Zesty Cook » basil

A Basil Hummus and Day 4 of Zesty Christmas

zesty — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 12:35:44 +0000

How To Enter the Kitchen Aid Giveaway Today:

For today’s entry – Tweet about the contest: “@ZestyCook is hosting a 12 Days of @KitchenAidUSA Christmas giveaway! Enter to win a KitchenAid mixer! (http://wp.me/pimYR-1Kv).” Must leave a comment on this post with the link to the tweet for the entry to be valid. If you do not have twitter, you can just comment and tell a friend about it and let me know.

Super Yum Basil Hummus

Get your crackers ready, slice that pita bread in triangles and get ready for a dip. You know what I am talking about. Who does not like homemade hummus? Who does not like basil infused hummus? Well, roll up your sleeves, grab your food processor and give this a whirl. It takes all of 5 minutes to make and you will not be disappointed in the least.

It sort of makes sense, doesn’t it? Like a cross between hummus and pesto. The basil and the pine nuts bring life to the hummus. A little tomato paste adds a touch of sweetness and the hot sauce adds just a little zing. This was a hit with everyone who tried it, so I hope you like it too. Basil is pretty easy to get all year round but fresh homemade basil in late summer would be the cat’s *%s for this dish.

Ingredients

1/4 Cup pine nuts
2 Cups sweet basil leaves, packed
3 cloves garlic, smashed then minced
2 19 oz cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained
1/4 Cup olive oil
1/3 Cup fresh lemon juice
1 Tsp. Salt
1/2 Tsp. Hot Sauce
1 Tsp. Tomato paste

Method

Heat the pine nuts in a small skillet on medium high heat. Stir them when they start to brown. When most of them have lightly browned, remove them from the pan into a bowl to cool. (Reserve a few pine nuts for garnish.)
In the bowl of a food processor, place the basil leaves and the garlic. Pulse until finely chopped.
Add the rinsed and drained garbanzo beans, most of the pine nuts, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, tomato paste, and a few dashes of Tabasco. Pulse several times, for several seconds each time, until the hummus is smooth.
Add more Hot sauce and salt or lemon juice to taste.
Add water to the point of desired consistency.
To serve, place in a bowl and drizzle a little olive oil over it. Sprinkle with a few toasted pine nuts. Serve with pita wedges, crackers, or rustic bread. Maybe even just a spoon!

Zesty Tip: If the hummus sits for a day or two in the fridge, I like to drizzle a little olive oil over the top as it will begin to tighten up. The olive oil will bring it back to the correct consistency.

Contest Recap

For today’s entry – Tweet about the contest: “@ZestyCook is hosting a 12 Days of @KitchenAidUSA Christmas giveaway! Enter to win a KitchenAid mixer! (http://wp.me/pimYR-1Kv).” Must leave a comment on this post with the link to the tweet for the entry to be valid. If you do not have twitter, you can just comment and tell a friend about it and let me know.

Previous Ways to Enter

Please “like” the Zesty Cook facebook page and come back and tell me you did it. If you are already a “liker,” leave a comment telling me you are already a fan.
Tell me your favorite holiday tradition and leave a comment telling me.
Tell Zesty your favorite Holiday dish

Please be sure to leave separate comments for each entry to increase your chance to win!

Ok, I better get going here and get to the office. Try this hummus and tell me if you love it! I received a nice comment last night on my about page from a long time reader apparently. Made me smile. Have a great day and talk to you on Friday!

Take care

zesty

Dual Grilled Chicken w/ Lemon Butter Basil Sauce

zesty — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 14:40:12 +0000

Top of the week to you from the campground. The internet access here at the campground is terrible (hopefully the owners are reading this post) as it is pretty much unuseable. With that said, I took the show on the road and am getting the post done at a local CAP site down the road.

