Thai Basil Pesto

2 c. Thai Basil - or any flavor of specialty of regular basil
2 T. dry roasted peanuts
1 T. sugar
1 1/2 T. dark sesame oil
1 T. fish sauce (optional. although the recipe's authors encourage its inclusion)
1 T. rice wine vinegar
1 T. crushed red pepper
2 garlic cloves

Process all in a food processor.  Use for soba noodles, stir-fry veggies, or anywhere your fancy takes you!

Whole-Wheat Shells with Asparagus, Peas, Feta, and Mint

I snitched this recipe from the Vegetarian Times web site. It looks like a delicious spring dish. But if you're making this in the spring when asparagus and peas are fresh, you might not have fresh basil yet. What to do? For Ann Arbor-area folks, you could substitute Kenzoil for the garlic oil and basil - a locally-made, delicious and easy alternative. Oh, and anything's betta with feta, don'tcha think?

Serves 6

30 minutes or fewer

One large pot of boiling water is all it takes to make a pasta medley full of fresh spring vegetables. Blanching the vegetables in the boiling water also adds flavor to the pasta.

• 12 oz. whole-wheat pasta shells
• 1 lb. asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 ½ cups fresh or frozen baby peas
• 2 Tbs. garlic oil, such as Garlic Gold
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced (⅓ cup)
• 1 cup sliced fresh basil
• ½ cup coarsely chopped fresh mint
• 1 Tbs. grated lemon zest
• 3 oz. feta cheese, crumbled (¾ cup)

1. Bring large pot of water to a boil. Add asparagus, and cook 4 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Remove asparagus with slotted spoon; transfer to serving bowl.
2. Add pasta to boiling water; cook 5 minutes. Add peas, return water to a boil, and cook 2 minutes. Drain pasta and peas, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water, and return pasta and peas to pot. Stir in reserved cooking water, asparagus, garlic oil, green onions, basil, mint, and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper, if desired; transfer back to serving bowl; and sprinkle with feta cheese, if using.

Sweet Pepper Tart w/Pesto

1 lb sweet peppers

olive oil

1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced crosswise

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 c white wine or vermouth

pesto

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

1 1/2 c cream or half and half

small handful oil cured black olives, pitted and chopped roughly

4-5 oz provolone, grated

Make the crust: mix the flour and a half teaspoon salt together in a bowl. Cut the cold butter and veggie shortening into small pieces and drop them into the flour. Mix with your fingers, quickly, until the butter is incorporated. Pour in the ice water and continue to mix until the dough comes together. Shape into a flattened disc and chill, covered, for about an hour.

Roll the dough out into a thin circle large enough to fit a 9 inch tart pan. Fit the dough into it and trim the edges. Freeze the crust until basically frozen. Heat the oven to 425 while the crust freezes. Put the crust into the hot oven and bake for 8-12 minutes, or until the crust sets. Put aside and make the tart filling.

Halve the peppers and pull out the cores and seeds. Slice them thinly. Saute them in plenty of olive oil and with the onion, garlic and some salt. Saute them briskly, but only for a minute or two, then add the wine. Cover and stew over low heat until the peppers are soft and sweet. Remove from heat.

Make the custard by mixing the eggs, yolks, half and half together. Taste and adjust salt if necessary.

Paint the bottom of the tart crust with some pesto. Add half the provolone, then add the pepper/onion mixture. Sprinkle the olives over the peppers, then finish with the remaining provolone. Pour the custard over the top and bake at 400 until the top is colored, about 30-40 minutes. Allow to rest before serving.

recipe from Chef Jonathan in the Ladybug Postcard, the newsletter for Mariquita Farm's CSA

Casareccia with Zucchini and Fresh Basil

Serves 4

30 minutes or fewer

Casareccia look like macaroni that have been split open and twisted. The groovy shape is perfect for light sauces. You can easily substitute non-groovy pasta shapes - still delicious!

• 8 oz. dry casareccia pasta (2 cups)
• 4 small zucchini, julienned (4 cups)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ cup low-fat ricotta
• ½ cup torn fresh basil

1. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water according to package directions; add zucchini to pasta water 1 minute before end of cooking time.
2. Meanwhile, whisk together garlic and ricotta in large bowl. Drain zucchini and pasta, and add to ricotta mixture. Stir in basil, and season with salt and pepper, if desired.

from Vegetarian Times

Basil Fettucine with Green Beans, Walnuts, and Creme Fraiche

First to prepare the Pasta!

