Thai Basil Shrimp Lettuce Cups with Coconut Basil Rice

Ingredients:

1/4 c. lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
1/4 c. veggie oil
3 Tbs. Thai Red Curry paste
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Whisk the lime juice, veggie oil, curry paste and garlic together. Add the shrimp, stir together and marinade for at least half an hour in the refrigerator. Meanwhile, put the rice together.

Rice ingredients:

1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk, light
2 (.25 oz) containers fresh basil, chopped
1/2 Jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1 tsp. salt
4 green onions, thinly sliced, separated
2 Tbs. salted butter
3/4 c. brown rice
1/2 c. basmati rice
1/2 c. chopped roasted peanuts
Butter Lettuce Cups

Puree the coconut milk, 3/4 of the fresh basil, jalapeno and salt in a food processor and set aside. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the  white part of the green onions and cook for approximately 2 minutes. Add the rice, 1/2 c. water, the coconut basil puree and bring to a simmer, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to stir. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook for approximately 15 more minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. Remove from the heat and keep covered.

Meanwhile, heat a grill pan to medium heat and spray with non stick cooking spray. Skewer the shrimp and place on the grill pan. Cook the shrimp for about two minutes, and flip to cook the other side for two more minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork.

Remove the shrimp from the skewers. To assemble the lettuce cups, add a few of the cooked shrimp. Top with chopped fresh basil, peanuts and the greens of the green onion. Serve with a cup of the coconut basil rice, and lime wedges.

Creamy Pesto Chicken Quesadillas

Ingredients:

1 c. Creamy Chicken Pesto mixture
1 1/2 c. shredded Mozzarella cheese
2 large tortilla shells
1/2 c. Hunt's pasta sauce (I used traditional)

Heat a large skillet to medium heat. In a medium size bowl, mix the chicken mixture and shredded cheese together. Spoon half of the mixture onto the tortilla shells and fold each tortilla in half. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until the tortilla is golden brown and the cheese is gooey and melted. Serve each quesadilla with warm pasta sauce.

Turkey Bolognese

Ingredients:

2 Tbs. olive oil
1 lb. lean ground turkey
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbs. dried oregano
1 1/2 c. dry red wine, divided
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
2 Tbs. tomato paste
3/4 lb. pasta (penne)
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 c. chopped fresh basil
1/4 c. heavy cream
1/2 c. fresh grated Parmesan

Heat a large skillet on medium high heat and add the olive oil. Add the ground turkey and cook until no longer pink. Add in the garlic and oregano and cook for one minute. Add in the red wine and and use a wooden spoon to scrape the brown bits into the sauce. Add the canned tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tsp. salt and 1 1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the directions on the box. While the pasta finishes cooking, add in the nutmeg, basil, cream and remaining 1/4 cup wine and stir together. Drain the pasta and add to the sauce. Stir together and add another 1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese. Divide into serving dishes and top with chopped basil and more grated Parmesan.

Feta Strawberry Watermelon Salad

Although it is the transition of Spring to Fall right now, watermelon and strawberries are still in great shape, which gives you a great opportunity to take advantage of this salad and how great it is! It combines sweet fruit with savory cheese and fresh herbs!

Ingredients:

3 c. strawberries, diced
3 c. watermelon, cubed
1/2 c. feta cheese, crumbled
1/3 c. sliced almonds
8 basil leaves, chopped

Combine all of the above ingredients together in a large bowl. Let sit in the refrigerator for a half hour to merry together before serving.

Chicken Bacon Basil Panini

A simple, few ingredient, flavor packed panini sandwich. There is not a whole lot of effort put into this delicious sandwich, which is why you should make it. If you don't have French bread, use normal sandwich bread, or whatever you have laying around your house. And if you don't want to use bread at all and want to make it into a salad, instead of Miracle Whip, mix the basil with ranch dressing and a small amount of sour cream and drizzle on top!

Ingredients:

3 Tbs. light Miracle Whip
1 1/2 Tbs. fresh chopped basil
1 green onion, chopped
8 slices Oscar Mayer thin sliced Rotisserie Chicken
4 slices thick cut bacon
3 Tbs. reduced fat shredded Mozzarella cheese
Mini French loaf, divided in half width and lengthwise

In a small bowl, combine the Miracle Whip, basil and onion together and set aside. Line a microwavable plate with two sheets of paper towel. Line the four slices of bacon evenly spaced on the paper towel and top with two more sheets. Microwave for 3 minutes, let sit for at least one minute, and then remove the bacon from the paper towel (it stays perfectly straight and is super crispy).

Lay the slices of bread out and divide the dressing mix evenly on each slice. Top the bottom halves with four slices of deli chicken. Top with two slices of bacon on each, and follow by 1 1/2 Tbs. Mozzarella. Place the remaining bread on top. Heat a grill pan to medium heat. Place the sandwiches side by side on the grill pan and add a weight on top to press the sandwiches down. Cook on this side for three minutes, flip, and cook for another 2 minutes or until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is fully melted. Let cool slightly before cutting in half and serving.

