Thai Chicken With Basil

We had an abundance of basil from our garden this summer.  Basil is one of my favorite herbs and it was so nice to be able to go pick it fresh from my backyard.  Plus, it saved me money!!  This is one of many dishes that we made that used our fresh basil.  It was delicious and easy!

Thai Chicken With Basil
adapted from: foodandwine.com

2 chicken breasts, cut into chunks
2 Tbsp. oyster sauce (the original recipe called for Asian fish sauce, but this is what I had)
1 1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. water
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. cooking oil
1 onion, cut into thin slices (I used dehydrated onion)
1/4 tsp. dried red pepper flakes
1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1 1/2 c. lightly packed basil leaves

In a medium bowl, whisk together the oyster sauce, soy sauce, water and sugar.  Add the chicken and let it soak up those yummy flavors, while you begin cooking your onion.  In a large frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook it for 2 minutes.  Add the red pepper flakes and garlic and stir it for another 30 seconds.  Remove the chicken from the marinade and add it to the frying pan.  Cook the chicken until it is no longer pink inside.  Then add the marinade to the frying pan and cook it for another minute.  Remove it from the heat and gently stir in 1 cup of the basil leaves.  Top it with the remaining basil leaves when you serve it over rice.

Sausage and Pepper Pasta

I haven't posted anything on here for a long time, not because I didn't want to, but purely because I haven't cooked in, oh, nine months-ish.  I made dinner tonight with a bunch of things I needed to use up and decided to post it as a quick and simple meal idea if you want to spice up the old go-to pasta dish.  I'm leaving the amount open-ended depending on how many you're cooking for.

Sausage and Pepper Pasta

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

sweet peppers, thinly sliced

fully cooked sausage*, chopped into 1/2 inch slices

sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

your favorite jar of pasta sauce

linguine noodles

fresh basil, chopped

Directions:

Cook linguine according to package directions.  Set aside.  

Heat olive oil on medium-high heat.  Saute onion and peppers until tender.  Add sausage and sun-dried tomatoes, saute until heated through.  Dump in pasta sauce and stir until hot.  Add linguine noodles and toss until everything's combined.  Sprinkle fresh basil over the top and serve.

*Use any sausage that you like: Italian sausage, chicken, pork, or turkey sausage, sausage with cheese in it, sausage with herbs in it... you get the idea.  I used chicken sausage with cheese, red peppers, and garlic! If sausage is uncooked, slice thin and saute in a separate pan with a little olive oil until cooked through, then add to the pasta.

Slow Cooker Lemon Basil Soup

If you love lemons and having food ready for you when you come home at night, you will love this soup!  Any time that I put something in the slow cooker, I am so happy the rest of the day.  Any time I use up the lemons in my fridge without them rotting, I am also happy the rest of the day. 

Slow Cooker Lemon Basil Soup
by: Carolyn 

1 chicken breast
fresh basil leaves (around 10 small leaves)
fresh ground salt and pepper, to taste
5 c. water
3 boullion cubes
1/2 onion, sliced
2 large potatoes, chopped (or you can use a cup of cooked rice)
1 c. chopped carrots
2 juiced lemons 
zest from one lemon

Combine all the ingredients in your slow cooker.  Cook it on high for 5 hours.  Shred the chicken breast before serving.

Chicken Caprese Sandwiches With Basil Pesto Mayo

This sandwich was so delicious!  Seriously yummy and seriously easy.  I threw it together in very little time, and we couldn't get over the amazing flavors in it!  I got it off of www.yourhomebasedmom.com, (which, by the way, is one of my favorite food blogs), and I barely changed it (which, by the way, is not typical for me).  The chicken was supposed to be grilled, but to save time and a walk outside, I just cooked it in my frying pan in a little oil.  It would have been yummy grilled, but it was yummy either way!

Chicken Caprese Sandwiches With Basil Pesto Mayo

from: www.yourhomebasedmom.com

2 chicken breasts, cut in half, and also cut in half in the way that makes them thinner

salt and pepper

1 tomato, sliced

fresh basil

4 hard rolls

4 slices of cheddar cheese

balsamic vinegar

Pesto Mayo

1/4 c. mayonaise

3 Tbsp. pesto

In a small bowl, stir together the mayo and pesto and put it in the fridge for later.

The pesto mayo looks kind of gross as a close up, in the bowl like that.  But don't be fooled.  It is sooo good.  Maren was eating it plain.  Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and cook them on the grill (or in a frying pan) until they are no longer pink in the center.  Build your sandwich, using the chicken, tomato, fresh basil, cheese and pesto mayo.  Drizzle balsamic vinegar on the top, or you could drizzle it on the under side of your top bun.  And, enjoy!