Yesterday was a great day for camping, sun was shining, nice breeze and lots to do. We got up and loathed around for a few hours and then hit the beach. The beach was very nice and relaxing, kids had a lot of fun in the sand but the water was “FREEZING“. I went in with Carter for a little jolt and I thought my toes were going to be frost bitten. I quickly darted back to the towel and assumed my normal position of lying down. Yeah I am somewhat lazy at the beach.

After the beach we had too pick up a few things for supper. We invited our friends over for a little snack which turned out quite well. I had marinated a couple of small chickens in the fridge before we left as I wanted to roast them on the bbq upon return.

The bird... ready for eats

The marinade was pretty simple but offered a great aroma while the birds were roasting.

The marinade on the chicken getting ready to wait for 4 hours while we go to the beach.

I paired the chicken with roasted caluiflower on the grill served with a mango chutney, some grilled zuchini topped with feta cheese and balsamic vinegar and a nice fresh salad with toasted walnuts and blueberries. All in all it was a good meal and everyone enjoyed themselves even most of the kids except for picky Mr. Carter who opted for a peanut butter sandwich.

Ingredients

2 chickens (prepped and cleaned)
1 Tbsp. mustard
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. cumin
1 Tbsp. corriander
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tsp. red pepper flakes
1 Tsp. onion powder

Sauce

1/2 Cup Butter
Juice of 2 lemons
Zest of 1 lemon
4-5 sprigs of basil , torn

Method

Mix together all the ingredients except the chicken in a bowl and set aside. Place the birds in a tinfoil roasting pan.
Rub the marinade all over the chicken ensuring it is covered and than wrap it in saran wrap for a few hours. The longer the better.
Preheat the grill to medium heat.
Place the roasting pan on the grill and let cook for about 90 minutes. you can turn the chickens to get them really golden brown if you like to eat the skin.
For the sauce, preheat a pan over medium heat and melt the butter. Add the lemon juice and zest and cook together for 5 minutes.
Add the basil and serve.
ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: When doing dry rubs, I like to add a little olive oil to bind the ingredients together and make it into more of a paste. I find it allows the flavors to adhere to the meat better.

So there you have a simple roasted chicken done on the grill outside. The flavors were really good especially with that little hint of mustard. I am going to get going and enjoy camping. I will talk to you on Wednesday. Have a good start to your week.

Take care

zesty

A+ Lemon Chicken

zesty — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 12:00:47 +0000

Help The Students Event: Day 18

Happy Friday! It is hard to believe that the end of the month is drawing so near. Does anybody else feel that September flew by? I cannot believe it. Lots of action over here so I guess that usually makes time fly. Alright, today I have a very special post! This recipe has been donated by a zesty in law and truly is a family favorite. In fact this recipe is by far one of the all time fav’s of a zesty niece ( The niece who really inspired me to start the help the students events ).

I have consumed this recipe many times and I must say it is super easy, very quick and the sauce always hits the spot. The combination of lemon and basil flavor the chicken and infuse a tremendous balance in your mouth. This recipe literally takes the amount of time it takes to boil some noodles in a pot. The sauce is completely done in the microwave, the chicken is sauteed on the cook top and the entire dish makes friends with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Take a look at the recipe and let me know what you think.

Ingredients

2 Chicken Breasts ( chopped )
1 Tbsp. Basil ( dried )
2 Tbsp. Fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. Soy sauce
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Box Roitini Noodles
Parmesan cheese ( grated )
Salt ( for pasta water )

Method

Combine basil, olive oil, lemon juice and soy sauce in a large microwaveable dish
In a medium sauce pan, cook pasta according to directions
Heat saute pan over medium heat and begin to cook chicken until no longer pink. Once chicken is no longer pink, transfer to the sauce dish
Heat on high in microwave for 2 minutes.
Drain pasta noodles and plate. Serve chicken and sauce on the side or atop the noodles ( whichever you prefer )
Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese

ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: If you have leftovers, keep the sauce separate from the noodles and reheat the sauce . Once the sauce has been warmed through you can put it on top of the noodle and reheat together. This will avoid the congealed texture from the sauce and keep the noodles from clumping together.

