White Pizza Wontons

Super simple idea for a Holiday party.

White Pizza made with Wontons
Ingredients:
12 small square wonton wrappers (stocked with the tofu in the refrigerated section of the market)
3/4 cup light/low-fat ricotta cheese
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1 cup chopped brown mushrooms
2 cups chopped spinach leaves
6 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick spray.

Place each wonton wrapper into a cup of the muffin pan, and press it into the bottom and sides. Lightly spray with nonstick spray. Bake until lightly browned, about 6 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, and seasonings. Mix well.

Bring a skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium-high heat. Cook and stir mushrooms until mostly softened, about 3 minutes. Add spinach and cheese mixture. Cook and stir until mushrooms are soft, spinach has wilted, and cheese is hot, about 1 minute.

Evenly distribute mixture among the wonton cups. Top each cup with a tomato half, and sprinkle with basil.

Thanks to Hungry Girl for the recipe.

Spaghetti Squash Boats

A unique way to serve this delicious dish.
You can find many great recipes in Tastes & Treasures cookbook.









Spaghetti Squash Boats
Ingredients:
2 ripe spaghetti squash
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 lb. ground hot turkey sausage
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 (10 oz) can Rotel tomatoes
1/4 cup half and half
Pinch red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup part skim Mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided or Laughing Cow wedges
2 Tbsp basil, thinly sliced

Directions:
To make the spaghetti squash, preheat oven to 350 degrees F and cut squash right down the middle. Scoop out all the seeds and place cut side down on a baking sheet lightly sprayed with oil. DO NOT PIERCE WITH A FORK!! Many recipes say to do this, but we are using these cuts of squash later as bowls so you want them to remain intact.
Bake squash in the oven for 45 minutes until tender.
Drizzle oil into a large skillet and saute onion and garlic until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add turkey sausage and cook until crumbled and lightly brown, draining if necessary, then add chicken broth, tomatoes, half and half, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.
Bring everything to a boil then cover and allow flavors to simmer on low to medium heat until spaghetti squash is ready.
Remove squash from the oven and scrape out all the strands of spaghetti using a fork.
Add all the spaghetti squash to your skillet along with a 1/4 cup of cheese. Toss well until cheese is melted and squash is fully coated with sauce.
Transfer squash mixture into your now scraped out squash bowls and top with the rest of your cheese.
Place them back in the oven for about 3 to 4 minutes until cheese is melted and squash is heated through.
Top with basil, serve and enjoy!

Thanks to eat-yourself-skinny.com for the recipe.

Lady Bug Caprese Salad

How adorable is this? and edible too!

Lady Bug Caprese Salad

Ingredients:
Cherry tomatoes (split back end)
Balsamic vinegar dots
Black olives
Fresh basil leaves
Fresh mozzarella cheese

Arrange on plate and let the "Ohs and Ahs" begin.

Thanks to Greens First with Mary Tees-Corridon and Gigi Sotomayor for the idea.

Summer Chick Pea and Kale Salad

This is a great blend of flavors for a Summer Salad. Many interesting salads are also found in Tastes & Treasures cookbook. Enjoy the tastes.


Summer Chickpea Kale Salad with Feta, Olives and Basil
Ingredients:

4 cups cooked chickpeas* (2 - 19 oz. cans)

2-3 cups packed green curly kale, minced
]
1/3 cup kalamata olives, pitted & minced finely (about 20)

1/2 cup cubed feta cheese

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup minced red onion (optional)

4 tbsp olive oil

 2-3 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tsp salt (or to taste)
black pepper to taste

1 pint cherry tomatoes

fresh basil leaves (6-8 leaves)

Directions:

Combine the beans, chopped kale, olives, feta, garlic & red onion and toss gently together. Stir in the olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper and adjust to taste. Mix all gently to incorporate the dressing. Halve the cherry tomatoes and toss them in just at the end, reserving a few to leave on top for color. Just before serving, tear a generous amount of fresh basil leaves and scatter over the top.

Kale tastes MUCH better raw when you 'massage' it first. Just work it with your fingers for a couple of minutes. The leaves will turn dark green and the flavor becomes very mild.

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Mediterranean Pasta Salad with Tuna and Basil

Following the recipe in Tastes & Treasures cookbook, page 175, Bonnie Newhoff created this delicious salad for our Historical League meeting.

