Basil/6 recipes

Champagne-braised chicken casserole layered with peas, baby carrots, new potatoes, and cream of mushroom soup. A showstopper one-dish dinner.

Eggplant macaroni bake layers tender eggplant, fresh tomato, and basil with parmesan-tossed macaroni, topped with cheddar and baked bubbly. A light, vegetarian pasta casserole that skips the heavy cream sauce.

A lighter chicken pesto pasta with a yogurt-based spinach pesto, fresh basil, pine nuts, and Parmesan tossed with penne. Half the fat of traditional pesto, all the flavor.

Quinoa tabbouleh swaps traditional bulgur for protein-rich quinoa in a parsley-forward Lebanese salad with scallions, lemon, olive oil, and garlic. Gluten-free, vegan, refreshing.

Easy lasagna with jarred spaghetti sauce, cottage cheese instead of ricotta, and a simple meat layer. Weeknight-friendly with big shortcut flavor.

Rustic Italian focaccia topped with roasted red peppers, slow-cooked onions, tomatoes, and fresh basil. Garlic-infused olive oil dough hand-kneaded and dimpled for crispy edges.

Garlicky pasta chicken salad made with 6 whole heads of garlic slow-cooked in olive oil and puréed with basil and rosemary. Tossed with rotini, Parmesan, and toasted walnuts.

Italian pasta salad with rotini, broccoli, mozzarella, bell peppers, and a homemade basil-oregano vinaigrette. A make-ahead cold pasta dish for potlucks and picnics.

Creamy New England clam chowder simmers minced clams, potatoes, and crisp bacon in a milk-and-heavy-cream broth thickened with flour. A classic Boston-style chowder finished with parsley and basil.

Tender chicken breasts simmered in white wine and chicken broth with mushrooms, onion, and basil. A light, savory one-skillet dinner ready in about an hour.

Tender chicken simmered in a rich coconut milk and red curry paste sauce with zucchini, jalapeños, and fresh basil. A quick, creamy Thai red curry ready in 40 minutes.

Sweet and sour pasta salad with kamut spirals, kidney and black beans, red pepper, scallions, and basil. A protein-packed vegan picnic salad that holds up beautifully for make-ahead lunches.

Picante red sauce blended from roasted red bell pepper, diced tomatoes with green chiles, soy sauce, umeboshi vinegar, and basil. A smoky, tangy all-purpose sauce for pasta, stuffed peppers, or cabbage rolls.

A light yet tasty chickpea salad is made with carrot, chickpea, scallions and parsley, tossed with cider vinegar, a bit yogurt and basil. It's a refreshing salad that can be stuffed in the pita bread, or accompany any main course.

In my opinion, this is the most decadent, rich and scrumptious pasta dish and one of my all-time favorites (I originally got this recipe from a Bon Appetit magazine many, many years ago). Very easy to prepare and always a hit.

A delicious pizza is full of delicious goodness. It's cheesy, warm and tasty.