Cooking Basic

Pesto sauce can be used both to toss with pasta and to serve as an appetizer with slices of bread. This is the most simple and basic recipe for pesto.  Be sure to use freshly grated Parmesan, it gives your pesto a fresher taste. If your grocery store does not carry pine nuts, almonds or hazelnuts can be used instead.

 Ingredients 

• 2 Cups loosely packed basil leaves
• 1/2 Cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/3 Cup pine nuts
• 2 Medium garlic cloves, peeled
• 1/2 Olive oil

  Directions

In a food processor combine all ingredients and pulse until it forms a paste. Add more olive oil as needed and season with salt and pepper. Bam, pesto!

Like most recipes I find, this one is altered from the original version found in what is becoming one of my favorite go-to cook books, Joy of Cooking. I really like making this because I get to use my home-grown basil and I add some home-grown parsley to the recipe.

 Ingredients 

• 1 Baguette, sliced thinly
• Olive oil
• 2 Large garlic cloves, halved
• 4 Medium tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 Cup fresh basil leaves, slivered
• 1/4 Cup fresh parsley, slivered
• Salt and pepper, to taste

 Directions

Lightly brush the baguette slices with olive oil and then with garlic cloves. Broil until light brown and toasted, around 5 minutes. Remove baguette slices from oven and place on serving platter. Combine in a serving bowl tomatoes, basil, parsley, a splash of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. If you are a fan of onions I recommend adding some sauteed onions to the tomato mixture!

Roasted chickpeas are SO easy to make. I love the smell of the sesame oil and roasting these will surely fill your kitchen with the aroma. These are a great snack! I would even serve these at a dinner party.

Ingredients

• 1 Can chickpeas
• 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 Tablespoons soy sauce

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, toss to coat. Spread the chickpeas out on a backing sheet. Roast at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Stir chickpeas and roast an additional 10 minutes. Serve warm.

Recipe was found in the July edition of Bon Appétit.After trying this one I decided you could use peaches as well if you are not a fan of nectarines. The feta cheese tames the sweetness of the fruit and all together melts in your mouth. The brushed on butter really softens the fruit while cooking and enables you to easily cut through the fruit when you are ready to consume.

Ingredients

• 4 Nectarines, halved, pitted
• 1 Cup coarsely crumbled feta cheese
• 1 Tablespoon melted butter

Directions Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat) or a pan (medium heat). Brush nectarines with butter. Grill nectarines, cut side down, until grill marks appear or if cooking in a pan cut side it light brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Turn nectarines over. Sprinkle with cheese, them pepper. Grill until grill makes appear or until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Serve as a side dish or even a dessert or appetizer.

Recipe adapted from Deen Brothers. The freshness of the avocado dip compliments the freshness of the lime chicken wings. If you are not a fan of avocado’s the lime wings can stand on their own.

Ingredients

• 1 Jalapeño pepper, seeded and sliced
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1/4 Cup vegetable oil
• 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
• Pinch salt
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• 1 1/2 Limes, juiced
• 3 Lbs. chicken wings, rinsed and patted dry
• 1/2 Lime, zested

Avocado Dip

• 1 Avocado
• 1 1/2 Teaspoons lime juice
• 1 Clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 Teaspoon salt

Directions

In a blender, puree until smooth the jalapeño pepper, garlic, vegetable oil, tomato paste, salt, honey and lime juice. Pour marinade over the chicken. Add the lime zest and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat boiler to medium heat. Arrange chicken on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Broil chicken at least 6 inches from the heat for 4 to 5 minutes per side; or until chicken is crispy on he outside and cooked through. Serve with avocado dip.

Avocado dip as follows. Pit and peel avocado. Place avocado in a medium bowl; mash. Fold in lime juice, garlic and salt; and freshly ground pepper, to taste.

I found this recipe in the June 2009 edition of, Cooking Light. Make sure to get all of the seeds out of each pepper or you will cause your guests to sweat a little. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1/2 Cup (4 ounces) soft goat cheese
• 1/2 Cup (4 ounces) fat-free cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 Cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 Cup finely chopped seeded tomato
• 2 Tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
• 1/2 Teaspoon salt
• 16 Jalapeño peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded (about 1 1/2 lbs)

Directions

Prepare grill to medium-high heat. Combine first 7 ingredients in a bowl, stirring well. Spoon about 2 teaspoons cheese mixture into each pepper half. Place pepper halves, cheese side up, on a grill rack coated with cooking spray or lined with aluminum foil. Grill peppers 5 minutes or until bottoms of peppers are charred and cheese mixture is lightly browned. Remove and serve.

Parmesan Star puffs are a fast and light appetizer for any occasion. If you have a flavored olive oil, I highly suggest you use it. I brushed garlic olive oil over a few of mine and it gave them a very nice hint of garlic without being too overwhelming.

Ingredients

• 1 Sheet of puff pastry
• Grated Parmesan cheese
• Olive oil
• Ground pepper
• Flour, to dust your surface with

Directions

Cut a sheet of puff pastry with a star-shaped cookie cutter. Arrange the stars on a parchment lined baking sheet; brush with olive oil and sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese and pepper. Bake at 400 degrees until puffed and crisp, about 12-15 minutes.

This dish tames the richness of avocado wedges with a smoky bacon, sweet vinaigrette sauce. It is a very refreshing appetizer in 80 degree weather just before you cook up some vegetable fajitas! Olé!

Ingredients

• 1/3 Lb. bacon (around 5 strips)
• 2 Avocados, each pitted, peeled, and cut into 4-6 wedges
• 3 Garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1Tsp. sugar
• Kosher salt and ground pepper
• 2 Tbsp. chopped parsley

Directions

Cook bacon in a large frying pan over medium-low heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels; let cool. Remove pan from heat and discard all but 2 tbsp. of bacon fat. Divide avocado wedges among 4 plates.

Heat reserved bacon fat over medium heat. Add garlic, 1/4 cup water, the lemon juice, and sugar ands immer 1 minute, stirring. Season with saslt and pepper. Stir in parsley and crumble in bacon. Immediately pour over avocado wedges and serve.

This is probably one of the easiest and deliciously fast dips ever! It only requires 2 ingredients and about 2 minutes of your time. My friend Vanessa gave me this recipe. It’s best served with any raw veggie or potato chips.

Ingredients

• 16 Ounces sour cream
• 1 packet of Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Dressing mix

Directions

Gently stir together the ranch mix and the sour cream. It’s as easy as that!

This appetizer will look like it took hours to make and will impress your company. It takes about 15 minutes from start to finish and a few minutes to devour. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 8 Slices (1/4 inch thick) baguette
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 - 6.5 oz. jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed, and patted dry
• 1/4 Cup shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
• 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make crostini: Brush baguette slices on both sides with a total of 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet, and bake, turning over once, until golden, 10-12 minutes. Cool.

Meanwhile, make topping: Finely chop artichokes, and combine in a bowl with Parmesan, parsley, and remaining tablespoon oil.

Dividing evenly, spoon topping onto crostini, and garnish with additional Parmesan.