There is a tradition that basil grew up around the foot of the cross, where Jesus’ blood and Mary’s tears hit the ground. St. Helen is said to have found the True Cross hidden beneath an overgrowth of basil. So for dinner on the feast of the Holy Cross, I like to make a basil-heavy meal like caprese salad, pesto pasta, and strawberry basil lemonade to drink. A caprese salad recipe was included in June and a strawberry basil lemonade recipe was included in August. And now for September, here’s our homemade pesto sauce recipe. It’s a great way to use and preserve fresh-grown basil. I like to use a wedge of parmesan cheese, cut into a couple large pieces and tossed into the food processor. Grated parmesan, even the canned kind, can be substituted.