Saute the onion and garlic in about 4 tablespoons of the olive oil until onion is soft and transparent; remove from heat and cool slightly. Spoon the onion and oil mixture into a blender or food processor. Add spinach, basil and salt. Process until mixture is finely chopped. With motor running, pour the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil in a slow but steady stream through the feeder hole. Blend to a coarse puree, then stop the motor, add cheese and process for just a moment more. Yields 1-1/4 cups sauce.

She developed this sauce to use on fettuccini because her family doesn't like classic pesto. "...I found myself dipping into it serendipitously throughout the week. One night I placed dollops of it atop of our grilled chicken breasts. Another time it became the basis for a quick pasta salad. It even worked as a sandwich spread with sun-dried tomatoes, Swiss cheese, and pickled Greek pepperoncini. Try it as an accent for pork chops or fish filets too.

"This is a delectable, speedy, make-ahead sauce. Refrigerated, it maintains good color and flavor for at least a week. It could probably go longer, but I haven't managed to leave a batch alone long enough to be sure." Source: Oregon food writer and artist: Jan Roberts-Dominguez, Sandwich Cuisine

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