Tomato, Spinach & Basil Tortellini Soup

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basil, dinner, food, foodie, lunch, recipe, soup, spinach, tomato, tortellini

While roasted cherry tomatoes and fresh picked basil may sound like July ingredients, my garden has continued to produce both. And this cold wet autumn weather calls for soup.

Tomato, Spinach & Basil Tortellini Soup

Ingredients:
2 pints cherry tomatoes, 1/2 sweet onion (chopped), 1 c. fresh basil (chopped), 1 lb. tortellini (I used goat cheese), 1 qt. water, 2 c. spinach (chopped), 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar, olive oil, fresh ground sea salt, fresh cracked black pepper

Directions:
At the bottom of a stock pot, brown onions in olive oil. Add cherry tomatoes and slowly roast. Add vinegar, spinach and basil, stir until wilted. Pour water, salt & pepper into pot and bring to a boil. Add fresh tortellini and simmer for about 6 minutes. Serve hot!

Garnish with fresh basil and mozzarella pearls.

How is the weather where you live? What foods are you eating?

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Colorful Caprese

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appetizer, basil, BBQ, bocconcini, ciliegine, cold food, dinner, entree, food, foodie, fresh mozzarella, fresh tomatoes, grape tomatoes, light fare, light lunch, lighter fare, lunch, mozzarella, mozzarella balls, picnic, postaday2011, pot luck, raw foods, recipe, salad, side dishes, tomatoes, vegetable, yellow tomatoes

Caprese is a summer classic, that’s why it’s my go to recipe. It’s always requested, but never the same. You can serve it sliced and stacked, as a kabob or cut and mixed as salad. At the beginning of the year, I served yellow tomato caprese for the teachers’ back-to-school. It seemed only fitting to use yellow tomatoes in my caprese for the end-of-the-year party today! So since I never serve anything exactly the same way twice, I’ll share my current variation. I halved golden grape tomatoes (first time I’ve found these at the store!!!), red grape tomatoes and the mozzarella balls (ciliegine). Then, I tossed them together with extra virgin olive oil, fresh chopped sweet basil, fresh ground sea salt, and fresh cracked black pepper. Just before serving I will drizzle with some balsamic vinegar.

Colorful Caprese

The hardest part is making sure the caprese is not devoured before leaving the house… with this dish, it’s not just Hubster, it’s also me!

Which summer dish do you prepare multiple variations?

Yellow Caprese

Tags

appetizer, balsamic vinegar, basil, brunch salad, caprese, food, fresh mozzarella, mozzarella, olive oil, picnic salad, salad, summer salad, yellow tomato

Yesterday, I found a stand with delicious looking yellow tomatoes. I had to buy a basket of them. I had the perfect use for them, I needed to bring a dish to a get together and (at the people’s request) I often bring some form of caprese.

Yellow Caprese Salad

Caprese Salad – Slice fresh mozzarella log and slice yellow tomatoes. Alternate slices on plate. Chop fresh basil and sprinkle over caprese. Sprinkle with fresh cracked pepper and fresh ground sea salt. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and EVOO. Garnish with whole basil leaves.

The yellow tomatoes were terrific in this dish! Due to the low acidity of these tomatoes, it balanced the balsamic vinegar. The use of the yellow tomatoes also makes this a possible brunch dish.

Delicious! One of my favorite dishes, so many ways!

*For traveling purposes, I photographed before we left and add the balsamic vinegar once we got there.

Caprese Close-Up

Basil Penne with Chicken & Tomatoes

Tags

basil, chicken, chicken recipe, cooking with wine, dinner, food, meal, pasta, pasta dish, pasta recipe, penne, provolone, recipe, Red Cat, sweet wine, wine

This is known to Hubster as Red Cat Chicken Penne. Hubster is very picky when it comes to pasta, he either wants spaghetti & meatballs or spaghetti & meat sauce (and on occasion fettucine alfredo with chicken). He doesn’t like most sauces, or any vegetables on his pasta. He even complains about the pasta shape, telling me that farfalle (or as he says bow ties) doesn’t look as good as spaghetti. So, I was surprised at how much he enjoyed this dish and quickly got seconds before I had even eaten half!

