepper

Begin cooking the pasta to al dente, according to the package instructions. In a food processor, pulse the basil, kale, oil, salt, lemon juice, garlic, Parmesan and walnuts until smooth.

Cut the bacon into 1-inch pieces using kitchen shears and cook until your desired doneness (I like crispy in this situation). By this time, the pasta should be nearly or already done. When it is, use tongs or a slotted spoon/ladle to move the pasta into the pan with the bacon, along with about 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking liquid. Add in about 1/3 cup of the pesto mixture into the pan (you’re just going to have to figure something out to do with the rest of it! ), Toss everything together in the skillet with the heat still on. By the time everything is coated, the pasta water will have reduced enough to make a very light sauce.

Dish up onto plates and top with freshly ground black pepper and freshly grated Parmesan.