Fresh Tomato Basil Pasta

This recipe turned out much better than I expected. I mean, how many of us haven't had this type of dish in various shapes and forms a hundred times? But really, I thought this was quite tasty, one of the best of this type - and I was even excited to eat it for left-overs the next day!

I think recipes like this usually don't pack enough flavor, so I used spinach-chive fettuccine instead of normal spaghetti and made sure to add a lot of basil - maybe even double! I also had a number of extra veggies lying around, so I threw in some zucchini, mushrooms, and asparagus. All were a nice touch!

I also sauteed the veggies together beforehand since I had added in all those extra veggies. I thought it turned out great, and since there were so many flavors involved and the vegetables were mixed in with the green noodles, my kids ate a ton of the vegetables with no problem - always a good thing!

For what it was, it was 4 stars. Plus, it was so easy and used a lot of ingredients I had on hand and needed to get rid of anyway, I love those kinds of recipes!

Without further ado, you can find the recipe here or below:

Fresh Tomato Basil Pasta

2 large ripe, firm tomatoes, diced (about 2 cups)
1 Tb fresh chopped basil or 1 tsp dried basil (I doubled the basil)
1-2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
½ tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp fresh ground pepper
Shredded Parmesan cheese
6-8 oz angel hair pasta ( we prefer whole wheat) (I used spinach-chive fettuccine and it worked great!)
I also added zucchini, mushrooms, and asparagus, all chopped up to a large/rough dice

Mix together the diced tomatoes, chopped basil, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Let "marinate" on counter for 30 minutes. Cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and toss with the tomato mixture. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan. Mmmmmm

Tomato and Mozzarella Quesadillas with Basil

If Heaven is a place where we sit around all day and eat fresh basil all day, then sign me up! I absolutely love this easy recipe. These little bites of deliciousness are something we make around here for a fast, easy, comfort food-y kind of meal. The ingredients are deceptively common, but don't be fooled. Something about the mozzarella and basil, mixed with pine nuts (provided there aren't allergies in your home), and a healthy dose of pepper (and a little salt) create an amazing flavor that is more than the sum of its parts. Fresh mozzarella obviously is best, but for some nights (like the other night), when I'm in a pinch, I just use the frozen mozzarella I keep in the freezer for just such occasions.I really think you can't over-do it on the basil, and I do think fresh, not dried, basil is key to the deliciousness. Just heat up the pan with a little spray or oil, throw a tortilla on, add some fixings, fold it over and then flip it, cook a little more, and serve! Mmmmm...just talking about it makes me hungry!

Are you kidding me? 5 stars, for sure.

Recipe below and here. Oh, and I know I make them a little differently than they do, but I like my way just a little better. =)

Serves 4 Hands-On Time: 15m Total Time: 20m

Tomato and Mozzarella Quesadillas with Basil

Ingredients:
8 8-inch flour tortillas
12 ounces grated or sliced mozzarella
2 tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1/2 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch fresh basil, leaves picked
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Heat grill to medium. Arrange 4 of the tortillas on a cutting board. Arrange the mozzarella and tomatoes on the tortillas, leaving a 1-inch border empty. Season with ½ teaspoon of the salt and the pepper and top with the remaining tortillas.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the basil, pine nuts, oil, and the remaining salt; set aside.
3. Cook the quesadillas around the perimeter of the grill until the cheese melts and the tortillas are crisp and golden, about 2 minutes per side.
4. Immediately cut the quesadillas into wedges and serve with the basil salad.
   

Sweet and Spicy Chicken Tacos: Day 4 Slow Cooker Chicken Menu

Whew! And that's a wrap! That (unbelievably cheap) whole chicken successfully fed my family for 4 meals! There is just something very satisfying about feeling like you used the whole chicken.

Ok, drum roll please. I am about to introduce you to the easiest recipe you've ever seen...and so, so very delicious.

For Day 4 (and I call it "day 4" because it was the 4th meal made with the chicken, but we didn't eat chicken 4 days in a row. I rationed it over a week, so in case you are thinking "ugh, I just couldn't stomach that chicken so many days in a row!", no need to fear. You can space it out.) we had Sweet and Spicy Chicken Tacos. This recipe actually came at me unexpectedly. I was at a friend's house who made this a few nights ago and it was so delicious that I knew I had to use my already-cooked chicken to complete this, the world's easiest meal ever!

This meal isn't by any means fancy, but it is delicious and super easy and I am giving it 5 stars!So, without further ado, I give you:

Sweet and Spicy Chicken Tacos
(at least, that's what I'm calling them because I have no idea what else to call them!)

Ingredients:
2 Cups (about 1/2 pound - more or less to your liking)
1 Cup brown sugar
2 10 oz cans Enchilada Sauce (I used Mild, but you can use whatever you like)
Fixings for tacos: corn or flour tortillas, cheese, quacamole, sour cream, tomatoes, olives...etc...)

Directions:
Mix the sugar and enchilada sauce together. Place chicken in a slow cooker or a sauce pan large enough to hold all ingredients. Pour sauce over chicken. Stir. Cook on low in a slow cooker for approximately 2 hours or until ready. Alternatively, you can also cook it in a sauce pan for 30 minutes over medium heat as well. Serve according to your taste.
I used this quacamole recipe... mmmmmm!

Squash and Chickpea Moroccan Stew

Have you been introduced to Smitten Kitchen? I just recently was, and I'm sort of wondering how I ever culinarily survived without it. Wow. Love the commentary, love the experimentation with various foods, love the healthiness...just love it. I've tried a few recipes from their site - stay tuned for more reviews!I recently tried their Squash and Chickpea Moroccan Stew.
It was healthy! It was delicious! It was...easy. No really, I bet you have many of the ingredients on hand. I find Moroccan food to be a very delicate balance of sweet and savory at the same time and most places I've eaten it don't seem to achieve that balance perfectly. However, this recipe balanced the flavors beautifully. The crunchy chickpeas (I left out the almonds), the savory potatoes, the sweet butternut squash (which I bought pre-peeled - awesome!), the cinnamon and cumin together...it all added up to perfection.
I was skeptical of the green olives, but if you make this, you must put them in. I bought a cheap brand, so they don't need to be anything special, but they really made the dish in a serious way. Even if you don't like green olives, humor me. They really are perfect in the dish. With a dollop of yogurt (or sour cream if you're like me and you meant to buy plain yogurt, but you inadvertently bought vanilla...hate when that happens) it was just delicious, hearty and healthy. This dish is one I'll make over and over again!Mmmm...
4 Stars