Bruschetta "Caterpillars"

I am a huge fan of caprese salads and bruschetta. These little bites use all of the same flavors only are packed down into little bite size bundles. I think next time I make these, I will make the balsamic into a thick reduction so that it stays on the tomatoes a little bit better. And also add a lot more basil!

Ingredients:

1 pint Cherry tomatoes
20-30 Mozzarella Pearls
1 Tbs. (approx) balsamic vinegar
Fresh Basil, chopped

Slice the tomatoes hasselback style, slicing about 3/4 of the way through. Make 4 or 5 slices in each cherry tomato. Slice the pearl Mozzarella balls into thin slices. Place a slice of Mozzarella cheese into the hasselback tomatoes. Top with a fresh piece of chopped basil, and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

(Above picture is from a 4th of July party)

Tomato Basil Hasselback Potatoes

Sometimes I don't have a good story for why I make the recipes that I do. I absolutely love potatoes, and I love tomato and basil together, so I decided to put them together. It's as simple as that. Add Parmesan cheese on top, and they are amazing!

Ingredients:

6 red skin potatoes (as oval shape as possible)
6 cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced
6 large basil leaves
Olive oil Pam (or any kind of cooking spray)
Salt and pepper
Grated Parmesan cheese (around 1/4 cup)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Slice each potato in thin slices (about 1/4 inch), going about 3/4 of the way down the potatoes. Rip each basil piece in thirds or fourths, depending on the size, and place a piece every two slices. Do the same with the tomato slices, places every other two slices and not duplicating with the basil. Repeat with each potato and place on a baking sheet or jelly roll pan. Season with salt and pepper, and thoroughly spray with the olive oil baking spray. Bake in the oven for approximately 60 minutes until the potatoes are tender and start to open up. Sprinkle the tops of each potato with grated Parmesan cheese and place back in the oven for about 3 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Spinach Fontina Quesadilla with Basil Pesto

Ingredients:

2 c. spinach chopped
1 c. Fontina cheese, shredded
2 flour tortillas (I used La Banderita, Fat Free)
2 Tbs. Cucina & Amore Pesto, Alla Genovese, Basil ( from William Sonoma)

Heat a large skillet to medium heat. Lay both tortilla's out on a flat surface. Spread 1 Tbs. of pesto on each tortilla. In a microwavable container with the shopped spinach, flick a few drops of water onto the inside of the lid. Microwave for 35-45 seconds until the spinach is wilted. Sprinkle the spinach on top of the pesto, and then top each with the shredded Fontina. Fold over to make 2 half circles. Place in the preheated pan and cook for about 2 minutes on each side, or until each side is golden brown and the cheese is fully melted in the center. Let cool for a few minutes before slicing so that the cheese doesn't ooze out.

(This makes 2 servings, 11 WW points per serving.)

Bruschetta Bread Loaf

Ingredients:

1 container Pillsbury French Loaf bread dough

1/2 large tomato, seeded and chopped fine

1 Tbs. dried basil, give or take

1 ball fresh Mozzarella cheese, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking sheet or jelly-roll pan with non stick cooking spray. Unroll the dough and sprinkle with approximately one tablespoon of the dried basil. Top with the chopped tomato and Mozzarella, leaving an inch around the edges with nothing on them. Roll the dough back up tightly with the filling inside, and end seam side down. Sprinkle the top with dried basil and spray with non stick cooking spray. Add four slices to the top of the bread for steam to escape (when it cooks, the cheese will get slightly messy, but that's fine). Bake for 23-27 minutes until the top is golden brown. Let cool slightly before slicing.

Italian Chicken Strips with Tomato Basil Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts, cut into strips (about 1 1/2 inches wide and 3-4 inches long)
2 eggs
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/4 c. milk
1 c. Panko Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, place a wire rack (oven safe) on top and spray with non stick cooking spray. Place the eggs, garlic salt and dried basil in a shallow dish and whip together with a fork. In another shallow dish, mix the Panko and Parmesan cheese. Dip each piece of chicken into the egg wash mixture. Roll into the bread crumbs. Place on the prepared rack. Repeat for the remaining chicken. Bake in the oven to 30-35 minutes. Let cool slightly.

While this is baking....

Ingredients:
2-3 cups cooked pasta
1/4 c., plus 2 Tbs. Italian dressing (give or take on the amount, I used Paula Dean's sugar free dressing)
1 Roma tomato, seeds removed and diced
2 Tbs. chopped fresh basil
1/3 c. Belgioioso Parmesan snack cubes, cut into small square slices.

When the noodles are still warm, add the 1/4 cup of dressing. When the noodles have cooled down, add the tomato, basil and Parmesan cheese. Drizzle with 2 more tablespoons of the Italian dressing and toss everything to combine well.

