Basil Tomato Panini

It is Garden Basil and Tomato Season!  Enjoy a simple and amazing Grilled Panini sandwich!

INGREDIENTS:
Sliced Sourdough (I love the Cracked Wheat Sourdough from Trader Joes)
Mayo OR Basil Pesto (pictured)
Fresh Basil
Sliced fresh tomatoes
Provolone or mozzerella cheese (or a combo of both!)

Divine Lemon Basil Caesar Dressing

One of my favorite restaurants is Pizza Limone.  Their Pera Pizza is a life changer!  I also love their Caesar Salad.  It has this light flavorful dressing with notes of lemon and basil.  I think I have created something that comes really close to the real thing!  This dressing is also good on Salmon, street tacos, etc. Image from Here

Dressing (Makes 2 cups):

• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 cup light olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves (or more to taste)

*In a blender, combine all ingredients.  Blend on high for 20 seconds or until smooth and creamy.  Store dressing in Refridgerator for up to 1 month.

Image from Pizza Limone Menu

Salad:

• Romaine
• Grated Parmesean
• Lemon wedges
• *Note: I also like to add shredded carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, toasted almonds, and grilled chicken 
• Basil Caesar Dressing

 

 

Fresh Mint and/or Basil Dressing

My sister discovered this delicious recipe while trying to figure out what to do with her abundant Mint crop growing in her yard.  This has such a fresh taste, you will love it!  As noted in the recipe below, I have also made this same recipe using basil leaves or a combination of basil and mint and that is delicious as well!

This works well on salads, protein vegetable bowls, and street tacos.

 Image and recipe from Cookie and Kate.

INGREDIENTS

• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ cup lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
• ¼ cup packed fresh mint OR Basil leaves 
• 3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 10 twists of freshly ground black pepper

-NOTE:  I have doubled the amount of mint/basil leaves in the recipe and love that as well if you like a stronger herb flavor.  It is also really delicious to do a combination of Mint AND Basil together!

Mediteranean Flatbread Pizza

This is good warm OR at room temperature OR some of my kinds even prefer it cold! 

This is really easy to make if you use a premed crust, flatbread, naan, 

or pita bread as your base.  

Picture and recipe idea from HERE.

CRUST: (I like to use premade pita bread or Trader Joes Middle East Flatbread)

SAUCE: Spinach Pesto, Cilantro Pesto (see recipe below), or Basil Pesto

TOPPING Ideas:

black or calamata olives

feta cheese

mozzarella cheese

artichokes

arugula (add after baking)

spinach

cherry tomatoes

red onion

sun dried tomatoes

grilled chicken

-Top pita bread with sauce, then layer desired toppings.  

For the cilantro pesto blend the following:
1½ cups fresh cilantro
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tbsp. pecans
2 tbsp. pine nuts
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

 

THE BEST Tomato Caprese

 

This is one of my all-time Favorite easy and delicious appetizers.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Fresh tomatoes, sliced

Fresh mozzarella slices

Olive Oil

Fresh basil

salt/pepper

Trader Joes Everyday Seasoning

Trader Joes Balsamic Glaze

-Layer tomatoes and cheese in desired pattern.  Sprinkle with salt/pepper/seasoning.  Drizzle with a little olive oil and balsamic glaze.  Top with chopped fresh basil.

Citrus Beet and Avocado Salad

 

Image Credit: Chelsea's Messy Apron

My sister and I made this recipe together.  So now every time I make it I think of her!  I love that about cooking.  It rekindles memories and reminds us of friendships and family.  

This salad is so beautiful and delicious.  It is a nice and creative switch up to your typical salad.  If you can't find all of the different kinds of oranges, just use 1-2 kinds.

Orange Vinaigrette Dressing:

2 TBS fresh navel orange juice + 1 tsp zest

1 tsp dijon mustard

2 TBS honey

2 TBS apple cider vinegar

2 TBS olive oil

salt/pepper

Salad:

4 beets

2 naval oranges

2 tangelos

2 cara cara oranges

2 blood oranges

2 avocados

1/3 c. goat or feta cheese

1/3 c. coarsely chopped lightly salted pistachios

Optional-but highly recommend!: fresh mint or basil

Basil Pesto Salad Dressing

Pesto Dressing:

2 oz red wine vinegar

6 oz light olive oil

1/2 c. prepared pesto (Costco's brand works great)

BLT Salad

I know we're heading into fall...but I love salads!  My garden cherry tomatoes are amazingly sweet this year.  Here is a tasty version of one of my favorite sandwiches!  You can either use the Pesto Dressing (recipe below), blue cheese dressing, italian dressing, or ranch dressing.

Salad:
Mixed Greens
Spinach
Iceberg
Cherry Tomatoes
Avocado
Crumbled Bacon
Gorgonzola (or other preferred cheese)
Shredded Carrots
**Fresh Basil, chopped--secret ingredient!!!

Pesto Dressing:
2 oz red wine vinegar
6 oz light olive oil
1/2 c. prepared pesto (Costco's brand works great)

Fresh Fig Green Salad

 I had this salad at my sister's house.  I've never had figs in a salad before.  They are so beautiful!  This is a great salad to break away from usual routine!

Fresh Figs, sliced
Fresh Greens (I like to use the mixed greens from Costco)
fresh basil, chopped
diced red onion
goat cheese
optional fruit (blueberries, raisins, chopped apple, pears, grapes)
pistachios (or slivered toasted almonds)

Honey Mustard Dressing:
1 garlic cloves, minced
1 c. light olive oil
2 TBS dijon mustard
3 TBS honey
3 TBS red wine vinegar (or balsamic vinegar)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Garden Greek Salad with Balsamic Glaze

We have an abundance of tomatoes and cucumbers this year!  This is a great salad to utilize that abundance.  I love adding celery to give it the extra crunch, the creaminess of the avocado, and fresh basil and chives from our garden give this salad extra delicious taste!

In a large bowl combine (in any ratio you prefer):
cherry tomatoes (yellow pear tomatoes are beautiful too in this dish--mine aren't ripe yet!)
diced tomatoes
diced cucumber
chopped celery
diced avocado
feta cheese (or you can do fresh mozzarella cut in small cubes)
fresh basil
fresh chives (or finely chopped red onion)
salt/pepper to taste
--Toss ingredients with some Olive Garden Dressing.  Garnish with sliced tomatoes and balsamic glaze.

Summer Tomato Salad

Picture from Williams Sonoma Outdoor Entertaining Cookbook.

This is a beautiful simple summer salad!

3 avocados
Juice from 1 lemon
8 assorted heirloom tomatoes
1 small red onion, thinly slices
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt
ground pepper
2 TBS coarsely chopped fresh Italian parsley (or basil)

-Arrange sliced vegetables on platter.  Drizzle with oil.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and garnish with fresh herbs on top!

Caprese Salad

This picture is from the Williams Sonoma Outdoor Entertaining Cookbook.  I love the presentation of this Caprese salad!

Tomatoes
Fresh Mozzarella
Fresh Basil Leaves
Extra Virgin Olive oil for drizzling
Balsamic GLAZE for drizzling (different from balsamic vinegar--glaze is thicker and sweeter)
Sea Salt and Ground Pepper for garnish