April 26, 2024

Basil Pesto

September 2, 2013 by

Here on our At Home with GCH blog, Monday’s are always focused on healthy but oh-so-yummy! recipes. We are continuing our series of summer recipes featuring in-season produce. Our featured ingredient this week is basil!  We can all identify the pungent aroma of basil…mmmm!  Basil has all kinds of health benefits <who knew?!>; check out some info here.  While basil is definitely ‘in-season’ here at the height of the summer growing season, it actually is easily grown as a houseplant.  Consider purchasing a small pot of basil (even in the grocery store) and keeping it in a cute little pot right on your sunniest windowsill.  Easily you could be pinching off a handful of leaves to make into pesto, or scatter some into a Caprese Salad, or slicing them up to finish off your best pot of spaghetti sauce all winter long!  Enjoy!

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Pesto

Ingredients:
2 cups basil2013-08-28 17.06.40
2 cups baby spinach leaves
3 tablespoons (or more!) chopped garlic (I use jarred)
2/3 cup pine nuts
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 lemon, juiced
2/3 cup olive oil

Directions:

  • Place the  pine nuts and garlic in the bowl of a food processor and blend for 15 seconds.
  • Add the basil, spinach, salt, and pepper.
  • With the food processor running, slowly pour the olive oil and the lemon juice into the bowl through the feed tube.
  • Process until the pesto is thoroughly pureed.
  • Add the Parmesan and puree ‘til thoroughly incorporated (30-40 seconds).
  • Use immediately. *See below for hints on storing the extra pesto.  Enjoy!

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This is how we enoyed the pesto: Mix 1/4 – 1/3 cup into a pound or so of shrimp sauteed with LOTS of garlic.  Bread on the side.  As you can see, we also enjoyed a delicious Caprese salad (click link above for recipe) as well as spaghetti squash sauteed along with some zucchini.  No complaints were heard!  🙂

Store extra pesto in the refrigerator for up to 1 week in a small container with a very thin film of olive oil on top (to seal out air).  Can also be frozen in an ice cube tray, or (my favorite) in mini-muffin cups.  To do this, wipe the muffin tin compartments with a paper towel dipped in olive oil.  Spoon in a heaping tablespoon of pesto into the compartments.  Place in freezer.  After a couple of hours, remove tin from freezer.  Set gently into a sink with just a little bit of hot water; this should loosen the individual portions of pesto.  Pop them all into a freezer container…you will be so glad you did!

♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

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Caprese Quiche with Hash Brown Crust

July 29, 2013 by

Here on our At Home with GCH blog, Monday’s are always focused on healthy but oh-so-yummy! recipes.  We continue our series of summer recipes featuring in-season ingredients.  Our featured ingredient this week is grape tomatoes!  Oh, I love tiny tomatoes…do you?  They are just so sweet!  Here’s a link  to some great info on the incredible benefits of these beautiful little orbs!

In today’s blog, I am sharing a recipe for a filling, nutritious, delicious quiche.  Included along with our feature ingredient is another in-season vegetable: fresh spinach.  (Baby spinach would be awesome here!)   Also, here is a link to a recipe posted previously on our At Home with GCH blog for Caprese Salad.  Both recipes meet our standard for healthy but oh-so-yummy!  Enjoy!

 

Caprese Quiche with Hash Brown Crust

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Crust:

Ingredients:
3 cups frozen hash browns, thawed
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 425.
  • Thaw hash brown potatoes, and blot between paper towels to remove excess moisture.
  • Combine in mixing bowl with melted butter, Parmesan cheese, and seasonings.
  • Lightly grease 9″  glass pie plate.
  • Pour potato mixture into pie plate and press firmly onto bottom and up sides of pie plate…go all the way up to the rim.
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes until lightly browned; do not let burn!
  • When done, remove from oven.  Place on a cooling rack and allow to cool slightly while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.  Reduce oven temp to 350.

Filling:

Ingredients:
1 medium sweet onion, diced
2 teaspoons olive oil
good-sized handful (12-14 grape tomatoes), chopped
1/2-3/4 cup fresh spinach leaves, sliced 1/4″ slices
1 heaping tablespoon chopped garlic (I use jarred)

Directions

  • Heat olive oil in medium-sized saute pan over medium heat.
  • Add diced onions and cook for 6-7 minutes until softened but just slightly browned.
  • While onions are cooking, chop tomatoes (drain away any excess juice).
  • To slice spinach, stack a number of leaves, and then just carefully slice down through them into 1/4″ slices; repeat until all spinach is sliced.
  • When onions are ready, add tomatoes, spinach, and garlic.  Saute for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until spinach has wilted.
  • Remove from stovetop and allow to cool.

Egg Custard:

Ingredients:
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup 2% milk
1/2 cup ricotta
dash of Kosher salt
1/2-1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup breadcrumbs (I used gluten free)

1 cup fresh mozzarella balls, rough chopped

Directions
To the lightly beaten eggs, add the milk, ricotta, seasonings, and breadcrumbs; whisk together until smooth.

To assemble: Once baked crust has cooled slightly, layer in filling ingredients.  To make this spill-proof, I then put the pieplate on the oven rack and then pour the custard on top.  Add chopped cheese and swirl with fork to evenly distribute ingredients over the crust. Bake until eggs are set and cheese is slightly browned, approximately 30 minutes or so.  Let stand for 10 minutes to set up and finish cooking.  Cut into four – six wedges.