Caprese Pasta

 

Ingredients:

8 oz. Cavatappi noodles, cooked as directed on the box
2 Tbs. margarine
2 Tbs. flour
1 1/4 c. milk, 1%
1/2 c. heavy cream
8 oz. fresh mozzarella, shredded
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
3 Sapori tomatoes (or large cherry tomatoes, chopped
1/4 c. fresh basil, chopped

In a medium saucepan, heat the butter on medium heat until melted. Whisk in the flour until the mixture forms a roux, and it all sticks together in a ball. Immediately pour the milk and heavy cream in, and whisk until everything is smooth and there are no lumps. Add the Mozzarella a small amount at a time and continuously stir. Increase the temperature to medium high and keep stirring until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is thick (about 5 minutes). Season with salt, pepper and garlic salt. You may need to add more garlic salt depending on your preference. Top with the chopped tomatoes and fresh basil.

Mozza-Balsa-Basil Meatballs

Ingredients:

1 1/4 lb. ground turkey, lean
0.75 oz. pkg. basil, chopped (save some for garnish if served with pasta)
1/2 c. Panko, plain
1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. fresh cracked pepper
2 Weight Watchers string cheese, sliced


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Combine the turkey, basil, Panko, balsamic, olive oil, garlic salt and pepper together with hands until well combined (you can use a spatula if you don't like to get your hands dirty).

Eyeball approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons worth of filling and flatten in your hand. Place a slice of string cheese in the middle. Bring the turkey up around the cheese and roll into  a ball. Place on the parchment paper. Repeat with the remaining meatballs. Bake for 23-25 minutes in the oven. Let cool slightly before serving.

(Makes 25 meatballs (1 WW point each. Divided into 8 servings, of 3 meatballs each, is 3 WW points.)

(Great when served on top of Spinach Roasted Garlic Pasta)

Pesto Cream Cheese Filled Tomatoes

Ingredients:

3 c. fresh basil leaves
3 garlic cloves
1 tsp. salt
1/3 c. pine nuts, plus garnish
1 Tbs. olive oil
8 oz. 1/3 less fat cream cheese
1/2 tsp. grated fresh pepper
2 pints cherry tomatoes (or your tomato of choice)

Remove the stems and or core of the tomato. Scoop the filling out with the end of your paring knife and place the tomato upside down to drain out the liquid. Repeat with the remaining tomatoes. Meanwhile, process the basil, garlic, salt, pepper, pine nuts and olive oil on low speed. Add in the cream cheese and pulse until well combined. Scoop the cream cheese mixture into a pastry bag with a star tip at the end and set aside. Cut a small portion of the bottom off of the tomato to make the bottom flat so that the tomatoes will not roll on the plate. Fill each tomato with the cream cheese mixture. Top with a few pine nuts.

Tomato Basil Panini

Ingredients:

1 large tomato, sliced thin
1/4 c. basil, chopped
2 Tbs. pesto (any flavor, I used walnut pesto)
1/2 c. shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
4 slices of wheat bread
Parkay butter spray

 

Preheat a skillet or grill pan on medium heat. Spray two sides of bread with the Parkay butter spray and place butter side down on the heated skillet. Spread 1/2 tbs. on each slice. Add half of the sliced tomato and basil to each slice of bread. Top with the shredded Mozzarella cheese. Spread the remaining pesto on the other two pieces of bread and place, pesto side down, on top of the Mozzarella. Spray the tops of each slice of bread with the butter spray. Flip both sandwiches and continue to cook on the other side for 2-3 minutes until golden brown and until the cheese is your preferred consistency. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly before cutting in half. (Makes 2 sandwiches, I used Sara Lee 100% wheat bread, which bumped the points up to 8 WW points per sandwich. If you use Taystee white bread, or a lower point bread, it could be as little as 5-6 WW points.)

Bone-Chilling Dip with Spooky Chips

Ingredients:
1/2 c. pine nuts, toasted and cooled
3 c. basil
16 oz. sour cream
1 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt

1/4 c. butter, melted
salt and pepper
5 (9-inch) tortillas

Combine all of the first 8 ingredients (pine nuts through 1 tsp. salt) in a food processor and process until well combined. Place in a container and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. with small Halloween shaped cookie cutter, cut shapes out of the tortillas and place on a baking sheet. Brush the tops with melted butter, and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 8-10 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool fully. 

Blueberry Basil Galette

Ingredients:

4 c. fresh blueberries
3 Tbs. sugar
3 Tbs. chopped basil
2 tsp. lemon juice

1 egg, lightly beaten
2 Tbs. sugar
2 Pillsbury pie crusts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the blueberries, 3 Tbs. sugar, basil and lemon juice in a bowl. Place the Pillsbury crusts on a greased cookie sheet. Place half of the mixture on the center of each pie crust. Gather the crust around the edges and continue working in a circle until the edges are folded over. Repeat for the second crust. Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, until the crust is just turning lightly brown. I suggest serving a slice with an ice cold scoop of vanilla ice cream!