Hopefully you enjoyed this simple chicken dish. This is a great recipe to make using tofu or even a vegetable such as squash or eggplant. So whether you are a meatatarian, vegetarian or full vegan you can spin this recipe to your liking. I would like to wish you all a great weekend and hopefully the weather holds on for a few more days.

I am golfing on Sunday with the “BOYS” so I am looking forward to that. Other items on the agenda include some yard work, some writing and of course some cooking. I will be back on Monday morning with a few more days of the “Help the Students Event” to round out the week.

Take care

zesty

A Salad and A Sunset

zesty — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 12:00:19 +0000

Well the zoo was amazing and the vacation has been a ton of fun so far. It feels like we have been going non stop day and night and by the time I get to bed I am exhausted. I am not complaining as the kids are having a ball!

We are slated to head over to Halifax, NS today and tonight and stay in a Jungle Theme Room that I booked last night ( the kids don’t know yet). I think they will be super excited as it is a SUITE with bunk beds. Before we get moving along, I wanted to share a fun summer salad with you.

Do you like watermelon? How about fresh basil and mint? The colors and fresh flavor really make people happy. This salad is really fresh and will definitely make you and your guests happy. The combination of juicy watermelon and crisp cucumbers along with the nice sharp flavor of feta – this is a HIT. The citrus dressing just screams summer so eat up and enjoy!

Super Summer Watermelon Salad

Ingredients

2 Cups seeded and diced ripe watermelon
2 Cups seeded and diced cucumber
Quartered green and red tomatoes
Fresh Basil and mint
Citrus dressing (see below)
1/4 Cup crumbled feta cheese

Citrus Dressing

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp.fresh lime juice
2 Tsp honey
1/3 Cup olive oil
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint
Pinch of cayenne
Salt (to taste)

Method

It couldn’t be easier. Toss all the ingredients in a big bowl.
For the dressing, place all the ingredients in a jar with a lid.
Screw on the lid, and shake until well-blended.
Divide among four plates
ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: For this one, I wait until just before serving before dressing it. You do not want the fresh basil and mint to become limp and wilted. You can make the dressing up ahead of time in the jar just be sure to give it a good shake before pouring over the salad.

OK, so we got home around 8:30 last night and I looked out onto the deck and saw some of this action…. isn’t this gorgeous?

Around 8:25pm

Around 8:35pm

Around 8:45pm

Have a super Wednesday – we are off in the car for a fun filled couple of days yet again. Talk to you Friday morning before we hit the Gold Cup and Saucer Parade.

Take care

zesty

Summer Fresh, Taste Filled Pasta Salad

zesty — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 12:00:56 +0000

Happy Monday! What signifies summer more than outdoor grilling, fresh basil, garden tomatoes, and great family and friends to join and share? This past weekend we hosted Mamma’s Zesty birthday celebration. It was filled with grilled pork tenderloin topped with an apricot and apple chutney, bbq turkey and beef sliders, delicious salads, roasted vegetables, fresh bruschetta and of course a big birthday cake.

The dish I want to share with you today may just be my favorite pasta salad ever. I was contemplating flavors and browsing a few recipes online when I came across this Jamie Oliver recipe and immediately knew this would be a hit. I had all the ingredients on hand and I knew it would match the summer theme I was going for. I did a couple of swaps including adding some creamy feta cheese and omitting the yellow grape tomatoes and olives.

Here is the Zesty adapted version.

Ingredients

310g/11oz fusili pasta
3 cloves of garlic
255g/9oz red cherry tomatoes
3-4 Tbsp. Feta cheese
2 Tbsp. fresh chives
1 handful of fresh basil
½ a Cucumber
4 Tbsp. white wine vinegar, or to taste
7 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Throw in the pasta and cloves of garlic, boil until al dente, drain and run under cold water to cool.
Put the garlic to one side to use for the dressing.
Put the pasta into a bowl.