4 T. chopped basil
1 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
large pinch of salt
1 large egg
1 t. olive oil

Combine herbs, flour, and salt. Add the egg and then add the oil. Lightly and gradually work the ingredients to generate a uniform dough. When combined, turn it out onto a floured work surface and begin kneading. If it is too dry and crumbles as you work it, add a few drops of water while kneading to moisten it and help it come together. When it is smooth and supple, wrap it in plastic and let it rest in the fridge for an hour before rolling it out with a rolling pin. Cut pasta in 3/8 " wide strips to make Fetuccine. Makes 7 oz.

Green beans

12-16 oz green beans                                                                Salt
1/2 c. shelled walnuts                                                                 1 1/2 c. water
3 T butter                                                                                  1 1/2 c. creme fraiche
4 shallots, finely chopped                                                            Pepper
1/2 c. basil leaves, chopped                                                        Parmesan
2 cloves minced garlic                                                                 Optional chili flakes

Bring a large pot of water (slightly salted) to a boil. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, cut the tips/tails from the beans.

Chop the walnuts and toast them in the heated oven for 5 minutes.

Melt the butter in a skillet; add shallots and cook on medium for 60-120 seconds. Add 2 T. basil, the garlic, some salt, and the water. Cook until shallots are soft, then stir in creme fraiche and cook until mixture thickens slightly. Taste and season with salt, pepper, and chili flakes if desired.

When the large pot of water is boiling, cook the beans for 2-3 minutes; scoop them out and add to shallots. Using the same water, cook your pasta al dente (literally, "to the tooth"), and then add it to the cream and shallots along with the rest of the basil. Add walnuts, serve on heated plates with a Parmesan garnish and a good dry sauvignon blanc.

Potato Salad with Green Beans

1 1/2 lbs. red potatoes
1/2 c. sliced green onions
1/3 c. dry white wine
1/3 c. chicken broth
1 tbsp. dry sherry
*Vinaigrette Dressing (recipe follows)
1 lb. cooked green beans, cut into halves and chilled
Salt and pepper

In covered saucepan, cook potatoes in 2 inches boiling water until just tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain. While potatoes are still warm, cut into quarters. In large bowl, toss warm potatoes with onions, wine, broth and sherry. Set aside 30 minutes. Toss with Vinaigrette Dressing. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Just before serving, add green beans and season with salt and pepper to taste.

*Vinaigrette Dressing:
6 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 tsp. Dijon-style mustard
1 tsp. fresh savory, minced
1 tsp. fresh basil, minced
1/4 tsp. dried marjoram, crushed
1/4 tsp. paprika

 (from www.cooks.com)

Peach, Basil, Mozzarella Salad

Serves 4| Hands-On Time: 10m | Total Time: 10m

Ingredients

• 3 ripe peaches (peeled, if desired)
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. Cut each peach into 6 to 8 wedges, then cut each wedge in half crosswise.
2. In a large bowl, combine the peaches, basil, and mozzarella. Drizzle with the oil, sprinkle with the salt and pepper, and toss. (You can cover and refrigerate the salad for up to several hours.) Serve cold or at room temperature.

Basil Lemonade

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves, plus 8 sprigs for garnishing
• 8 cups lemonade

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, over medium heat, bring the sugar and 1 1/2 cups cold water to a simmer. Cook, without stirring, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.
2. Remove from heat, add the basil, and let cool to room temperature. Strain the syrup into a resealable container and discard the solids.
3. Pour 2 to 3 teaspoons of the basil syrup into each of 8 ice-filled glasses, then fill with lemonade. Garnish with an additional sprig of basil. (You can cover and refrigerate the remaining syrup for up to 2

Sneaky (Vegan) Lasagna

Serves 8

Preparation time: 45 minutes

Baking time: 1 hour

Sauce

1 tbs. vegetable oil

½ to ¼ c. chopped onions

3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

3 tbs. fresh basil

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. ground black pepper

1 c. chopped portabello or white mushrooms

3 c. canned tomatoes with juice, chopped (28-ounce can)

½ c. dry red wine

Filling

1 tbs. olive oil

1 c. fresh chopped basil

10 oz. Asian greens, steamed and drained

3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

2 cakes firm tofu (12 oz. each, cubed)

1 tsp. salt

¼ tsp. ground black pepper

⅓ lb. lasagna noodles

Warm the oil in a saucepan. Add the onions, garlic, basil, salt, and pepper and sauté on medium heat for about 5 minutes.

Add the chopped mushrooms and sauté for another 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and wine, bring to a boil, and simmer for 15 minutes while preparing the filling.

Preheat the oven to 350º. Lightly oil a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.

In a blender or food processor, whirl the oil, basil, spinach, garlic, tofu, salt, and pepper to make a thick, smooth filling. Scrape down the sides with a spatula, as needed.

Spread about one fourth of the tomato sauce on the bottom of the prepared pan. Cover with a layer of noodles, then half of the filling and ladle on another fourth of the sauce. Repeat the layers of noodles, the rest of the filling, and one fourth of the sauce. Finish with a final layer of noodles and the rest of the sauce.