Lasagna Cupcakes

It's been a while since I've posted a recipe, but honestly, it's been a while since I've tried a fun recipe that I've really liked.  This was an easy one Matt and I made together Friday night (we're attempting to eat out less- although I don't know if it worked because we just went out Saturday morning instead:).  I needed to use up the last of our wonton wrappers, and this was an easy and delicious way to do it, in a non-traditional way.  Although, I don't know if you've seen Pinterest and all the ways people are getting creative with wonton wrappers and cupcake tins!  

This recipe is from The Girl Who Ate Everything.  She is one of my favorite food bloggers, so it's thanks to her I have this yummy recipe. 

A few notes about this dish: I hardly ever use real Parmesan cheese, I guess I'm too cheap to ever buy it, but I happened to buy it on a whim the other day, and I loved it!  It also goes a long way!  It might be nearly as cheap to buy it fresh!  I may be sold on splurging for real Parmesan from now on.  Also, fresh basil is one of my favorite things on pizza.  We grow it in our garden during the summer/fall and then I wash, pat dry and then freeze all my extra basil leaves so that I can either make a fresh pesto with it or take a few leaves out at a time and throw them on top of my pizza (or lasagna cupcakes) the last couple minutes of baking.  It tastes just as good as fresh to me!

Lasagna Cupcakes
from The Girl Who Ate Everything

Ingredients

1/3 pound ground beef

salt and pepper

24 wonton wrappers

1 3/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese (7 oz)

1 3/4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (7 oz)

3/4 cup ricotta cheese (3 oz)

1 cup pasta sauce

fresh basil for garnish (optional, although definitely recommended)

Directions

1.    Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray muffin tin with cooking spray.

2.    Brown beef and season with salt and pepper. Drain.

3.    Reserve 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese and 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese for the top of your cupcakes. Start layering your lasagna cupcakes. Begin with a wonton wrapper and press it into the bottom of each muffin tin. Sprinkle a little Parmesan cheese, ricotta cheese, and mozzarella cheese in each. Top with a little meat and pasta sauce.

4.    Repeat layers again (i.e. wonton, Parmesan, ricotta, mozzarella, and pasta sauce). Top with reserved Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses.

5.    Bake for 18-20 minutes or until edges are brown. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. To remove, use a knife to loosen the edges, then pop each lasagna out. Garnish with basil and serve.

Slow Cooker Sun Dried Tomato Basil Chicken

 

One day I was searching for a good slow cooker chicken recipe.  I read a number of recipes, but nothing sounded like what I wanted.  I finally decided that I could make up my own recipe using what I had available.  So I did.  And it turned out great!  The funny thing is, I thought I was so original, but in the end, it was very similar to one of my favorite recipes, chicken milano.  It was a Freudian Slip, I guess.  I couldn't get away from that flavor combination in my mind.  However, this recipe was done in the slow cooker, which is always lovely for the easiness.  I served it with garlic mashed potatoes, sprinkled with Parmesan cheese, and it was delicious!

Slow Cooker Sun Dried Tomato Basil Chicken
by: Carolyn

2 chicken breasts
1/2 c. sundried tomatoes
1 can reduced sodium chicken broth
1 tsp. dried basil (fresh would be great if you had it on hand-I did not)
1/2 tsp. pepper
a few grinds of sea salt
1/2 c. whipping cream

Place the chicken breasts in your crock pot.  Add the sundried tomatoes (I chop mine up first), chicken broth, basil, pepper and salt.  Cook for 4-5 hours on high.  Add the whipping cream for the last 30 minutes of cooking.  Serve it with garlic mashed potatoes and Parmesan cheese.

Tomato Basil and Pesto Pasta

I found this recipe on the Sisters Cafe. It was great, fast, and easy. I added a delicious grilled chicken to it to make a great, rather healthy, meal.

Tomato Basil Pesto Pasta

1/4 cup basil pesto (I purchased a yummy basil pesto, but the Sisters Café has a recipe here)

1/4 lb penne pasta

1.5-2 cups tomatoes

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Basil leaves

Shredded parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions to al dente. Just before draining the pasta into a colander, remove 1/4 cup of pasta water; set aside. Drain the pasta, put back in the pot, and then stir in the Basil Pesto and the reserved pasta water, a little at a time, to create a sauce. Add diced tomatoes and toss to coat thoroughly. Salt and pepper to taste. Transfer onto individual serving plates and garnish with sliced fresh basil leaves and shavings of Parmesan cheese.

Makes 2 servings.

Grilled Chicken Breasts
2 breasts (6 ounces each)

2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small clove of garlic finely chopped
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 12 ounces)

Mix lemon juice, oil and garlic in shallow glass or plastic dish. Place chicken in marinade, turn chicken to coat with marinade. Refrigerate 10-15 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the portable grill about 5 minutes.
When the grill is hot, remove chicken from marinade, discard marinade and place the chicken on grill and cook about 5 minutes. Turn chicken over and grill another 3 minutes or until the juice is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut.