Tag: Pesto

Dinners

Recipe—Bruschetta Chicken

Diva di Cucina

Tomatoes and basil are like an Italian match made in heaven. You can almost guarantee that anything made with those two ingredients will be amazing. One of my favorite ways to bring them together is in a classic bruschetta made up of tomatoes, basil, garlic, and olive oil. So simple but so damn good! Now imagine that fresh bruschetta spooned over a juicy chicken breast smothered in zesty pesto and a layer of melted mozzarella cheese. That my friends, is one hell of a tasty main dish for dinner.

I like to just eat this chicken on it’s own but with the carb monsters I live with, I tend to serve it for them with a side of rice pilaf or over a bed of pasta alfredo. This recipe is so easy to put together, but it looks fancy enough, that you can totally serve it for dinner guests.

BAKED CHICKEN INGREDIENTS
3–4 boneless skinless chicken breast
salt & pepper
1 c pesto
2 c mozzarella, shredded

BRUSCHETTA INGREDIENTS
2 large ripe tomatoes, diced
8–10 basil leaves, chopped
1 tsp garlic, minced
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper

STEPS

  • Preheat the oven to 400º.
  • Place the chicken breasts in a lightly greased baking dish and season both sides with salt and pepper.
  • Spread the pesto over the tops of the chicken breasts and sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese.
  • Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked completely through and mozzarella is just starting to brown up.
  • While the chicken is cooking, combine all the bruschetta ingredients in a medium bowl and stir to combine.
  • When the chicken is done cooking, transfer them to a plate and finish with a big scoop of that fresh bruschetta.
Sauces

Recipe—Basil Pesto Sauce

Diva di Cucina

If you follow me on Instagram, you have probably seen my backyard pride and joy, my little garden. One of the first springs in our home I had my dad and husband build me this big, beautiful redwood garden box. It has been a couple of years of figuring out what grows good and what doesn’t. Tomatoes, zucchini and pesto thrive during the hot California summer months.  

Well, this year by spry little basil plants turned into full on basil bushes in a matter of a couple of weeks. They were thick, tall, and bushy and I knew they had to be harvested before they went to flower and became bitter and tough. Homemade pesto coming right up!

While I absolutely love store bought pesto nothing beats the freshness of making your own. It can be a little pricey with the cost of pine nuts, quality parmesan, and extra virgin olive oil but it is absolutely worth it! Plus, it is so easy to make. Load all the ingredients in the blender, and blend!

With how much basil I harvested I actually made a massive batch but you certainly don’t need to make that much at a time unless you are sitting on a big basil harvest yourself. The recipe below is written for a single batch.

One thing that is really great about pesto is that it freezes great! I proportion it out into larger containers for pasta dinners and then smaller containers that work great for pizza sauce like when I make my Shrimp Pesto Pizza. 

What makes my pesto unique is I like to add some fresh lemon juice to the mix. I find it helps serve as a natural preservative, gives it a great flavor, and also helps to keep the vibrant green color.

INGREDIENTS
2 c basil leaves, packed
3/4 c parmesan cheese, shredded
1 c extra virgin olive oil
1/2 c pine nuts
3 cloves garlic
juice from one lemon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 pepper

STEPS

  • Combine all the ingredients in the blender and blend string periodically if needed.
  • Add additional olive oil if you need more liquid to blend.
Appetizers

Recipe—Steak & Goat Cheese Crostini with Pesto

Diva di Cucina

Steak and Goat Cheese Crostini with Pesto

Last weekend I hosted a wine tasting party, which is so much fun by the way! Each person brought an appetizer and a bottle of wine so it was minimal preparation required on my part and didn’t break the bank. Thanks to all my amazing friends that came if you are reading this! It was such a blast! We had a total of 13 bottles of wine and an amazing spread of food.

Since I was holding the party around dinner time I knew I needed an appetizer that was hearty and filling. Steak came to mind since it would pair so nicely with a good hearty red blend. These appetizers may look very simple but the flavors were so amazing. The goat cheese is whipped together with cream cheese, olive oil, and red pepper so it is creamy and smooth with a mild kick. I was able to prepare everything earlier in the day and then assemble right before anyone arrived. And let me tell you, they were pretty darn popular among the ladies.