Chop the tomatoes, chives, basil and cucumber into pieces about half the size of the pasta and add to the bowl.
Squash the garlic cloves out of their skins and mush in a pestle and mortar. Add the vinegar, oil and seasoning.

Drizzle this over the salad, adding a little more seasoning to taste.

ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: For an even more condensed garlic flavor you can roast a whole head of garlic in the oven at 350 for about an hour. Just cut the top of the head off, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and wrap with tin foil.

Here are a few snap shots at some of the eats from the weekend. We served 14 people and had a blast.

Have a super Monday and I will talk to you on Wednesday morning.

Take care

zesty

Grilled Quesadillas w/ Bacon

zesty — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 12:00:45 +0000

Hello from Charleston, West Virginia. Yesterday was a busy day in Mississippi and right after the client meetings I drove back from Tupelo to Birmingham Alabama to fly out of this morning. The flight times just worked out a little better from Birmingham than Memphis. Right after the client meetings we decided to take a quick drive down the road to Elvis’ old house where he grew up and visit there for a few minutes. Very fun and I even picked up a couple of souvenirs.

I am dying to share this recipe with you since last Thursday, not because it is stellar and earth shattering but simply due to the fact that it tasted amazing and was super easy to prepare. I really love quesadillas and have featured a couple of my favorites in the past: Super Simple Stunning Quesadillas and Chicken Asparagus Pesto Quesadillas.

This recipe is up there with flavor and simplicity.

Ingredients

Bbq Chicken
Whole Wheat Tortilla
Red peppers
Basil
Monterrey Jack and Cheddar cheese (shredded)
Bacon
Mushrooms

Method

Cook off bbq chicken, bacon and mushrooms and set aside. ( you can use left overs if you have them as well )

Line up the tortilla and start assembling the filling

Add all the ingredients and finish with a good layer of cheese on the top to help the top tortilla to stick.

Grill over medium heat – moving as needed to achieve a nice golden brown color. Gently press on the outside of the quesadilla to force the edges to connect from the cheese.
Flip over and repeat the process.
ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: If using mushrooms in quesadillas, I feel it is crucial to cook them down to remove the water from the mushrooms. Otherwise they will make your tortilla soggy and cause it not to crisp.

I am hanging here in Charleston for a couple of days so let me know if you guys know of good places to eat here and I will be sure to check them out. Have a superb Wednesday and I will talk to you back at home on Friday.

Take care

zesty

Chopped in Zesty's Kitchen

zesty — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 12:00:54 +0000

Welcome to my kitchen for a little mid week Wednesday fun! Do you ever watch the show chopped on the Food Network – I happen to LOVE it. Here is the premise if you are not familiar.

“Chopped” the Show

The series challenges four up-and-coming chefs to turn a selection of everyday ingredients into an extraordinary three-course meal. After each course, a contestant gets “chopped” until the last man or woman left standing claims victory. Each week, a rotating panel of culinary elite judges decide whose dishes shine the brightest and award the winner $10,000.

Here is my spin on the whole version of mystery basket of ingredients and a 45 minute time frame to complete the entree.

Ingredients

2 Boneless skinless chicken breasts
Grape Tomatoes
1 Garlic clove
1 Tbsp. Olive oil
1/4 Cup slivered almonds

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Warm a large saute pan over medium heat and add oil, tomatoes and garlic – cook down for about 5 minutes

Add basil and remove from heat.
Lay the chicken on parchment/wax paper and another piece on top and hammer the chicken using a heavy blunt object. I chose a big pan.

Once flattened to your desired consistency, start adding the filling and rolling/folding the chicken over. Once complete, you can top with the almonds or roll your chicken in them depending on how tight your roll is…. mine was kind of loose. I was rushing for the time clock.

Return the chicken to the pan and sear on both sides until brown.

