Quick Mom Lunches with Tomato, Basil and Cheese

You know how the day seems to get ahead of you faster than you anticipate? Before you know it, it is time to serve the kids lunch, make sure they eat it, clean it all up and then move on to the next adventure. Usually, moms eat whatever the kids are eating, if they eat lunch at all. But if you want something other than the usual chicken nuggets, grilled cheese or pasta for lunch, try one of the following recipes. I call these recipes my go to lunches for a number of reasons. They are quick and easy to … Continue reading

Chicken Cutlets in Sweet Basil Cream Sauce

I know this sounds like an incredibly complicated dish worthy of a gourmet kitchen but truth be told it’s not that complicated. I love fresh basil and for some reason I always have a hankering for it in the spring and summer. There’s something about the abundance of fresh produce that causes me to oogle over fresh herbs as well. Although fresh herbs are available year round at your grocery store. In any case, if you stick basil on it, I’ll eat it. So when I ran across this recipe in Cooking Pleasures, I started playing and voila–here is my … Continue reading

Growing My Italian Kitchen Garden

Yesterday, was a big day for me. I got to enjoy the wonderful breezes and dappled sunlight filtering through the trees outside. It was the perfect day to get a good start on my herb garden. I like growing herbs, because the store-bought kind are so expensive. Dried or fresh, herbs are one of those grocery items that seem to cost as much per ounce as gold. By growing the herbs myself, I save on both the cost of the herbs and the cost of making trips to the store to buy them, since it seems I never have the … Continue reading

Tomato Basil Soup

If you like tomato soup at all, you will probably love tomato soup with fresh basil. The Tomato Basil Soup recipe that I’m listing here is just that; this recipe is, of course, tomato-y, creamy, full of basil and soooo tasty. And it’s simple to make if you don’t mind using your blender to puree the tomatoes and basil together. Here’s what you’ll need to gather and do to make this delicious Tomato Basil Soup: Ingredients: 4 cups tomatoes (8 – 10 fresh tomatoes), peeled, cored, chopped; or 4 cups canned whole tomatoes, crushed 12 fresh Basil leaves, washed 1 … Continue reading

Growing Basil

Coming from an Italian background, I absolutely love basil. The sight and aroma of fragrant herb makes our kitchen feel warm and homey. When I am preparing meals, it is so nice to be able to just pluck a few fresh leaves whenever I need them. One of my favorite things to have for lunch is some lightly toasted Italian bread, drizzled with olive oil, topped with fresh mozzarella and whole basil leaves. It is so yummy and easy to make. In the middle of the day, while preparing peanut butter and jelly or chicken fingers for the kids, I … Continue reading

Essential Oils: Basil

Across the Mediterranean, people have been using basil medicinally for centuries, even thousands of years. Basil (also known as ocimum basilicum) originally comes from India but is perhaps best known in Italian cooking. Pesto, pizza, sauces… but basil is much more than a seasoning! In the sixteenth century, basil was used as an antidepressant — herbalist John Gerard wrote that the herb “taketh away sorrowfulness.” Basil is still used in aromatherapy today to help ease negativity and mental fatigue. Use basil to help your mind stay sharp; the scent promotes circulation and can help you stay alert on a long … Continue reading

The Amazing Power of Basil

That fragrant little leaf that is such a delicious addition to soups and sauces is a powerful natural infection fighter! Originally, basil comes from India. Mediterranean folks have used the plant for thousands of years in both cooking and medicine. Just the scent of basil has a positive effect all over your body! Let’s start at the top, with your brain. In the sixteenth century, basil was used as an antidepressant. The scent of basil can help your brain overcome fatigue and negativity. Basil is also good for stimulating memory, just like rosemary or ginkgo biloba. The sharp scent increases … Continue reading