Pasta With Basil Pesto

Pasta and Pesto With Shrimp!

This is one of our favorites... You will be SO thankful you have a nose when you inhale the scents of fresh basil, garlic, and olive oil! It is especially good with some sauteed shrimp on top.

Here is our once-secret recipe...

BASIL PESTO

On the day that the Pesto will be made, harvest Basil in the AM before the heat. Put all branches in a large clean basin of water and swish up and down for a few minutes to clean. Remove branches, shaking off excess water and pile on a triple layer of paper towels. Allow the branches to dry through the day. Just before dinner time, snip enough leaves and blossoms off stems to fill a large food processor.

Fill a standard food processor with:

Basil Leaves (about 4 – 5 cups).

Add:

3 – 4 large Garlic Cloves cut in slices
½ tsp. Salt
¾ Cup freshly grated imported Reggiano Parmesan
¼ Cup Pine Nuts (Walnuts can also be used)
½ Cup imported Olive Oil
¼ Cup Warm Melted Butter
Ground Black Pepper to taste

Cook:

One pound of your favorite Pasta reserving about ½ Cup Pasta Water

Process Pesto until it is blended, scraping down sides of processor as needed, blending in the ½ Cup Pasta Water. Serve immediately over hot, drained pasta, tossing to coat. We often add fresh shrimp that has been sautéed in butter with garlic, straight sherry, and a dusting of flour to bind the juices.

You can also serve the Pesto over tomatoes that have been sliced and alternated with slices of Mozzarella and Basil Leaves on a plate (as in Caprese Salad) or in lots of other ways. It’s also great on Garlic Bread! It’s best used as soon as it is made.

Asparagus With Wasabi Mayonnaise

Asparagus With Wasabi Mayonnaise

My wonderful daughter-in-law, Lisa, gave me this recipe and it is incredible. She first made it for our son's birthday while we were visiting. Adjust the amount of wasabi to your personal heat preference.

1lb Asparagus, trimmed
1 cup mayonnaise (can use light)
4 tsp soy sauce
1 ½ tsp sugar
2tsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp wasabi paste

Blanch asparagus in a large skillet of boiling salted water for exactly 1 minute. Transfer to a colander and rinse under cold running water to stop cooking. Drain well and pat dry.

Whisk together all other ingredients until sugar is dissolved. Wow!

ZUCCHINI with Caramelized Onions and Grape Tomatoes!

Fresh, Green and Delicious!

ZUCCHINI with Caramelized Onions and Grape Tomatoes

It is nearly impossible to enjoy vegetables unless you cook them fresh, at home; but it is beyond easy to throw together a beautiful plate of delicious, perfectly-cooked, seasonal veggies like this one!

We love to caramelize onions in olive oil, then throw in chunks of vegetables and fresh herbs! Colorful combinations like this can be the most enticing part of a meal! Rustic and easy cooking of vegetables maintains the beauty of the food and suits a busy lifestyle.

For the vegetables pictured...

Sauté chopped Sweet White Onion (season with salt and pepper) in olive oil over low-medium heat until golden, stirring frequently. Remove pan from heat and add 2 – 3 cloves garlic (pressed). Return to heat and stir constantly for one minute to cook garlic but prevent it from browning.

Now add chunks of zucchini and cook a few minutes more, then the halved grape tomatoes and fresh herbs. We used basil, oregano, and a little rosemary. Season with salt and freshly-ground pepper and cook another minute or two, tossing to coat vegetables with the seasonings. Serve tender-crisp.

Irresistible CUTLET with herb crust!

Imagine the intoxicating aroma of the

fresh herbs, garlic and imported parmesan!

When I learned to "cook Italian," I discovered that cutlet was one of my favorites! A visit to my mother-in-law's kitchen was a treat in itself.... The simmering sauces, fresh greens with olive oil, and cutlet encrusted with golden brown crumbs, cheese, and fresh herbs were just irresistible!

Now, cutlet is one of the most delicious and versatile foods we make! It can be served alone, with Italian Tomato Sauce and Cheese as in Chicken Parmesan, in a sandwich, or as a cocktail snack! An additional benefit is that less-than-tender cuts of meat are tenderized during the process of making them.

You can design your cutlet seasoning to suit your own tastes.... We offer guidelines for Italian cutlet. The cheese in the breadcrumb mixture creates a mouthwatering aroma as it cooks and tastes even better than it smells!

