Basil/3 recipes

Orzo with turkey and fennel combines cooked turkey, sautéed fennel, orzo pasta, fresh tomatoes, and parmesan in 30 minutes. Italian-style leftover turkey dinner with sage and basil.

Slow-simmered Italian pizza sauce built on canned plum tomatoes, olive oil, oregano, basil and tarragon. A balanced, herb-forward sauce that gets even better after an overnight chill in the fridge.

Ratatouille bread bakes the classic Provencal vegetables (zucchini, summer squash, bell pepper, tomatoes, basil, garlic) into a savory bread machine loaf. A Mediterranean-flavored sandwich bread.

Pita pizzas with a fresh spinach-parsley pesto, sweet red bell pepper, and melted mozzarella. Ready in 20 minutes. Lighter and brighter than classic basil pesto pizza.

Layered shrimp and feta casserole with angel hair pasta, salsa, three cheeses, and a herbed egg custard. Mediterranean meets Southwest in one baked weeknight dish.

Pizza bianca: a white pizza with hand-stretched dough, olive oil pureed with shallot, garlic, and Italian herbs in place of red sauce, then blanketed in melted Gruyère. Crisp, nutty, no tomato.

Un-fried chicken: oven-baked chicken breasts with a crispy Old Bay, herb, and breadcrumb coating. Yogurt dipped instead of buttermilk dunked, for a lighter take on classic fried chicken.

Thai-style grilled beef salad with charred sirloin over crisp romaine, cucumber, radishes, and herbs, tossed in a fiery fish sauce and chili dressing. A bright summer main in 30 minutes.

Italian pesto quiche folds a quick parsley-walnut pesto into a half-and-half custard over shredded Swiss and parmesan in a flaky crust. A herby, nutty spin on classic quiche that slices as well at brunch as at dinner.

Minestrone soup loaded with cannellini beans, green beans, cabbage, carrots, and tomatoes, simmered in a basil-scented broth with a handful of pasta. A hearty, high-fiber soup finished with parmesan.

Ravioli soup simmers cheese ravioli in a beefy tomato-marinara broth with garlic, basil, and oregano, then finishes with parmesan and melty mozzarella. It tastes like lasagna in a bowl and comes together in about 30 minutes.

Polenta pie with a cornmeal crust, pizza sauce, porcini mushrooms, and homemade yogurt cheese topped with capers and parmesan. A low-fat vegetarian take on deep-dish pizza.

Asparagus shrimp salad with herb dressing marinates plump shrimp and crisp-tender spears in a vinaigrette sharp with basil, oregano, and chervil. Cool, make-ahead salad served over lettuce with diced tomato and Monterey Jack.

Vegetarian spaghetti with pressed tofu cooked to a ground-beef texture, mushrooms, herbs, garlic, tamari, and red wine. A meatless pasta that eats like a classic Bolognese.

Carol's lasagna stacks six noodle layers with a triple-cheese mix of ricotta, cottage, and romano, plus mozzarella and a slow-simmered ground beef tomato sauce. The classic baked pasta done generously.

Herbed focaccia, a crisp Italian flatbread with a touch of cornmeal, brushed with warm garlic-herb olive oil and showered with kosher salt. Thin and crackly, it's made for open sandwiches and freezes well.