Well, the title of this dish pretty much names all of the ingredients, aside from the olive oil. I always make caprese-style salads in the summertime. I recently saw a recipe that added orzo… it sounded delicious and it is! The small pasta adds a bit more heft to the salad, and it soaks up the juices nicely. I warmed my first bowl just enough to slightly melt the cheese, but I’ll also be having this cold too. Quick, easy, tasty, and a good way to use my ever-growing basil!
- 1 cup uncooked Orzo pasta
- 2 dozen fresh Basil leaves, chopped
- 5-7 medium-sized Tomatoes, chopped
- 1-lb fresh Mozzarella, cubed
- Olive Oil
Cook orzo according to directions and let cool. Mix everything together with a generous drizzling of olive oil. Let sit in fridge so flavors can meld. Enjoy cold or warmed slightly.
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So, I felt the need to kind of cook something this evening… Even though it was really too hot to be cooking. Of course, the weather forecast only says that it’s going to get hotter, so I figured I might as well get it out of my system today.
I used a refrigerated roll of pizza dough that I had, and laid it out in a baking pan. Next, for the sauce, I used 1/2 a jar of three-cheese sauce that was in the cabinet. I was slightly smart this time, in that I put today’s date on the now-opened jar of sauce before it went back in the fridge. The plan is that now I will know how long the sauce has been in the fridge, instead of calling out “How long have we had this?” or “When did we last use this one?” I, unfortunately, will usually end up throwing something like that away when I can’t determine how long it’s been in there… I’m hoping seeing the date on it will help me to use up the remainders in good time. Fingers crossed…
Anyway, for the topping, I quickly cooked up some mushrooms and garlic. I then added artichoke hearts and sun-dried tomatoes, and onto the sauce-covered pizza dough it went. Follow that with some shredded cheese and then into the oven. Tasty, relatively quick, and enough for lunches tomorrow. Still warmed up the kitchen a wee bit, but it is what it is…
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Posted in Life on June 16, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Well, this year at least we’re enjoying a springtime into summer. Unlike the past couple of years when it seemed that summer arrived fairly unannounced and with a heat-soaked bang. So for now, I’m enjoying gardening and the beginning of fresh fruits and veggies. Which also means I’m cooking less, but that’s [...]
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I found an ingredient list for a bean spread that looked, well, interesting. Something to try and play around with… And that’s pretty much how it turned out. I was curious to use the white beans as a base. My only other experience with pureed beans would be hummus, and that has a very distinct chickpea flavor (which I adore, mind you). So for the cannellini beans, I was curious.
It came out okay. I’ve used the spread on a sandwich and as a topping for crackers (see above). I can’t say it’s something that I would crave, but then again, I like knowing it’s a good-for-you type of spread. As opposed to, say, a cheese spread or dip (which I also adore, mind you). I liked using fresh herbs from the balcony, and I will definitely be playing with them quite a bit this season. The red onions in this spread were too strong right away… But after it had some time to meld in the fridge, it did, well, mellow out. So, here’s the ingredient list, take it or leave it. I’m of mixed reviews on it right now…
- Cannellini Beans, one can, thoroughly rinsed and drained
- Drizzling of Olive Oil
- Sea Salt
- Red Onion, half of a medium-sized – not sure I’d even add this next time, particularly if I’m adding chives
- Fresh Chives – I think I used 6 stalks, and I’d use more next time, while omitting the red onions
- Fresh Thyme – handful of sprigs
I’d probably add a dash or two of lemon juice next time also. Basically, I put everything in the food processor and whirled away. Definitely put in fridge to let flavors mix…
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Here is my newly planted herb container of oregano, chives, and thyme. This is my first time growing oregano, so I’m curious about that. Also, I don’t generally use it a lot, so we’ll see where and how it ends up. It’s about time for my annual online fresh herb recipe search, so I’m sure I’ll get some ideas then. I love having the thyme and chives. I’ll definitely be using them in dips and spreads and such. I was reading this morning about putting fresh herbs in marinades with meats… I will have to try that too! I’ve also got a lavender out there, though that is more for prettiness, in sight and in scent…
And here is my beloved basil container. This pic shows them at one week old (with me), and I’ve already been plucking away at the leaves. I put a chopped tomato and basil mix on top of some pasta last week. Then D. used the rest of it tonight as a topping to a sandwich he made for us. These guys may look a little tall but scrawny now, but they are going to poof out and look more like a mini basil Christmas tree in about a month’s time. At least, if past year’s basil is any indication…
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Posted in Baking, Life on June 4, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
We went over to Granny’s house tonight, because she made her first-ever batch of blueberry dumplings. Oh my, were they delicious! Now, she is famous for her apple ones, and we have been mentioning blueberries for a little while now. They were mentioned again this past weekend, so last night, voila, she [...]
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I picked some fresh basil leaves and chopped up some fresh tomatoes to go on top on this pasta dish. Yum! I love being able to go out onto the balcony and get me some basil when I like. My tomato plants are obviously just started to get established now. I did get some salad mix and baby romaine lettuce, which I hope to get planted this weekend. I’d like to be able and pick some of that when I like too!
This dish ended up being a mix between macaroni and cheese and a pasta fresca. Yes, there were two competing themes going on there, but hey… It happens sometimes.
* Whole-Wheat Penne Pasta
* Mushrooms
* Garlic
* Olive Oil
* Shredded American, Monterery Jack and Cheddar mix
* Fresh Basil, chopped
* Tomatoes, chopped
* Turkey Sausage, chopped (leftovers)
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I am thoroughly and happily enjoying strawberries this season, more so than usual, and strawberries in particular. I like fruits, mind you, but I would never really get too excited over them. Except for blueberries… Blueberries I can get excited over at times. Perhaps it’s because I’m not a big sweets-fan, as a general rule. Even though fruit isn’t super-sweet, I don’t know…
Anyway, I am enjoying fresh strawberries very much right now. Unadulterated, simple strawberry slices. I also enjoy coming home with a new batch, cleaning them, cutting off the stems and slicing them into mouth-popable bites. I’ve become quite adept again at using the ol’ paring knife. 
And I really have no inclination to cook or bake or mix anything else with them. Just give me some fresh strawberries, all on their own, and call me good!
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