Helen Reed prepares an arugula salad with blackberries and blueberries, to be topped with feta cheese.
Dougie Scudder takes in the view at Vistas on the James
Cilantro hummus with rice crackers
Leigh Kiczales and Margo Turnage
Basil-wrapped skewers with heirloom cherry tomatoes and fresh mozzarella
A simple dessert of dark Valrhona chocolate
Basil and White Bean Crostini
Pesto:
Leaves from a large bunch of basil, cleaned and dried with paper towels (generally around 2 cups basil leaves)
1/2 cup good quality olive oil
1 clove of garlic, minced

1/2 cup Parmesan, grated
1/4 cup pine nuts
Pinch of salt (to taste)
Plenty of freshly ground black pepper
Crostini
1-2 baguettes
2-3 tablespoons of olive oil
Coarse salt, to taste
Beans:
2-14.5 ounce cans of cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 clove of garlic minced
Salt, to taste
In a food processor, add the garlic and basil leaves and chop. With the machine still running, pour in the olive oil in a steady stream. With a few pulses, blend in the cheese, pine nuts, salt and pepper (don't over mix). Set aside (you'll have plenty for pasta the next day).
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Slice the baguettes thinly and arrange in a single layer on a cookie sheet (you may need two). Brush with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place in oven and back until golden, about 8-10 minutes (can be made ahead).
Add olive oil to a wide pan and gently heat. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant. Add beans and heat through and sprinkle with salt. Remove to a bowl and toss with 2-4 tablespoons of pesto.
Place a tablespoonful or so of beans on each piece of crostini and serve either warm or at room temperature.
Beth Furgurson photos
