Almost every year, my family and I go to the Trollwood Performing Arts School’s main-stage musical.
It’s always a great show full of talented performers, but I remember one performer over the years standing out like none other.
It was 2000, and the cast was performing “Damn Yankees.” I was blown away by the young woman playing “Lola.” It was pretty obvious Becky Gulsvig had “it.” I figured one day she’d be gracing even bigger stages.
Then just a few months later, I found myself interviewing Gulsvig for WDAY-TV. She had recently graduated from Moorhead High School and was appearing as “Wendy” in the touring production of “Peter Pan.” She told me she dreamed one day of being on Broadway.
It should come as no surprise that she achieved that goal. She made her Broadway debut in “Hairspray” as Lou Ann and eventually took over the role of Amber Von Tussle (Tracy Turnblad’s snotty blonde nemesis).
But that wouldn’t be the end of her Broadway career. Gulsvig was just getting started. She next appeared in “Legally Blonde” as Leilani while working as understudy for the lead role of Elle Woods. She won that lead role in the national touring company of “Legally Blonde.”
Many of you might remember her singing the show-stopping number “So Much Better” at the 2009 Tony Awards. (If you missed it, we have a small clip of her performance in this week’s “Cooking With the Stars” video on Inforum.com).
“I’ve never been more nervous,” she says of performing on live television in front of her Broadway peers.
These days Gulsvig continues to act and sing professionally while balancing marriage and motherhood. She met her husband while she was performing on a cruise ship and he was running the children’s center (and yes, she’s heard all the “Love Boat” jokes). Gulsvig tries to make healthful dishes for her family, which includes 3-year-old daughter Hazel, who Gulsvig says already has “a flair for the dramatic.”
When she agreed to cook with me on “Cooking With the Stars,” it seemed a natural to make her pesto sauce. It’s full of garlic and basil, but she also sneaks in some spinach for heartiness. She serves it over pasta or veggies.
It was quick to make in the food processor we used at Square One Kitchens. So easy, in fact, that we were able to make the sauce in the event center of Square One. Watch our online video to learn more about the event center and see Gulsvig make a pesto that’s bound to earn rave reviews.
Becky’s Pesto Ingredients
1½ cup spinach
¾ cup fresh basil leaves
½ cup toasted pine nuts
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 cloves of garlic, peeled
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon lemon zest
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Directions
Combine all ingredients (but just 2 teaspoons of olive oil) into a food processor and blend. After it’s blended slightly, slowly add the rest of the olive oil. Serve over pasta, vegetables or whatever you like.
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Watch ‘The Great Indoors’ with Tracy Briggs every Thursday on www.InforumTV.com .