Steak and Goat Cheese Crostini with Pesto

Note: These can be served hot or cold. I served them cold for the sake of convenience. I was able to do all the prep in the morning, stored the cooked steak and goat cheese spread in the fridge, and put the toasted crostini in an unsealed Ziploc bag. I then assembled them right before the party.

INGREDIENTS
1 baguette, cut into 1/4 slices
10–12 ounce New York strip steak
4 oz goat cheese, softened
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
olive oil
salt & pepper
chili powder
garlic powder
1/2 c pesto

STEPS

  • Preheat the oven to 425º.
  • Place the baguette slices on a parchment paper lined baking sheets.
  • Brush each slice with olive oil and season with a light sprinkle of salt. Flip each slice over and repeat.
  • Toast the baguette slices for 12–15 minutes or until they are a nice golden brown.
  • While the baguette slices are toasting, season both sides of the steak with salt, pepper, a sprinkle of chili powder, and garlic powder.
  • Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat and add the steak.
  • Cook the steak for 4–6 minutes, flip, and continue to cook for an additional 4–6 minutes.
  • Remove the steak from the pan and allow it to sit for 10 minutes.
  • While the steak is resting, use a hand mixer to whip together the goat cheese, cream cheese, red pepper flakes, and two tablespoons of olive oil.
  • Thinly slice the steak and set aside.
  • To assemble, spread about one teaspoon of the whipped goat cheese on a slice of toasted bread, top with a slice of steak, and a dollop of pesto.
  • Enjoy!

 

Recipe adapted from Domesticate Me.

Dinners

Recipe—Pesto Chicken Kabobs

Diva di Cucina

Over the past year or so I have been using pesto more and more. Last summer we got a massive amount of basil from our garden, which yielded lots and lots of tasty homemade pesto. I was able to freeze tons and use it throughout the whole year. Awesome! I have found that pesto actually makes a really great marinade. Recently I am totally hooked on pesto chicken kabobs. Not only are they super fun to eat but they cook in a fraction of the time. Perfect meal for this coming summer.

Tip From the Diva: When using wooden skewers, soak them in water for about 10 minutes before putting all your goodies on them. It keeps them from catching fire and are much easier to handle. Genius right?

INGREDIENTS
3–4 chicken breasts, cut into 1” pieces/cubes
salt and pepper
1/2 c pesto
half of a red onion, cut into 1” squares
red bell pepper, cut into 1” pieces
yellow bell pepper, cut into 1” pieces

STEPS

  • Season the cubed chicken with salt and pepper.
  • Place in a container and toss with the pesto.
  • Allow chicken to marinade for at least 30 minutes. (I like to let mine soak up all the flavors for 7–8 hours.)
  • Thread the meat and the veggies onto the skewers making sure to alternate and discard the leftover marinade.
  • Grill skewers for 10 minutes, turning as needed, or until meat is cooked through and vegetables are tender.
Salads, Side Dishes

Recipe—Orzo Pesto Pasta

Diva di Cucina

In my office we all have a habit of bringing in various treats to share with each other throughout the year. (I know rough environment to be working in right?) Several years back we had an awesome (student assistant named Sarah. One day Sarah brought in this incredible orzo pesto pasta salad. I was in love! (With both Sarah and her pasta. Sarah was awesome.) She made her own pesto from scratch and I will not lie, I was impressed. This is the perfect summer salad. You have the seasonally fresh tomatoes and zucchini mixed with tangy vinegar and pesto giving it a wonderfully light and refreshing flavor. I make it several times of year and whenever I am generous enough to share with my friends I am asked for the recipe. It is definitely a favorite in our household. My son was even eating it by the bowlful when he was 1 1/2 years old. If you are looking for a tasty recipe for any summer cookouts or BBQs then search no further. This is perfect. While that little box of orzo may not look like much, it expands a great deal so this makes a very decent sized bowl of the tasty pasta salad.

Note: I save a couple of tablespoons of the feta and pine nuts to garnish the top of the salad with.

