An inadvertent theme develops on my blog every now and again, as in today’s homage to pesto. It’s actually reflective of real-life cooking and eating the P. K. Way, come to think of it. In other words, I make food over the weekend and then see how it inspires me when creating meals during the week. A few of these dishes fall into that category, and others were rounded up from my blog over the past couple of years to celebrate this wonderful spread. Roll your mouse over the pic for the dish and click on the links below the photos for the recipes.

And note that even if you decide not to make pesto on your own—though you really should give it a shot at some point given how easy it is, and I’ve got a 10-minute cooking video showing you how—you can still enjoy these fabulous dishes with your favorite store-bought brand.

If your mouth is watering, check out the recipes below:

• Classic Basil Pesto (Pesto Genovese) [cooking video]
• Pasta Pesto with Blistered Cherry Tomatoes and Garbanzo Beans
• Mediterranean Grilled Vegetable Sandwich with Pesto and Two Cheeses
• Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Pesto and Parmigiania
• Roasted Eggplant Terrine with Tomatoes, Radish Greens, Pesto, and Chèvre
• Pesto Pizza with Red Chard, Ricotta, and Caramelized Onions
• Grilled Vegetable Parmigiania
• Parsley Pistachio Pesto
• Avocado Crostini with Arugula and Pesto
• Heirloom and Cherry Tomato Salad with Buffalo Mozzarella and Pesto

Enjoy, and thanks for reading!