You will need 3 bowls or pie plates for the breading mixtures: Seasoned flour, beaten egg, and seasoned breadcrumbs. We make whatever quantity we need for the meat/poultry we plan to cook. Mix up the separate bowls as follows:

Seasoned Flour:

Flour
Garlic Salt
Onion Powder
Ground Pepper

Beaten Egg:

Just beat 2 – 3 eggs with a little salt and pepper

Seasoned Breadcrumbs:

Bread Crumbs
Grated Parmesan or Romano Cheese (Imported – about ¼ as much cheese as bread crumbs)
Fresh Herbs such as: Basil & Oregano (or Thyme, Rosemary, Parsley, etc....)
Ground Pepper
Garlic Salt

Start with slices of pork loin, boneless beef steaks, or portions of chicken breast or thighs. We usually use chicken breasts or pork. Trim off visible fat and waste. Chicken breasts can be cut crosswise into 2 – 3 pieces depending on the size of the breast; cut pieces of pork or beef in similar sizes. Each piece will spread and get larger in the process of preparing the cutlet, so you will be starting smaller than the finished product will become.

Put each piece of meat/poultry between two plastic food storage bags and pound until about ¼ - ½ inch thick depending on personal preference using the flat side of a metal mallet designed for flattening or tenderizing meat/poultry or the bottom of a heavy skillet or pot can be used. When all cutlet have been processed, begin the dipping/frying process.

Dip each piece into the 3 bowls in the order given – flour, egg, and then crumbs – and fry in olive oil on medium heat until golden on each side. Drain on paper towels. Keep the cutlets warm in a 200 degree oven until all are cooked.

To make Chicken Parmesan: Spread Italian Tomato Sauce in bottom of low-sided casserole dish or individual gratin dishes, place cutlets in a single layer on top, then cover with a generous layer of sauce.

Bake at 325 – 350 degrees until heated through and bubbly. Add grated or sliced cheese (Mozzarella, Fontina, Monterey Jack, Havarti, or Parmesan) to the top during the last 5 minutes of cooking time. Save any leftover cutlets in the fridge for sandwiches and snacks. They can also be wrapped tightly and frozen.

For a tasty cocktail snack, cut the pieces into smaller pieces or strips AFTER pounding but before frying to make finger food sizes. They can be served with a dipping sauce or with toothpicks.

Favorite things: Fresh HERBS and Garlic Bread!

Don't miss our favorite GARLIC BREAD recipe near the bottom of this post!

I've always been drawn to dishes with intense flavors and combinations of herbs and seasonings is the best way to create them. Herbs can turn ordinary foods into spectacular and unforgettable dishes!

We have several big pots brimming with fresh herbs in our herb garden on the deck. They are a feast for the eyes and the nose! In addition to the rosemary tree (background above), basil and oregano (L-R in the foreground), there is dill, thyme, cilantro, parsley, lavender, and even some catnip for our 3 spoiled cats!

But you don’t need a big space or even big pots to grow an ample supple of fresh herbs for cooking, as this Little Herb Gardens book illustrates... You can click below to check it out.

I previewed this little book online and loved it. It encourages herb enthusiasts to make use of window sills, fire escapes, pots in sunny windows, and roof tops in their gardening efforts. It's filled with beautiful photographs, detailed growing and harvesting instructions, and a pantry section includes recipes for herbal oils, vinegars, herb-flavored sorbets and biscottis.

It even includes tips for growing garlic.... our favorite herb! Actually, I'm not sure if we have enough room to grow all the garlic we eat! Right now we buy it at a warehouse grocery in large mesh bags and buzz through several heads each week!

Thinking about herbs and garlic has made me hungry for our Garlic Bread With Fresh Herbs, so here is our very best recipe....

Here it is...toasty, buttery, and fragrant!

GARLIC BREAD WITH HERBS

Melt:

¼ - ½ C Butter in Pyrex measuring cup covered with plastic wrap

Add in and stir:

An equal amount of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Cloves of Garlic, crushed or pressed, to taste
Freshly Ground Pepper
Cut fresh herbs, such as Basil, Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano, or Parsley
A few Tbls of imported Parmesan, grated

Spoon or brush mixture over serving size chunks of Italian, French or any rustic artisan bread that has been placed on a baking sheet and heat in 400 degree oven; or broil, watching carefully, until edges begin to brown.

GRILLED VEGETABLES!

Try your own variations with herbs and seasonings. Here are ours - all smoky and crunchy-tender...

Tonight we had this combination of zucchini, yellow squash, and green bell pepper with garlic and chopped rosemary!

When I discovered Grilled Vegetables, it was an epiphany! The realization that this straightforward, rustic way to cook vegetables creates something more fabulous than more complicated methods reinforced my belief that the less you do to some foods, the better they taste. Grilling vegetables is also a bit of delicious redemption for all our food sins!