Basil Vinaigrette Ingredients:

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salad Ingredients:2 cups fusilli or penne
6 ounces haricots verts, trimmed
Salt to taste
2 large tomatoes chopped, or small grape tomatoes
Sliced kalamata olvies
2 cups fresh basil leaves, stacked and thinly sliced
1 (7-ounce) can oil-pack tuna, drained and flaked
2 hard-cooked eggs, sliced or chopped
Capers, drained and rinsed

Directions for the viniaigrette:
Whisk the vinegar, basil, garlic, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper in a bowl until combined. Add the olive oil gradually, whisking constantly until the olive oil is incorporated.

Directions for the salad:
Cook the pasta using the package directions and drain. Toss the hot pasta with a small amount of the vinaigrette in a bowl. Blanch the green beans in a small amount of boiling salted water in a saucepan until tender-crisp and drain. Immediately plunge into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process and drain.

Layer the pasta, tomatoes, olives, basil, green beans and tuna in a large salad bowl, drizzling each layer with some of the vinaigrette. Toss lightly and top with the hard-cooked eggs and capers.

Serves 4.

Summer time and Caprese Salad

Feel like singing . . .  "Summer time and the Caprese Salad is easy."
Guess what I made from the garden?

Ingredients:
Tomatoes from the vine
Fresh Mozarella cheese
Fresh Basil
Balsamic Vinegar
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper

Directions:
Slice, season with salt and pepper to taste, drizzle with oil and vinegar. Serve. Yummm.

Lots of other great salads in Tastes & Treasures cookbook.

Grilled Caprese Salad

Here is a new twist on Caprese Salad. Grilled tomatoes and string cheese with your basil make a modified Caprese.

Ingredients:

1 stick light string cheese

2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil

1 large tomato

Optional seasonings: salt, black pepper, garlic powder



Directions:

Break string cheese into thirds and place in a blender or food processor -- blend at high speed until shredded. (Or pull into shreds and roughly chop.) Transfer to a small bowl, and mix with basil. 


Cut tomato in half horizontally. Carefully scoop out and discard the inside of each tomato half, leaving a hollow shell intact.


Bring a grill pan sprayed with nonstick spray to medium-high heat. 


If you like, sprinkle tomato halves with optional seasonings.
Place tomato halves on the grill pan with the cut sides down. Cook until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. 

Flip tomato halves.
Divide cheese-basil mixture between tomato halves.
Cover (any lid will do!) and cook for 2 more minutes, or until tomato has softened and cheese is warm.
MAKES 1 SERVING
Thanks to Hungry Girl for recipe.

Angel Hair Pasta

 
This delicious recipe was shared by Pam Fischer. She got it from Michelle Dudash - Healthy Dish  printed in the AZ republic.

Angel Hair Pasta with Wild Salmon, Corn and Basil 

Ingredients:

4 oz whole grain angel hair pasta- about a quarter width in your hand (this is a LOT for 2- I would half it)
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup diced onion
1 clove garlic
1 cup cooked corn kernels (about one cob) seasoned (or use frozen sweet corn)
2 cooked artichoke hearts (bottled or fresh) chopped bite size
10 basil leaves, cut in thin strips (I will triple this next time)
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp Italian seasoning
6 oz seasoned and cooked wild salmon, flaked into bite size pieces- I broil mine with a tsp of pesto spread across it for 12 min
1 cup reserved pasta water

Directions:
Cook corn in pot for 5 min and set aside.  In that water cook pasta and reserve a cup of pasta water before draining pasta.
Empty pot and add oil to same pot and heat over med high heat.  Then add onion and garlic. Cook gently until translucent- 4 min.
Add corn to reheat.  Add cooked pasta, artichokes, basil, lemon juice, salt, Italian seasoning and pepper to taste. Combine and gently stir in salmon.  Moisten with a splash of the pasta cooking liquid if needed.  Drizzle with additional olive oil as desired.
                                                                         Makes 2 servings (Pam's comment, "HAH - we ate off this for DAYS!!")

Basil and Bulgar Salad

Tastes & Treasures has a recipe for Eddie Basha's family Tabouli Salad but it's fun to experiment on the original recipe.

Thanks to Ashley Bittle-Cunningham for this delicious vegan dish.

