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Basil
Monday's Leftovers: Thai Beef With Coconut Rice
Last night I made an Eastern European-inspired ground sirloin stew with egg noodles, and tonight I'm going to use the leftover beef to make something on the opposite end of the spectrum! I'm craving takeout, but — inspired by my recent successes — I'm going to continue my pattern of preparing Asian foods at home.
Spice up the sirloin with the help of minced garlic, lime, and Asian fish sauce, and wake up your senses with freshly-torn basil and julienned chiles.
Pesto: Love It or Hate It?
One of the things I'm going to miss most about Summer is homemade fresh pesto. I just can't get enough of it: I love it on everything from pasta to seafood to sandwiches. However, with its green color and pungent raw garlic, pesto is not enjoyed by everyone.
Happy Hour: Basil Sangria
From wine spritzers to cabernet caipirinhas, this Summer, I've been all about sipping wine-based cocktails. The one I'm most infatuated with is sangria. I've experimented with tropical fruit sangria and floral liquor sangria.
Say Cheese! Grilled Fontina and Prosciutto Pizza
Fontina is a creamy Italian cow's milk cheese with a texture that varies depending on the age. Typically young fontina is soft and extremely good for melting, while mature fontina is hard. Originally native to Italy's Aosta Valley, fontina is now produced in Denmark, France, and the United States.
Summer of Salads: Caprese Salad
Here on the West Coast, we haven't been hard-hit by the year's devastating tomato blight, so I've been taking advantage of my good fortune by supporting growers of heirloom tomatoes (perhaps a little too much; the other day I bought $21 worth of them!). As a salad fanatic, I had to make my favorite type of tomato salad.
The insalata Caprese, which literally translates to "salad from Capri," is composed of three main ingredients: fresh mozzarella, vine-ripened tomatoes, and basil leaves.
The Basics: Pesto
When basil is in season, I can't make enough pesto. The classic Italian sauce native to Genoa tastes delicious on everything from pasta to pizza to grilled fish. It's excellent stirred into salads or slathered on sandwich bread.
Say Cheese! Tomato and Goat Cheese Tarts
Earlier today I teased your tastebuds with a goat cheese quiz, so it's only fair to share my current favorite goat cheese recipe: tomato and goat cheese tarts. Goat's milk has a high amount of fatty acids (much more than cow's milk) that provide the cheese with its characteristic tart flavor.
Goat cheese most commonly comes in a soft, spreadable, crumbly form, although there are hard aged varieties that have a consistency more like feta.
Fast & Easy Dinner: Grilled Bruschetta Chicken
I've had bruschetta on the brain lately, as I take advantage of tomato season while it lasts. So rather than limit my tomato and basil toppings to crusty bread, I'm adding this marinated chicken recipe to my dinner repertoire — it's perfect for a warm evening when you're short on time. This dish is cooked on the grill, then topped with caprese-inspired ingredients for a delicious, melty meal.
Come Party With Me: Bastille Day Lunch — Drinks
Nothing gets the conversation rolling at a party like flowing drinks. For a Bastille Day lunch, serve a refreshingly light apéritif-based cocktail, such as the Lillet-basil concoction seen here. Lillet is a French alcoholic drink made from a blend of wine, brandy, fruits, and herbs.
'Wich of the Week: Heirloom Tomato Caprese Sandwich
You can do pretty much anything with the succulent, summery caprese salad concept, from caprese skewers to caprese nachos. So when heirloom tomatoes started showing up at my farmers market, I whipped up a sandwich featuring the classic combination of fresh basil and mozzarella cheese.
I'm almost embarrassed by how easy it is to make, but that's why this sandwich is perfect for the season.
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