Add chicken to a oven safe baking pan and complete the cooking process; about 20 minutes.

ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: I really feel the key to this dish is searing the chicken prior to roasting it in the oven. The tomato and garlic combination as well as the almonds create a flavor on the outside. The last thing you want is to have a dry flavorless chicken which can easily happen.

Well there you have it! A super fun game to play in your kitchen and really focus on keeping it simple but not sacrificing flavor. Overall, What is your favorite food to cook of all time? I am going to dedicate an entire post to this but I just wanted to throw the question out there. Have a super Wednesday and I will see you all on Friday for yet another salad post by zesty. Can you believe this health kick I am on? – I am loving it!

Take care

zesty

Toasted Chicken Basil Tomato Sandwich

zesty — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 12:00:57 +0000

A successful weekend has concluded and Mrs. Zesty has arrived back home from a getaway with the girls. While away, I on the other hand had somewhat of a normal weekend with the kiddos. We did have a lot of fun working outside in the yard, watching the Curious George dvd at 6:45 am, cooking and making a mess in the kitchen as well as playing hide and go seek. All in all, a great weekend and somewhat relaxing.

Of course with that being said, you have to eat! I was unsure what to eat all day Saturday, i just couldn’t come to grasp with what i was craving and for me that really bugs me. I did some grocery shopping on Friday night to avoid hitting the shops on Saturday. In the groceries I spotted some fresh basil which I love and a nice batch of cherry tomatoes. Me and basil are almost like baseball and glove – tough to survive without the other. Here are a few of my basil infused addictions:

That showcases a few and I can honestly say I think it is my favorite herb as you can tell by browsing some of my recipes. Now that we know I love basil – I knew I wanted to use that in whatever i was going to make for lunch. Then the energy efficient light bulb when off in my head, how about a toasted chicken sandwich with a basil tomato compote on top.

Sounded pretty good to me. And this is how it went down.

Ingredients

2 slices of Whole wheat bread
1 boneless chicken breast
2 Tbsp. Salsa
Handful of grape tomatoes
1 Slice Havarti cheese ( you could use any – I just happen to have this)
2 Sprigs of fresh basil
Cracked black pepper

Method

Preheat oven to 350 and roast chicken breast until cooked through.
In a saute pan, preheat to medium and add the salsa, tomatoes, pepper and cook down until tomatoes begin to break down ( about 6 minutes )
Add basil and stir through. Meanwhile your chicken is cooked you can add it to the pan whole and coat it with the sauce form the tomatoes and salsa.
Pop your toast in the toaster and then begin to assemble your sandwich.
ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: Do not let this sandwich sit for a long time because the bread will become soggy and that will not be ideal. Of course I will always get one soggy one as I am slow with the camera.

Even though I had a hard time coming up with figuring out what I wanted to eat – the results were pleasing. I would definitely make this sandwich again.

The Seeded Grape

As I was browsing the grocery store on Friday – I noticed grapes were on sale. I am always on the look out for a grape sale cause both kids love them and polish them off in no time. So I grab these grapes with a proud smile on my face. I walk in the door and say ” I got grapes!” Immediately I am swarmed with the two turks at my legs. I wash a couple of handfuls and put them in the bowl… all seemed well. Ella chomps down a couple in a heartbeat, meanwhile Carter looks at me and says ” Umm Dad, these have seeds in them”. Oh for poop sake – that is no good! Needless to say a better part of my weekend food prep was spent slicing open grapes and picking the seeds out. I will be more attentive to the details next time on the grape front.

Have a super start to your week and I will see you all on Wednesday.

Take care

zesty

Just Another Garlic Basil Cheeseburger!

zesty — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 12:00:22 +0000

PHEW what a week! Happy Friday to you and thanks for stopping in again for another food filled post. I was unsure as to what to have for dinner on Wednesday night as I was getting ready for work in the morning – when I remembered that I had some lean ground beef in the freezer. Every time I would open the freezer it would make a little chirp to me that it was too cold and wanted to be cooked. I could only take that for so long so finally I took it out to thaw and here we are today.