Basil and Bulgar Salad (or Pesto Tabouli)

Ingredients:
1 cup fine bulgur (cracked wheat)
1 1/2 cups fat-free vegetable broth or water
2 tbsp. chopped walnuts
1 cup basil leaves
2 cloves garlic
juice of one lemon
salt, to taste
1 large or 2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 medium cucumber, peeled and diced
1 tbsp. olive oil (optional)

Directions:
Bring the vegetable broth to a boil and add the bulgur. Remove from the heat and cover. Let it stand about 20 minutes until wheat is tender and water is absorbed.
Place the walnuts into the food processor and puree. And the basil, garlic, and half of the lemon juice, and process until a coarse paste is formed. Add salt to taste.
Combine the bulgur with the pesto, tomatoes, and cucumber, and toss well. Season to taste with the remaining lemon juice and olive oil (if desired). Serve at room temperature or chilled, garnished with additional basil.
This can very easily be made into a main dish salad by adding chickpeas or white beans to the bulgar. Serve with a green salad for a terrific light meal.

Preparation time: 15 minute(s)
Cooking time: 20 minute(s)
Number of servings (yield): 4
Makes 4 servings. Each serving (including olive oil) contains 196 Calories (kcal); 6g Total Fat; (26% calories from fat); 6g Protein; 33g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 11mg Sodium; 8g Fiber.
Without olive oil, each serving contains 166 Calories (kcal); 3g Total Fat; (14% calories from fat); 6g Protein; 33g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 11mg Sodium; 8g Fiber.
Thanks to fatfreevegan.com

Mini Pizzas

Mini pizzas are wonderful for quick snacks, small meals and parties.

Tastes & Treasures cookbook has many appetizer recipes including a yummy mushroom appetizer found on page 27.

Mini Pizzas
Ingredients:
1 refrigerated pizza dough
1 cup marinara sauce
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1 small bunch fresh basil
1 medium tomato

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400° F. And line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil so they won't stick.
Place pizza dough on a well-floured surface and stretch gently into about a 12″ x 8″ rectangle.
With a round cutter or a cup of some sort, cut dough into 18-20 rounds; place rounds 1 inch apart on baking sheet. Top each with pizza sauce, cheese, basil and tomatoes .
Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
More topping suggestions: red sauce, broccoli, roasted red peppers, basil pesto.

Summer Smoothie

How wonderful when the children actually like that healthy drink! Try this one in your blender for a healthy start to each day. The Granola recipe on page 196 in Tastes & Treasures cookbook is also a very healthy snack.

Summer Smoothie
Ingredients:
3 cups fresh spinach
1 cup cucumber
6 leaves fresh basil
2 cups ice
1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1 cup Almond milk

Directions:
Place in blender and whirl away. The kids can even help make this one.
Pour into pretty glass and add straw. Yummm.

Pesto and White Bean dip

Easy delicious dips are wonderful for last minute guests. Tastes & Treasures cookbook has several recipes for dips and appetizers.  Here's a good one too.

Pesto and White Bean dip

Ingredients:
2 cans white beans
1/2 cup pesto
squeeze of fresh lemon
salt
pepper to taste

Directions:
Blend ingredients in a blender or food processor. Top with chopped fresh basil.
Serve with pita chips, crackers, and sliced vegetables.

Homemade Basil Pesto

The basil plant is out of control. Time to make some Pesto.


Homemade Basil Pesto

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup basil leaves
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 garlic clove, chopped
salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a food processor or high-speed blender.
Puree until smooth.

Makes about 1/2 cup.

Also try Tomato Caper Relish on page 20 in Tastes & Treasures cookbook.

Tomato Basil Mozzarella Skewers

Pam and Don Fischer attended a Halloween party and these were a big hit. Great presentation by the Fischers and at the food table.

Tastes & Treasures Cookbook also has delicious appetizer recipes.

Tomato Basil Mozzarella Skewers

INGREDIENTS

1. 16 small fresh mozzarella balls
2. 16 fresh basil leaves
3. 16 cherry or baby pear tomatoes
4. Extra-virgin olive oil, to drizzle
5. Coarse salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste

PREPARATION

1. Thread mozzarella, basil and tomatoes on small skewers. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

NUTRITION

Per piece: 46 calories; 3 g fat ( 2 g sat , 0 g mono ); 8 mg cholesterol; 1 g carbohydrates; 3 g protein; 0 gfiber; 217 mg sodium; 34 mg potassium.