Red Cat Chicken Penne

Ingredients:
12 chicken breast tenderloins, 3 Tbs. olive oil, 1 lb. package of penne, 2 c. Red Cat (or other sweet red wine), 4 medium tomatoes,  1 1/2 c. fresh basil (cut into thin strips), extra sharp provolone, 1/2 clove of garlic minced, fresh cracked black pepper, fresh ground sea salt, 2 Tbs. butter

Directions:
Cook penne according to package directions.  Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic. Add tenderloins and brown on each side, make sure center is no longer pink. Add 1/2 c. Red Cat and simmer 2 minutes. Remove chicken from pan. Add tomatoes, basil, pepper and salt to pan, cook until tomatoes are soft. Remove tomatoes and basil, toss with chicken. In pan, add remaining Red Cat and butter, stirring continuously. Loosen any food stuck on the bottom of the pan. Simmer and allow sauce to thicken. Place pasta in dish, top with chicken & tomatoes, sprinkle with provolone and pour sauce over pasta. Serve hot and enjoy!

Hubster wanted me to type this one, before I forgot how I made it.

Watermelon, Black Bean & Feta Salad

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basil, BBQ, black beans, brunch, cilantro, feta, food, foodie, lime, picnic, pignolias, pine nuts, postaday2011, potluck, recipe, salad, seasonal favorites, seasonal recipe, summer, summer salad, watermelon

Watermelon Feta salads have been all over the internet this summer, and I’ve delay posting mine. I first created my recipe when I was inspired by this recipe. Knowing Hubster would never eat it with the olives, or the onions, or the mint… (and he thinks I’ma picky eater). The only things I kept the same was the watermelon, Feta and Lime…

Watermelon, Black Bean & Feta Salad

Ingredients:
cubed watermelon, crumbled Feta cheese, cubed cantaloupe, black beans, pine nuts (pignolias), fresh chopped basil, fresh chopped cilantro, 2 limes, 4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, fresh cracked black pepper, fresh ground sea salt

Directions:
Zest and juice limes. Mix together, EVOO, lime zest, lime juice, basil, cilantro, salt and pepper to create dressing. Toss together watermelon, black beans, pine nuts and Feta cheese. Drizzle with dressing. Serve chilled. Garnish with basil leaf.

I used all of my remaining basil on this recipe, so I did add mint after all… as a garnish. Also, we don’t currently have pine nuts in our pantry, so I had to omit them from today’s dish.

Try to add protein to most of my summer salad recipes. Delicious!

What’s unique about your version of a Watermelon Feta Salad?

Grilled Corn on the Cob Discs

Tags

appetizers, barbacue appetizers, basil, basil lemon, BBQ appetizers, cilantro, cilantro lime, corn, corn on the cob, dill, dill orange, Father's Day Menu, grill, grill recipe, grilling, lemon, lemon basil, lime, lime cilantro, orange, orange dill, summer grill, summer recipe

Summer Grilling
June is here and summer is around the corner (my summer vacation starts Friday!)… These corn discs are great for parties, everyone can have as little or as much as they like. Their tiny size makes them perfect for kids or as appetizers. Great idea for a Father’s Day Menu!

Grilled Corn Discs

Ingredients:
corn, butter, fresh chopped cilantro, fresh ground sea salt, fresh ground pepper, lime juice, lime zest

Directions:
Husk corn and throw away husk and silk. Slice cob into 2″ thick discs. Soak in water with a splash of lime juice (or lemon juice). Grill discs over medium heat, turning a few times. Mist discs with lime juice as they grill. Remove from heat and brush or rub with butter to your liking, toss in cilantro, sea salt, pepper and zest. Serve hot.

*Play around with combinations of lime, orange and lemon juice and zest for the corn. Change it to use and match your favorite fresh herbs.

My Favorite Combinations: Lime Cilantro, Lemon Basil, Orange Dill