Tag Archives: basil

Tortellini Caprese Bites with Basil Vinaigrette

I could probably revolve my entire blog on different caprese recipes.  I could happily eat tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil at any time in just about any way possible.  Does anyone else feel this way?  Most people seem to like tomatoes and mozzarella together so when I went to my friend’s house for a cookout and pool party this past weekend, I decided to bring Tortellini Caprese Bites with Basil Vinaigrette. 

Simple cheese tortellini is cooked and cooled, skewered with grape tomatoes and mozzarella balls and bathed in a vinaigrette of basil, olive oil and white balsamic vinegar.  Never had white balsamic vinegar?  Neither had I.   In fact, I didn’t even know it existed.  I’m now in love with it.  This little appetizer was a big hit and there was nary a skewer left at the end of the hot, sunny day.  I used refrigerated whole-wheat cheese tortellini (only because the store was out of regular cheese tortellini) but I believe any flavor would be delicious (such as cheese & prosciutto or cheese & spinach).  This simple vinaigrette is a good one to remember for vegetables, salads or pasta as well.  Consider taking these vibrant and visually appealing appetizers to your next get-together.  They are sure to be a hit.

If you like this, also check out Cherry Tomato Bites.

The ingredients:

Prepare tortellini according to package directions and cool under cold water.  Cut grape tomatoes in half and drain mozzarella balls from the water it comes in.  On each skewer, thread 1 tomato half, 1 mozzarella cheese ball, another tomato half, and 1 tortellini.  Place the skewers in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.

In a small bowl, whisk vinegar and salt until blended.  Slowly pour the olive oil into the vinegar, whisking constantly until well combined.  

Stir in basil and freshly ground pepper.

Pour Basil Vinaigrette over skewers, turning to coat.  Cover and chill 2 hours. 

Transfer skewers to a serving platter, and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

Additions:  None

Omissions:  None

Substitutions:  None

Source:  Southern Living Magazine

Spicy Basil Chicken

I’m starting to notice a pattern in my life…I spend the weekend eating badly and then turn around and try to remedy it by making something low-carb. I’m not sure if this is working for me or not but I guess deep down it must make me feel better about myself. After starting the day off Saturday with coffee for breakfast and a nice salad at lunch time, the day quickly spiraled out of control and I woke up Sunday to remember that I had also consumed cheesy chicken nachos, two (yes, TWO) separate plates of french fries, and a fast food chicken sandwich around midnight. Whaaaaaaaat? I can count on one hand the number of times I eat fast food in a year so I wasn’t really sure why my friend and I decided it was a good idea to head through the drive-thru on our way home from a night (or day-into-night) on the town. I came home and ate this super-salty chicken sandwich while watching Saturday Night Live and didn’t really enjoy one bite of it. If I learned nothing else, I remembered exactly why I don’t eat fast food.

So, true to form, on Sunday I decided to make a nice low-carb chicken dish – Spicy Basil Chicken. Tender chicken is cooked with shallots and sliced garlic before being bathed in a spicy and salty mixture of soy sauce, chili paste, sugar, water, and cornstarch. Sliced basil tops off the whole dish, giving it a fresh, bright finishing touch. This tasted like an authentic chicken dish that I might get at my favorite Chinese food place, slightly reminiscent of Kung Pao. No matter how good the chicken was though, it was made even better by the soft garlic slices that soaked up the sauce. I probably could have eaten that garlic by the spoonful. In fact, I just might have. This dish is soooooo much better than fast food!

The ingredients:

Add canola oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots and garlic to pan and cook for 30 seconds.

Add chicken to the pan and cook until chicken is done.

Combine fish sauce (which I omitted), sugar, soy sauce, water, sambal oelek, and salt in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add sauce mixture to the pan and cook for 1 minute or until mixture thickens making sure to coat the chicken. Remove from heat.

Stir in basil.

Serve with rice, couscous, or just your fork.

Additions: None

Omissions:

  • Fish Sauce

Substitutions:

  • Chicken tenders

Overall Rating: Love It

Source: Cooking Light Magazine

Grilled Asparagus with Caper Vinaigrette

I could eat asparagus just about everyday so it’s important that I find different ways to enjoy this healthy green vegetable.  While I generally enjoy it simply steamed, I like to switch things up a bit and throw these spears a little curveball, like this Grilled Asparagus with Caper Vinaigrette.  Fresh asparagus is grilled with olive oil and salt before being drizzled with a vinaigrette of red wine vinegar, olive oil, garlic, dijon mustard, and capers.  The capers provide a subtle briney, salty punch while the viniagrette itself is garlicky and light.  A sprinkling of fresh, sweet basil rounds out this Spring side dish which is good eaten warm or cold.  I definitely plan on making this again!

The ingredients:

In a shallow dish, toss the asparagus (with ends snapped off) with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Place asparagus on grill rack coated with cooking spray and heated over medium-high heat.  Grill for 4 minutes or until crisp-tender, turning after 2 minutes.

Combine remaining salt, red wine vinegar, dijon mustard, black pepper, and garlic in a small bowl and whisk together.  Slowly pour remaining olive oil into vinegar mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk.  Stir in capers.

Arrange asparagus on a serving plate and drizzle with the vinaigrette.  Sprinkle with ribbons of fresh basil.

Additions:  None

Omissions:  None

Substitutions:  None

Overall Rating:  Love It

Source:  Cooking Light Magazine

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