Last year, she and her mother, Betty Polen, harvested leaves in several cuttings from the 137 plants White grew in her Kanawha City back yard. They clean each leaf and freeze them in plastic freezer bags, then make the pesto in the winter when their schedules allow.

Last year's harvest filled Polen's deep freezer with bags of leaves. The two made and packaged 191 individual cups of "Backyard Pesto."

"I bought all the pine nuts they had at Sam's," she said.

White brought a cup for each of the women from her Italian trip to take home with them.

"Over the years I've turned so many friends and family into pesto lovers," Debbie said.

White and her friend who taught her to make pesto plan to travel to northern Italy together someday.

Backyard pesto

2 cups basil, processed in a food processor

 2 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

 1 1/2 cups pine nuts, processed

 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

 4 cloves garlic, peeled

Juice of 1/2 large lemon

Pinch of salt

Blend all ingredients and toss with pasta.

Pesto will last one week refrigerated in a sealed container, or frozen for six months or more. When using pesto that has been frozen, add a little more grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and olive oil to intensify the flavors.

Makes 6 1/2 cups.

Recipe compliments of Debbie White and Betty Polen.