GRILLED VEGETABLES

Add to a large Zipper Bag and squish around:

A good big splash Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Fresh Garlic, pressed or grated
Salt
Ground Pepper
Any Herb or combination of herbs you like: Chopped Basil, Oregano, Thyme, Rosemary, Dill, etc.

*Optional: Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

Add vegetables to the bag, close, and squish around to coat with the olive oil and seasonings:

Choose from Zucchini, Yellow Squash, Bell Pepper, Eggplant, Asparagus, Red Onion, Green Beans, Mushrooms and more. Larger vegetables can be sliced length-wise and placed directly on the grate. Smaller vegetables require a perforated barbeque grill pan so they won’t fall through.

Preheat grill to high. Place vegetables on grill, either directly on grate or in grill pan, turning after 2 - 3 minutes, and cook until tender crisp.

These can also be made inside on a stovetop grill. For a nice smoky taste, add a drop or two of liquid smoke to the olive oil in the bag before adding vegetables.

Meditation and PESTO...

My husband and I took a meditation course a few decades ago. It was surprisingly easy to learn! I remember thinking it was amazing that here was something so relaxing and available to us by using a simple technique, but that we had not discovered it on our own! Years later, I realized that cooking can produce a similarly relaxed state as well as a great meal.

If you have never fully appreciated your kitchen experience, set out the ingredients ahead of time, pour a cup of hot tea or glass of wine, put on some classical, jazz, or salsa music, and make this recipe for intoxicatingly fragrant and delicious BASIL PESTO:

BASIL PESTO

A few hours before you plan to serve the Pesto, set out all cold ingredients so they can warm up a bit.

Fill a standard food processor with:

Basil Leaves (about 4 – 5 cups).

Add:

3 – 4 large Garlic Cloves cut in slices (We love garlic!)
½ tsp. Salt
¾ Cup freshly grated imported Reggiano Parmesan
¼ Cup Pine Nuts (Walnuts can also be used)
½ Cup imported Olive Oil
¼ Cup Melted Butter
Ground Black Pepper to taste

Optional: ¼ Cup Packed Fresh Parsley tops

Cook:

One pound of your favorite Pasta

Process Pesto until well blended, scraping down sides of processor as needed. Serve immediately over hot, drained pasta, tossing to coat. This recipe may not stretch to sauce a whole pound of pasta if people like their pasta saucy.

You can also dollop the Pesto over some nice ripe tomatoes that have been sliced and alternated with slices of Mozzarella on the plate (as in Caprese Salad) for a tasty lunch or side dish. It’s also great on Pizza or Garlic Bread!

If you need to reheat Pesto, whisk in a double boiler over hot water to prevent separation - but it’s at its best served as soon as it's made!

Mmmmm! Fresh TOMATOES, BASIL and GARLIC!

This fresh Italian Salsa is one of our all-time favorites... It's colorful, herby, aromatic and flavorful and the perfect centerpiece or highlight to a summer meal!

We love it as a topping for Bruschetta, which makes a cool and easy lunch or supper with a little cheese and wine. Or, thicken the juices slightly and serve over hot pasta with lots of grated cheese. Grilled fish and chicken love a generous serving of this garlicky treat. What better way to celebrate the flavors of the season!

This is a FUN dish and should be made with passion and without much attention being paid to exacting measurements... Vary it and make it all yours!

ITALIAN SALSA

Dice into a large non-metal bowl:

6 - 8 Fresh Firm Tomatoes, cored and diced into med-large chunks (or 2 large cans Petite Diced Tomatoes, juice and all)

Add to taste:

2 - 3 Bunches Green Onions, cleaned and sliced chunky
½ - 1 Can Pitted Black Olives, drained and crushed in your hand
2 - 5 Cloves Garlic, pressed, grated, or finely chopped
2 Handfuls fresh Basil Leaves, chopped
2 Handfuls fresh Parsley, chopped
1 T fresh Oregano Leaves, Snipped
Lots of freshly Ground Pepper
A little Salt

Optional: A few chopped Rosemary Leaves or other herbs

Stir in:

½ - ¾ C Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Combine ingredients. Use within 2 hours at room temperature or refrigerate in a tightly covered container.

Warm gently and use for Bruschetta over warm chunks or slices of baguette. Grated Parmesan and chunks of fresh mozzarella cheese are nice alongside.

Or, serve as a fresh sauce over pasta with lots of freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese. First thicken juices slightly by whisking with a little well-blended flour/cornstarch mixture in a sauté pan over medium heat, then add pasta and heat through.

This is also a nice accompaniment to grilled fish or chicken and can be added to cold rice or pasta to make a cool side salad.

We often enjoy it on bruschetta the first night, then serve it over pasta with some sauteed shrimp or grilled fish on the second.