Fusilli alla Caprese

Another great recipe from Giada. I love how fresh everything is!

Fusilli alla Caprese

• 1 pound fusilli pasta
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered (about 1 1/2 pints)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves, torn
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, diced (about 1 1/4 cups)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta into a large bowl and reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.

In a medium skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper. As the tomatoes cook and soften, smash them with a fork. Continue to cook until the tomatoes make a chunky style sauce, about 4 minutes. Transfer the tomato sauce to the bowl with the pasta. Toss to combine. Add the basil leaves and mozzarella. Stir to combine. Add the reserved pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, until the pasta is moist. Serve.

*picture from here

Roasted Chicken with Red Potatoes and Asparagus

Dont be shocked Mandy-- I am actually going to post something!

Andrew and I love this meal and it is super easy, healthy, (and no dairy ).

• Cooking spray
• 3 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, chopped into 2 inch cubes
• 2 lb red potatoes, chopped into 2 inch cubes (4-5 medium size)
  
• 1 1/2 cups chopped Roma tomatoes (2-3)
  
• 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 3/4 cup fresh basil, chopped (dried is fine too)
  
• 8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
• Ground pepper to taste

METHOD:
Preheat oven to 400°F and spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Add chicken, potatoes, tomatoes, asparagus, basil, garlic and olive oil. Sprinkle with rosemary. Add pepper if desired. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, turning occasionally until tender. Serve.

La Madeleine's Tomato Basil Soup

This was in the Fort-Worth Star Telegram several years ago. Yummy!

4 cups (8-10) tomatoes, peeled, cored and chopped
OR 4 cups canned whole tomtoes, crushed (can't you use diced?)
4 cups tomato or V-8 juice OR part juice and part vegetable or chicken stock
12-14 washed fresh basil leaves
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 lb. butter (it says to use unsalted but you have salted butter so just add less salt to taste!)
salt to taste
1/4 t. cracked black pepper

Combine tomatoes, juice or juice/stock in saucepan. Simmer 20 minutes. In blender or food processor, puree mixture with basil leaves added in small batches. Return to saucepan. Over low heat, stir in cream and butter. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with basil leaves and serve with your favorite bread.

As is, 248 calories per cup--83% of calories are from fat! You could substitute 1/2 and 1/2 or even milk for the cream but it won't taste as rich!

Orange-Basil Chicken

1 1/2 lb. Chicken breasts
3 T. cornstarch, divided
1 (12 oz.) bag fresh broccoli florets
2 T. olive oil, divided
3/4 c. orange juice
5 T. lite soy sauce
1/4 c. honey
3 T. grated fresh ginger
1/4 c. chopped fresh basil
1 t. grated orange rind
Hot Cooked Rice

1. Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces. Toss with 2 T. cornstarch, and set aside.
2. Saute broccoli in 1 T. hot oil in large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, 4 minutes; remove from skillet, and set aside.
3. Saute chicken pieces in remaining 1 T. oil in skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, 8 minutes or until done. Reduce heat to medium.
4. Whisk together orange juice, soy sauce, honey, ginger and remaining 1 T. cornstarch. Add orange juice mixture and broccoli to chicken, and cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes or until sauce is thickened. Stir in basil and orange rind. Serve over hot cooked rice.

(also good adding 1/2 c. cashews to orange juice mixture)
From: Southern Living Cooking School-Summer 2006