Here are a few other great ways to do caprese:

http://www.buzzfeed.com/rachelysanders/delicious-ways-to-eat-caprese

 ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥ coleen

_________________________________

If you would like to send a personal message to Coleen concerning this series, you may email her at: Coleen@girlfriendscoffeehour.com

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At Home with GCH: Caprese Salad

May 6, 2013 by

Here on our At Home with GCH blog, Monday’s are always focused on healthy but oh-so-yummy! recipes.  This week I am sharing a dish that I often prepare for gatherings—Caprese Salad, aka Fresh Mozzarella and Tomato Salad.  Here we are thick in the season of bridal showers and graduation parties and Mother’s Day  and Father’s Day celebrations.  Today I made this for a bridal shower, and so I multiplied the recipe 4X.  It served over 40 ladies as a side dish on the salads table.  If you are preparing this in advance, add the vinegar and olive oil just prior to serving.

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Caprese Salad

8 ounces fresh mozzarella
1/2 pint grape or cherry tomatoes
basil * (fresh is best); if using dried, 1/2-3/4 teaspoon)
kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (I use ‘white’ balsamic)
1-2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

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Easy-peasy!  Depending on the size of the fresh mozzarella you have bought, you might need to cut the balls of mozzarella into small, bite-size pieces; halve the tomatoes, and sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste.  Thinly slice the basil*.  Add the sliced basil to the seasoned tomatoes and cheese.  Pour a small amount of olive oil and some of the balsamic vinegar over and gently mix. Taste; add more vinegar and olive oil, if necessary.  Serve immediately.

*tip: stack 3-4 basil leaves; tightly roll-up (like a tiny cigar!); then carefully slice into very thin slices. You have now accomplished the technique known as ‘chiffonade!’  You are amazing!  🙂

 

God loves you!  ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥ coleen

_________________________________

If you would like to send a personal message to Coleen concerning this series, you may email her at: Coleen@girlfriendscoffeehour.com

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At Home with GCH: More Appetizers

February 11, 2013 by

Here on our At Home with GCH blog, Monday’s are always focused on healthy but oh-so-yummy! recipes. And this month we are doing a series of looks at appetizers. Here in the NorthEast, we are in the middle of a snowstorm. So,  I thought…’summery food!’  🙂  This week’s appetizer selections are Caprese Salad and Zucchini Fritters. We enjoyed these as a vegetarian supper tonight!

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I hope you enjoy these fritters as much as we do! They go along with our healthy but oh-so-yummy category because they are loaded with zucchini, and a good shot of whole grains in the cornbread. And, even though lightly fried in a bit of oil, they are no greasier than your weekend pancakes!

As I confessed last week: I love appetizers! Whether you call them tapas, small bites, hors d’ouerves, antipasto, or simply appetizers; no matter what you call ‘em…I like ‘em!  I would love for you to leave a comment below sharing with us YOUR favorite appetizer!

Zucchini Fritters

1 box of Jiffy Cornbread mix  IMG_1404
1 medium zucchini, shredded (do not peel!)
1/2 cup milk
good squeeze of juice from a fresh lemon
1 egg
1 tablespoon of melted butter
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
dash of ground nutmeg
Oil of your choice (but NOT olive oil)
Kosher salt

Preheat oven to 250. Place an oven-safe platter into the oven.

Shred zucchini into a colander; sprinkle with a small amount of kosher salt. Let sit to drain 5 minutes or so. Then dump onto a double layer of paper towels. Blot with a couple of additional paper towels, removing as much moisture as possible.

Stir milk and lemon juice together = buttermilk!  Lightly beat egg in a small mixing bowl. Stir in buttermilk, zucchini, seasonings, melted butter and, finally, cornbread mix. DO NOT overmix; there might be a small lump or two. Let sit for 3 minutes.

While mixture is resting, add a small amount of oil to a large nonstick frying pan; bring up to medium heat; then reduce heat to low. Add the fritter mix by scoops, spacing apart for easier turning. When edges appear dry, and there are a few little bubbles on the surface of the fritters, carefully flip. Once cooked, remove to platter in oven, sprinkle with a bit of salt and keep warm while remainder of batter is cooked.

  • For larger size fritters: use 1/4 cup-sized measuring cup or a large cookie scoop.
  • For smaller, bite-size fritters, use a tablespoon measure or a small cookie scoop.

These can be served hot or warm. Serving options are many: Caprese Salad (recipe below); guacamole, sour cream, salsa…

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Continuing our “bit of summer in the midst of a snowstorm” theme, I prepared a quick Caprese Salad, aka Fresh Mozzarella and Tomato Salad. Not much tastes more like summer to me than a yummy, ripe, delicious tomato. Not so easy to find in the wintertime though! However, I find that the tiny tomatoes (grape, cherry, mini—whichever varieties your grocery store carries) are usually very flavorful and yummy all winter long!

Caprese Salad

various sizes of fresh mozzarella from my favorite brand—Belgioso!

8 ounces fresh mozzarella
1/2 pint tomatoes
Basil * (fresh is best)
Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper
1-2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil.   Easy-peasy!  Depending on the size of the fresh mozzarella you have bought, you might need to cut the mozzarella into small, bite-size pieces; halve the tomatoes, and sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste.  Thinly slice the basil*.  Add the sliced basil to the seasoned tomatoes and cheese.  Pour a small amount of olive oil over and gently mix. Serve immediately.*Gourmet tip: stack 3-4 basil leaves; tightly roll-up (like a tiny cigar!); then carefully slice into very thin slices. You have now accomplished the technique known as ‘chiffonade!’  You are amazing!

 

God loves you!  ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥ coleen

_________________________________

If you would like to send a personal message to Coleen concerning this series, you may email her at: Coleen@girlfriendscoffeehour.com

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