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Posts Tagged ‘basil’

  1. Basil Feta Chicken

    July 30, 2012 by erinRD

    This was inspired by one of Wholesome Husband’s favorite dishes – chicken saltimbocca. I realized that I had a ton of fresh basil instead of sage, which is used in the saltimbocca recipe. Peaking in my fridge, I found this great feta cheese that I bought at Costco. So I figured I would go with that and this recipe turned out amazing!

    ~16 fresh basil leaves (0.4-0.5 oz)
    4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1 lb total weight)
    3 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced
    3 ounces fresh feta cheese, crumbled
    1/4 c seasoned bread crumbs
    1 lemon, quartered

    Directions:
    1. Preheat the oven to 375. Line a baking pan with tin foil.
    2. Place the four chicken breasts in the baking pan and press about four basil leaves into the top of each breast. Lay the slices of prosciutto over the top of the basil.


    3. Crumble the feta cheese on the chicken and top with bread crumbs.


    4. Bake about 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Garnish with lemon wedges to squeeze over the top. Serves 4.

     

    Delicious and simple! Enjoy!

    Category Uncategorized | Tags: ,,,,, | 3 Comments

  2. Recipe Redux: Caprese Salad

    July 21, 2012 by erinRD

    Hello fresh summer tomatoes.

    Fresh basil? I love you.

    Fresh mozzarella. Yum.

    Clearly fresh is best. Amen.

    This months Recipe Redux topic is “No Cook Meals” and I could make a meal from this deliciousness.

    Caprese Salad
    Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

    1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
    3 whole ripe tomatoes, sliced thick
    8 ounces mozzarella cheese, fresh
    Fresh basil leaves
    olive oil, for drizzling (about 2 Tablespoons)
    Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

    Directions:
    1. arrange tomato and mozzarella slices on a platter. Arrange basil leaves between the slices. Drizzle olive oil over the top of the salad, getting a little bit on each slice. Do the same with the balsamic vinegar.
    2. End with a sprinkling of kosher salt and black pepper. Serve as a lunch, with crusty bread. Serves 4.


    Taste Test: So fresh and delicious! You can’t beat fresh ingredients - especially in the summer. This salad is amazing, pretty and makes the tummy happy.

    Enjoy!



    Category Uncategorized | Tags: ,,,, | 5 Comments

  3. Tomato Basil Spaghetti

    September 8, 2011 by erinRD

    Adapted from Serious Eats

    I’m still getting a lot of those wonderful tomatoes from the yard.


    Let’s make some wonderful sauce!

    Ingredients

    16 ounces whole wheat spaghetti
    Salt, to taste
    4 cups tomato sauce (recipe follows – make this first)
    4 large leaves of basil
    1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
    Pinch of red chili flakes
    Pinch of kosher salt

    Tomato Sauce
    16 garden fresh tomatoes
    salt, to taste
    2 Tablespoons + 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
    6 cloves garlic, whole
    4 stems of basil, leaves on
    Pinch of red chili flakes

    Directions

    Tomato Sauce
    1. Cut tomatoes in half lengthwise.
    2. In a new pot, place 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, carefully transfer tomatoes to the pot. Add a pinch of salt and chili flakes.

    3. Allow the tomatoes to cook for a few minutes until they begin to soften, then smash them with a potato masher.

    Allow tomatoes to cook 30 to 45 minutes over medium heat, smashing and stirring occasionally.

    4. While the tomatoes are cooking, prepare the basil-garlic oil. Take a small saucepan and place the remaining 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil in the pan. Add garlic cloves, basil, and chili flakes.

    5. Slowly heat to allow the flavors to transfer to the oil. When the garlic is lightly browned, remove from the heat. Allow to cool for 5 minutes. Strain the oil and combine with the tomato mixture.

    Discard the remaining basil leaves and garlic cloves.

    6. Remove the sauce from the heat and adjust the seasoning with additional salt, as needed. Makes 4 cups.

    Spaghetti
    1. Place a large pot of water on the stove. Season with salt and bring to a boil.
    2. Roll basil leaves into a cylinder and thinly cut lengthwise and set aside.
    3. Cook the spaghetti in the water and remove when it is just shy of al dente – depending on the pasta, 3 minutes for fresh, 10 minutes for dried.
    4. While the pasta is cooking, place the sauce into a sauté pan and heat slowly. Allow the sauce to reduce slightly.
    5. After done, add the pasta to the sauce, and allow to finish cooking, over medium high heat. The sauce should coat the pasta and look cohesive. When you shake the pan, the sauce and pasta should move together.
    6. Remove from the heat and add the basil and cheese. Toss until well incorporated.
    7. Adjust the seasoning and serve immediately with meatballs, if desired! Serves 8. Nutrition information does not include meatballs.