White Pizza

White Pizza makes a very impressive presentation when topped with fresh sliced tomatoes and basil. And basil is so healthy, full of Vitamin K.

Ingredients:

1 large low-fat, high-fiber, burrito-size tortilla (about 100 calories)
1/3 cup fat-free ricotta cheese
1 tbsp shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup thinly sliced onion
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp salt
Dash black pepper
4 thin slices plum tomato
4 fresh basil leaves

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Put tortilla on a baking sheet sprayed lightly with nonstick spray. Bake in the oven until slightly crispy, 3 - 5 minutes per side. Leave oven on.

In a small bowl, mix ricotta cheese with mozzarella cheese. Set aside.

Bring a skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium heat on the stove. Add onion and, stirring occasionally, cook until softened and slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Immediately stir onion into cheese mixture. Add garlic powder, salt, and pepper, and mix well.

Spread cheese-onion mixture evenly on top of the tortilla. Top with tomato slices and basil leaves. If you like, sprinkle with a dash of salt.

Return pizza to oven and bake until hot, about 5 minutes.

Makes 1 serving.

PER SERVING (entire recipe): 200 calories, 3.25g fat, 930mg sodium, 33g carbs, 7g fiber, 7g sugars, 17g protein

Heirloom Tomatoes

This is the last tomatoes of the season. Sad to see them go but it is too hot in the garden here in Phoenix even with the shade screen. I picked some that were facing the west sun and they smelled like stewed tomatoes when I sliced them. Talk about cooking on the vine.

They are so tasty using Camelback Inn's recipe for Marinated Heirloom Tomatoes although we substituted dark balsamic vinegar of Modena for the white balsamic vinegar thus the deeper colors.

Basil grows wonderfully in Phoenix in the summer so we use fresh, whole leaves.

Marinated Heirloom Tomatoes in White Balsamic Vinaigrette found on page 67 Tastes & Treasures

1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3 shallots, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
Kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
5 heirloom tomatoes, cut into wedges

Mix the vinegar and brown sugar in a bowl. let stand until the brown sugar is completely dissolved. Whisk in the olive oil, garlic, shallots and basil. Season with Kosher salt and papper. Add the tomato wedges and toss gently to coat. Chill for 4 hours before serving. Serve using a slotted spoon.
Serves 6.
Note: We made it a hearty salad with sliced cheese.

Tomatoes from the Garden

Nothing beats homegrown for flavor and I know how it was fertilized so we are eating pesticide free. We really enjoy the tomatoes and also basil and parsley from the garden. Unfortunately, I have to buy the cheese but the vinaigrette is homemade.

Historic Camelback Inn gave us Marinated Heirloom Tomatoes in White Balsamic Vinaigrette found on page 67 Tastes & Treasures

1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3 shallots, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
Kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
5 heirloom tomatoes, cut into wedges

Mix the vinegar and brown sugar in a bowl. let stand until the brown sugar is completely dissolved. Whisk in the olive oil, garlic, shallots and basil. Season with Kosher salt and papper. Add the tomato wedges and toss gently to coat. Chill for 4 hours before serving. Serve using a slotted spoon.
Serves 6.
Note: We made it a hearty salad with sliced cheese. Since we are black olive fans we like to sprinkle a few slices on top.

Bechamel Sauce

What to fix for dinner with the ingredients I have? I decided to get creative with left over steak, mushrooms and macaroni. The fresh eggplant from my Master Gardener class was sitting there begging to be included and I also had summer squash, green beans, onions, celery, red pepper and fresh basil from my garden. Tastes & Treasures to the rescue with a creamy Bechamel Sauce. The recipe on page 161 is for Lasagna with Artichokes but I like to improvise. After sauteing the vegetables and adding the cut up steak, I drizzled the sauce over them. It was a hit with the family.

Bechamel Sauce

5 tbsp butter
5 tbsp all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups half and half (I used skim milk to lower calories and fat)
1 cup chicken broth (I used beef broth and mushroom broth)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp white pepper

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the flour. Cook for 3 minutes or until thick and golden brown in color, stirring constantly Add the half and half and broth all at once, whisking, constantly until blended. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or until the mixture comes to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 minutes. Stir in the salt, nutmeg and white pepper. Remove from the heat and press a sheet of waxed paper over the surface of the sauce to prevent a film from forming.