Cover and bake for about 45 minutes, until the noodles are soft. Uncover and return to the oven for another 15 minutes.

Adapted from Moosewood Restaurant New Classics.

Fresh Peach and Basil Salad

Ingredients

• 4-6 ripe peaches, pitted and cut into bite -size pieces
• 1 Tb. honey
• 4-6 basil leaves, thinly sliced
• ½ cup lemon chevre (or plain chevre with a little lemon zest)
• A pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Place the peaches in a bowl and
2. Coat with honey and sprinkle with salt.
3. Then gently fold in basil and chevre.

Preparation time: 10 minute(s)

Cooking time:

Number of servings (yield): 6

from the blog: A Spicy Perspective

Pesto

4 c. fresh basil leaves, stems removed
3/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 c. pine nuts ( or walnuts, almonds, or a mix of two or three)
3/4 c. grated parmesan
2-3 large cloves garlic, chopped or pressed
salt to taste

Puree ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth.

Unlimited uses!

Tempeh Cutlets Provençal

Typical tempeh preparation calls for the soybean cake to be marinated and steamed before cooking. Here, pouring a hot marinade over the slices does both in a single step. Serve these cutlets with whole-wheat pasta or brown rice to round out the plate.

Ingredient list
Serves 2
• 1 8-oz. pkg. tempeh, cut widthwise into 2 cutlets
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 Tbs. herbes de Provence
• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/2 large red bell pepper, chopped (1/2 cup)
• 1/4 cup smooth tomato sauce
• 2 Tbs. capers, rinsed and drained
• 1/8 tsp. sugar
• 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped, plus more for garnish


Directions
1. Place tempeh slices in large baking dish. Bring wine, herbes de Provence, oil, garlic, and pepper to a boil in small saucepan. Pour over tempeh, cover, and refrigerate 4 hours, or overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Remove tempeh from marinade, and place on baking sheet, reserving marinade. Spray top of cutlets with cooking spray, and bake 15 minutes. Flip tempeh, spray again with cooking spray, and bake 15 minutes more, or until edges are golden.
3. Meanwhile, strain reserved marinade into small saucepan. Bring to a boil, and add bell pepper. Simmer 5 to 7 minutes, or until bell pepper is softened and liquid is nearly absorbed. Add tomato sauce, capers, and sugar, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Simmer 10 minutes over low heat, or until sauce is thick. Stir in basil.
4. Place tempeh on plates, and divide sauce between servings. Garnish with basil sprigs, if desired.

Fresh Basil Pesto Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
• 3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• Special equipment needed: A food processor

Method

1 Combine the basil in with the pine nuts, pulse a few times in a food processor. (If you are using walnuts instead of pine nuts and they are not already chopped, pulse them a few times first, before adding the basil.) Add the garlic, pulse a few times more.

2 Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Makes 1 cup.

Serve with pasta, or over baked potatoes, or spread over toasted baguette slices.

Vegetarian Minestrone Soup Recipe

This recipe for vegetarian and vegan minestrone soup is filled with healthy and low-fat vegetables, and slowly simmered for maximum flavor. Vegetarian minestrone soup makes for a light and healthy lunch or dinner soup, just add a side salad and you've got a meal. Because it contains no oil, this vegetarian minestrone soup recipe is very low in fat.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 4 cups diced tomatoes
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 3 zucchini, chopped
• 1 cup green beans, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 cups macaroni pasta

Preparation:

In a large pot, combine all the ingredients except the pasta. Simmer over low heat for at least one hour, or until vegetables are tender.

Add the pasta and bring to a slow simmer. Cook for another 20 minutes, or until pasta is done cooking.

Remove bay leaf before serving. Enjoy!

Fresh Tomato Basil Mozzarella Salad

Slice 4 large Tomatoes and 6 oz Mozzarella Cheese
Chop 16 fresh Basil Leaves
Drizzle with 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil and 1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
Sprinkle with Salt and Pepper

Blueberry Potato Salad

1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried basil, crushed, or 1 tsp. chopped fresh basil (or to taste)
1/8 tsp black pepper
4 cups potatoes, cooked and sliced
1 cup fresh blueberries- find us at the farmers market, too!
1/2 cup cucumber, diced
1/2 cup carrot, shredded
2 tbsp. red onion, chopped
2 tbsp. parsley, chopped

Prepare the dressing by combining the vinegar, oil, sugar, salt, basil and pepper, blending well.
In a large bowl, combine the dressing with the potatoes, mixing well. Stir in the blueberries,
carrot and cucumber. Sprinkle with the chopped red onion and parsley. www.
justberryrecipes.com