    Nutrition Notes

    When you use fresh ingredients, you don’t need to add a lot of things to it! Leave the skins on the tomatoes for extra fiber!

    Taste Test

    Hands down the best marinara sauce I’ve had. I think it had to do with the fresh garden tomatoes but the infused basil oil played a part too! So delicious and easy too!

    Enjoy!!

    Category Uncategorized | Tags: ,,,,,, | 1 Comment

  4. Whole Wheat Pepperoni Pizza Puffs

    June 10, 2011 by erinRD

    TGIF!

    This weekend I am running my 5th 5K race and my friend Patti is running her first 5K race on her 30th Birthday tomorrow! My friend Kev is also running his first 5K race tonight and I’ll be there to cheer him on. Sunday, my friend Jess is biking 15 miles in the Tour de Cure for Diabetes for her Dad who has diabetes. So, it’s going to be a weekend of exercise and races! Love it!

    But don’t you worry – there will be plenty of play time too! Saturday night is Patti’s 30th Birthday party with an “Old Hollywood” theme. I have a cute dress and I’ll be sure to take many pictures! :) Hint: Polka Dots and red lipstick! hehe! :)

    Sunday, Wholesome Husbands’ fam is coming over for a BBQ and I have quite the menu planned: fresh lemonade, Italian copped salad, homemade guac, my yummy kabobs on the grill, corn on the cob, healthy baked onion rings and campfire cookies (see: chocolate, graham crackers and marshmallows FTW).

    Holy mother. These people better come hungry! ;)

    Recipes coming soon!

    But here’s a great one to hold you over!

     

    Whole Wheat Pepperoni Pizza Puffs
    Adapted from Prevention RD

    1 cup whole wheat flour
    3/4 teaspoon baking powder
    1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
    1 cup fatfree milk
    1 egg, lightly beaten
    4 oz. part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
    4 oz. turkey pepperoni, quartered (about 1 cup)
    1/2 cup pizza sauce
    2 Tablespoon fresh basil, finely diced

    Directions:
    1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease a 24-cup mini muffin pan.
    2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and oregano; whisk in the milk and egg. Stir in the mozzarella and pepperoni; let stand for 10 minutes.
    3. Stir the batter and divide among the mini-muffin cups.

    Bake until puffed and golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
    4. Warm the pizza sauce, then stir in 1 tablespoon basil. Sprinkle the puffs with the remaining 1 tablespoon basil. Serve the puffs with the pizza sauce for dipping. Yield: 24 pizza puffs. Serving size 1 pizza puff.

    Taste Test: These were not my favorite taste wise, but they’d be fun for kids or as finger food appetizers at a party! This husband thought they were pretty good!

    Are you running any races this weekend?

    Whatever you do, have a great one!

     

    Category Uncategorized | Tags: ,,,, | 5 Comments

  5. Creamy Caprese Spinach Pasta

    May 30, 2011 by erinRD

    Memorial Day.

    Today is for…

    You,
    And me,
    And the fallen soldiers,
    The nurses, and fighter pilots, and front line men,
    The veterans who live with their memories,
    And the families who lost their loved ones.

    It’s for saying thank you.
    Thank you so much,
    To the men and women who fought for us
    Who fought for today, tomorrow and the future.

    Today is to remember. 

    Especially thankful to those in my family – my husband, my brother, my father and my late grandfather. <3

    __________________________________________________________________________

    Creamy Caprese Spinach Pasta
    Adapted from How Sweet It Is

    1 pound whole wheat pasta
    2 cups of your favorite pasta/tomato sauce
    1/3 cup half and half
    3 cups fresh baby spinach
    1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
    4 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into cubes
    1 pint of grape tomatoes, cut in half
    1 bunch of fresh basil leaves

    Directions:
    1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Boil water and cook pasta according to directions.
    2. While pasta is cooking, heat tomato sauce over low heat in a large saucepan. Once warm, stir in heavy cream, spinach and grated parmesan. Cook until spinach is cooked down – about 5 minutes.


    3. Once pasta is done cooking, drain and dump into the sauce, mixing to coat and turning off heat. Fold in mozzarella cubes and tomatoes, then chop 3-4 fresh basil leaves and add them in too.


    4. Once combined, spray an 9×5 baking dish with non-stick spray and pour the entire pasta mixture into the dish. Bake for 25 minutes, or until cheese is golden and bubbly.
    5. Top with additional fresh basil. Serve with garlic bread (not included in nutritional info). Serves 6.

    Nutrition Notes: You can also add in chicken, steak or seafood for some protein. The addition of spinach really bulks up the dish and increases the nutritional value of the dish! Can’t go wrong with those green leafy veggies!!

    Taste Test: The flavors were really bright and delicious. I loved the fresh basil and spinach. YUM!