INGREDIENTS
1 lb box of orzo pasta, uncooked
1 tbsp olive oil
2 medium zucchini, cut into quarters lengthwise and then sliced
salt and pepper
4 oz feta cheese crumbles (see above note)
2 c pesto (make your own or get some from the market to save time)
3/4 c white vinegar
2 c cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 c pine nuts

STEPS

  • Cook orzo pasta per package instructions.
  • While the orzo is cooking, heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium high heat.
  • Add zucchini and season with salt and pepper.
  • Cook the zucchini for 3–4 minutes just slightly cooking it and then remove from heat.
  • Drain the orzo and place in a large mixing bowl.
  • Add the feta and pesto stirring to combine.
  • Drizzle the vinegar while stirring.
  • Stir in the cooked zucchini, tomatoes, and pine nuts.
  • Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with extra feta and pine nuts if you saved any.
  • Refrigerate for at least 2–3 hours before serving.
Dinners, Sandwiches

Recipe—Chicken Pesto Panini

Diva di Cucina

I am on a total pesto kick after making my own. Just love the stuff! Especially when I can use it on one of my favorite paninis made with chicken, mozzarella, tomatoes, and of course some delicious pesto. The flavors of this sandwich all go together so perfectly! It’s crunchy, melty, flavorful goodness all in one simple sandwich. Make it for lunch or dinner and serve with an Italian green salad for one heck of an awesome meal.

Note: The recipe calls for grilled chicken breasts but you can also just go pick up a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store to save some time.

INGREDIENTS
4 large slices sourdough bread
2 tbsp butter, softened
1/3 c pesto
1 tomato, sliced
2 grilled chicken breasts, sliced in half lengthwise
6–8 slices fresh mozzarella (I recommend getting the good stuff from the deli)

STEPS

  • Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Spread one side of each piece of the bread with butter and spread the opposite sides with pesto.
  • Place two of the slices of bread butter side down in the skillet.
  • Top the bread in the pan with the tomatoes, chicken, and mozzarella.
  • Add the last two slices of bread to the top of the sandwiches, butter side out.
  • Cook for approximately 3 minutes or until the bread is a toasty brown.
  • Flip and cook for another 3 minutes until cheese is melted and the other side is a nice toasty brown.
Dinners

Recipe—Shrimp and Pesto Pizza

Diva di Cucina

The other day I made some homemade pesto for the first time ever. I really wanted to create an awesome pizza combination to use my pesto on and this is what I came up with, a delicious shrimp and pesto pizza. Yes it is a complete departure from your typical pizza and yet it was ahhh-mazing! It was really light and refreshing. The shrimp were cooked to perfection and went so well with the pesto. I didn’t go too crazy with the toppings. I just wanted to keep it pretty simple and it really allowed all the flavors to come through. We love making homemade pizzas during the week because they are incredibly quick and easy and usually cheaper than ordering one from your local pizza parlor. This may have just been my best homemade pizza to date!

Note: If you don’t have the time to make my homemade pesto recipe, I recommend getting the store bought kind and stirring in a splash of lemon juice. The hint of lemon really sets off the shrimp.

INGREDIENTS
1 tube Pillsbury refrigerated pizza crust
12 large raw shrimp, cleaned and peeled
salt
lemon pepper
1/2 c pesto (see my recipe here for homemade pesto)
2 c mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 thin slices red onion, cut into quarters
1 tomato, chopped
Italian seasoning

STEPS

  • Preheat oven to 400º.
  • Slice your shrimp in half lengthwise. This will help them to cook quicker and will be easier to eat.
  • Season the shrimp with slat and lemon pepper and set aside.
  • Unroll the pizza dough onto a greased cookie sheet.
  • Starting at the center press, the dough out until it is your desired thickness.
  • Spread an even layer of the pesto onto your dough.
  • Top with cheese, onions, shrimp, and tomatoes.
  • Dust your pizza with Italian seasoning.
  • Bake in the oven for 12–14 minutes or until crust is a golden brown.
  • Turn on the broiler for an additional 2 minutes to given the cheese some nice golden brown spots.
  • Allow to cool for a couple of minutes before slicing.