I was kind of in the mood for a cheeseburger but was unsure because we had no whole wheat buns to go with it and really any toppings outside of mustard and ketchup but I convinced myself…. GO FOR IT!

What a reward…. take a look at this. I topped a few with cheese and left a few without for a leftover treat that you will see next week. I may have even impressed Mrs. Zesty to a whole new level.

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs Lean ground beef
2 Cloves garlic ( chopped)
1/4 Cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp. Dried/frozen basil
Cheddar/marble cheese
1 Tsp. Chili powder
1 Tsp. Dried Thyme
1 Tsp. Salt
1 Tsp. Black pepper

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
In a large bowl, add ground beef and all the dry ingredients and mix well together.

Have you ever tried this frozen basil before. It is amazing. So fresh and so convenient especially in the off season.

Form patties and place on roasting rack.

Bake for 35-40 minutes until no longer pink inside the meat ( you can peek if you need to)

Remove from oven and top with cheese; place back in the oven until melted.
ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: When baking ground beef, I like to use the roasting pan with slats in it to allow the grease to follow away from the meat. This ensures you are getting the leanest most healthy form of that particular meat.

This little treat goes well with a side of salad or just on it’s own between your favorite whole grain bun. Heck I just eat them by itself. Sometimes you can’t just beat a homemade cheeseburger. What is your little trick you put in your ground beef/turkey/chicken before cooking it to add that flavor you love?

Around the Blogsphere

Well as I have been wandering around the blogsphere this week…. I have bumped into a couple of wicked recipes that are must try’s in my books. Take a look over here and let me know what you think.

A recipe for stove-top granola by the Hungry Yogini. This will knock your socks off for sure and I cannot wait to try it.
A somewhat genius idea for salad dressings can be found over at Choosing Raw. This I have to sink my gums into.
And last but not least… I found two things I love wrapped into one over at Joy’s site – Can you believe an Avocado Pound Cake? YUM!

That is all I have for this week. I hope everyone has a decent fun filled friday and a great weekend. Today is the last day you can tell all your friends about the Blog Makeover giveaway so “Let it out” and I will be announcing the poor soul that has to work with me for a makeover on MONDAY!

Take care

zesty

Beans, Basil and Balsamic!

zesty — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 13:12:25 +0000

It’s Friday!! Last night I was trying to think of what to make for supper and I remember picking up some green beans and I thought it would be a great side dish to go with some baked haddock. It was so nice to have just a simple dinner after a long day. I was really impressed with the flavor combination on the beans. Balsamic vinegar is a great addition to any quick vegetable saute.

To finish off the beans, I topped them with Parmesan cheese and sliced almonds.

Ingredients

2 Cups of Green Beans
1 Tbsp. Water
2 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tbsp. Basil Paste
Sea Salt
Cracked Black Pepper
Sliced almonds
Parmesan Cheese

Method

Preheat saute pan on high and add the water and beans.

Kitty on the counter making sure everything is going according to plan.

Cook beans until the water dissolves about 3 minutes and then add balsamic vinegar, garlic and basil paste

Stir fry for another minute and add the pepper.
Top off with sliced almonds and Parmesan cheese
ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: To make a garlic paste, slice the garlic finely and add a little bit of salt on the board and rub the garlic back and forth over it on the board. The salt will break down the garlic and make a great paste for the beans.

So there you have it! A quick and simple bean dish for absolutely everyone. Try it and let me know what you think. As I was eating it last night I thought that a nice addition would be a splash of some red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce to really quick it up. Nonetheless I enjoyed it!

I hope you have an awesome Friday and a great Valentine’s day! We have a busy weekend lined up with the Olympics, Jack Frost Winter Festival, and some music lessons. Enjoy your weekend and we shall talk on Monday.

Take care

zesty