    Happy Memorial Day everyone! Let summer begin!

    Category Uncategorized | Tags: ,,,,,,,, | No Comments

  6. Tomato Orzo Soup

    March 7, 2011 by erinRD

    First things first.

    A little cuteness for your Monday.

    My Dad took a great picture of Keenan recently and I wanted to share how handsome he is!

    What a ham! :)

    Ok – on to the food….

    I love tomato soup but The Husband is not a huge fan. When I saw this recipe I couldn’t pass it up. It looked so delicious!

    Tomato Orzo Soup
    Adapted From Stephanie Cooks

    1 cup onion, diced fine
    1/2 cup celery, diced fine
    1/2 cup carrot, diced fine
    2 Tablespoons olive oil
    4 cloves garlic, minced
    3-4 roasted red peppers
    1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
    1 (28 ounce) can fire roasted tomatoes
    1 carton (32 ounces) vegetable stock, low-sodium
    cracked black pepper
    1 1/4 cup orzo pasta
    2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil

    Directions:
    1. Add olive oil to large stockpot on medium-high heat and then add in onions, celery, and carrots. Cook stirring, 6-7 min.

    2. Add chopped garlic and roasted red pepper. Cook 2 min, until vegetables are tender.


    3. Add all tomatoes; simmer about 10 min. Add stock; return to simmer. Season to taste with pepper and add basil.
    4. Add orzo. Simmer 8-10 min, stirring often, until pasta is firm but tender. Remove from heat.


    4. Ladle into warmed bowls to serve. Garnish with basil. 6 servings (2 cups per serving).

    Nutrition Notes: Orzo is a large rice-shaped pasta from Italy. It looks so small when you put it in the soup but it gave the soup a great texture when it was cooked! This soup is packed with fiber and for 2 cups, it is low in calories and fat!

    Taste Test: This soup was not my favorite tomato soup but it was still delicious. Next time I will try to use my immersion blender before I put in the orzo to make the soup thicker. Also, this made a ton of soup. For The Husband and I, next time I will cut it in half but it would also freeze really well!

    Category Uncategorized | Tags: ,,, | No Comments

  7. Chicken with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce

    February 21, 2011 by erinRD

    Hello. My name is Erin and I’m a Costco addict.

    The first step to recovery is admitting the problem.

    For NOW (ahem :) ) there is just The Husband and I living together in our little house – well and Keenan and two kitties. Is it sad that our pets outnumber us? Ok – back on topic. So there should be really no practical reason to NEED to shop at Costco. I mean who really needs a 50 pound bag of rice for two people?

    But somehow I manage to shop there on a monthly basis and find things that I MUST HAVE, including a huge jar of sun-dried tomatoes. You just never know when there could be a sun-dried tomato shortage. It’s good to stock up on these things.

    Chicken with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce
    Adapted from Epicurious

    2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
    1 Tablespoon olive oil
    2 garlic cloves, minced
    1/4 cup drained sun-dried tomatoes, patted dry and coarsely chopped
    3/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
    1/4 cup dry white wine
    1 can fat free low-sodium chicken broth
    2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced
    1/4 cup heavy cream
    1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil

    Directions:
    1. Pat chicken dry and season with salt and black pepper.
    2. Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown chicken, turning once, about 6 minutes total. (Chicken will not be cooked through.) Transfer with tongs to a plate.
    3. Add garlic, tomatoes, and red pepper flakes to skillet and sauté, stirring, until garlic is pale golden, about 1 minute.
    4. Add wine and boil, stirring and scraping up brown bits, until reduced by half, about 1 minute. Add chicken broth and mushrooms and bring to a boil, covered.
    5. Add chicken to skillet with any juices accumulated on plate and simmer, covered, until just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes.
    6. Transfer chicken with tongs to a platter and keep warm, loosely covered with foil. Stir cream and 2 tablespoons basil into sauce in skillet and bring just to a simmer.
    7. Serve sauce over chicken and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons basil.

    Nutrition Notes: Basil is an herb used in many Italian dishes and it’s loaded with vitamin K, vitamin A, beta-carotene and flavonoids (antioxidants). Also, basil has been shown to provide protection against unwanted bacterial growth. These “anti-bacterial” properties of basil are associated with its volatile essential oils found in the basils’ leaves. These oils have also been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects and they work on the same enzymes as over the counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDS) including aspirin and ibuprofen.

    Taste Test: I love sun-dried tomatoes – they give this dish such a unique flavor. The addition of basil was delicious too. You could serve this over rice or quinoa but it was just as good served with a big ole’ salad on the side!

    Anyone else obsessed with Costco? Please tell me I’m not alone!

    Category Uncategorized | Tags: ,,,, | 2 Comments