Trenholm Venom Roasted Red Pepper and Pecan Pesto

1/2 cup pecans
1 (12-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained
3-4 large fresh basil leaves
2 TB extra virgin olive oil
2 TB fresh lemon juice
2-3 TB Trenholm Venom hot sauce
1/2 tsp. sea salt

Toast pecans in a dry iron skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently with a spatula for about 3 minutes. Remove pecans from pan and set aside.

Place drained roasted red peppers, basil leaves, olive oil, lemon juice, sea salt, pecans and hot sauce in a food processor. Pulse several times, leaving mixture slightly chunky. Serve pesto with pita chips.

Tip: This pesto can easily be made ahead of time. Just chop the pecans after toasting and keep them separate while you process the remaining ingredients. Then, stir them in just before serving.

Variation: Add sliced black olives and serve pesto over pasta for a vegetarian entree.

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