Basil Butter Garlic Bread

Basil Butter Garlic Bread
Prep: 5 mins Level: Easy Cook: 20 mins Serves: 6

 Ingredients
 2 ounces, weight Butter
 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 bunch Basil Leaves (generous Handful)
 1 bunch Parsley (use 1/3 Of The Amount Of Basil)
 2 cloves Garlic
1 whole Green Onion
 2 pinches Salt To Taste
1 pinch Pepper To Taste
1 loaf Ciabatta Or French Bread
1-½ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese (up To 2 Cups)

Preparation
1. Combine all the ingredients except the bread and cheese in a food processor, and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Cut open the loaf of bread and spread both halves with the basil butter. Put the halves together and wrap in aluminum foil. Bake for in a 400ºF oven for 10 minutes.
3. Remove the bread, separate the halves and load them up with Parmesan cheese. Return them to the oven and either crank up the heat to 500ºF or put them under the broiler.
4. Cook until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and starting to get brown. Serve!

Creamy Lemon-Pesto Chicken

I am extremely picky when it comes to pasta meals. I was a little worried about this one as I was making it but it turned out SO good.

INGREDIENTS
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup bottled lemon pepper marinade (I used Ken’s)
2 tsp dried basil

2 Tbsp butter
1 tsp minced garlic
2 Tbsp flour
1 cup milk
1 tsp lemon zest
1/3 cup pesto

12 oz linguine
DIRECTIONS

Combine lemon pepper marinade and dried basil. Pour over chicken and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. (I usually marinate the chicken overnight)

Grill chicken for 12-15 minutes, or until done (165 degrees).

While the chicken is grilling, cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Set pasta aside and keep warm.

Meanwhile, prepare the pesto sauce. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Whisk in flour until it thickens and bubbles, then whisk in milk and lemon zest. Continue to whisk mixture and cook until slightly thickened, about 3-5 minutes. Add pesto and mix well.

To serve, slice chicken into strips. Toss cooked pasta in the pesto, top with chicken

Easy Calzone Rolls

INGREDIENTS

• 2 loafs frozen bread dough, thawed
• 1/2 pound sliced ham
• 1/2 pound sliced hard salami
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup jarred marinara sauce

 

DIRECTIONS

 

1. Roll each loaf of dough into a rectangle about 8 inches by 12 inches.

2. Layer ham and salami down the center of each rolled loaf lengthwise.

 

3. Top meats with 1 cup shredded mozzarella for each roll.

4.  Fold short ends of each loaf in about 1/2 inch and seal. Roll from the long sides and pinch well to seal the entire loaf. You should have 2 long rolls.

 

5.  Bake, seam side down on a greased baking sheet in a 375 degree F oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

 

6.  Cut each roll into 8 slices and serve with marinara for dipping

Basic Cheese Pizza Recipe

I have never liked many homemade pizzas. This pizza dough is AWESOME! It tastes similar to Pizza Huts Pan Crust Pizza, my favorite!! The sauce was okay, need to tweak it a bit to make it better.

INGREDIENTS

1 pkg dry yeast

1 cup luke warm water

1 tsp sugar

3 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 TBSP olive oil

1/2 cup tomato puree

2 TBSP tomato paste

1 garlic clove, minced

1 TBSP basil

4 ounces mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS

Dough:
1. In a glass bowl, combine yeast, water and sugar

2. Stir to dissolve yeast and let "bloom" for 15 minutes

3. Stir in 1 cup flour, add salt, then stir in another cup of flour

4. Dump mixture onto kneading board and work in the last cup of flour; kneading until dough is soft and elastic, not sticky. Form dough into ball.  (I also added some parmesan cheese, oregano and garlic powder in this step!!!)

5. In another bowl pour in the olive oil and spread around

6. Coat dough in oil and cover bowl with damp cloth. Let rise for 40 minutes

7. Punch down dough and knead on board for about 2 minutes.

8. Lightly grease pan. Spread dough on. (makes 1 14 in. pizza)

Sauce:
1. Combine pureed tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic, and basil

2. Spread onto pizza dough

3. Top with cheese (and whatever other toppings you like) and bake @ 500 for  11-13 minutes.

Chicken Parmigiana

Ingredients

• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 ounces dry bread crumbs
• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 3/4 (16 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
• 2 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a medium baking sheet.
2. Pour egg into a small shallow bowl. Place bread crumbs in a separate shallow bowl. Dip chicken into egg, then into the bread crumbs. Place coated chicken on the prepared baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until no longer pink and juices run clear.
3. Pour 1/2 of the spaghetti sauce into a 7x11 inch baking dish. Place chicken over sauce, and cover with remaining sauce. Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses on top and return to the preheated oven for 20 minutes.