Basil/2 recipes

Deluxe grilled chicken sandwiches: taco-seasoned chicken strips with sauteed peppers and onions piled into buttery basil-toasted sub buns, topped with melty Monterey Jack.

Salmon lemon penne pairs grilled salmon and roasted red peppers with a bright lemon Alfredo sauce over penne. A weeknight pasta that eats like restaurant food.

Pesto spaghetti tossed with a fresh parsley and basil sauce, pine nuts, Parmesan, garlic, and butter. A 30-minute pasta dinner with a no-cook pesto that freezes well.

Grilled vegetable herb and goat cheese sandwiches layer grilled zucchini and Japanese eggplant with sundried tomato herb oil, creamy goat cheese, and spinach on baguette.

Rotini pasta tossed with chickpeas, broiler-roasted red peppers, roma tomatoes, fresh basil, and balsamic vinegar. A vegetarian Italian pasta dish that travels well for potlucks and picnics.

Cabbage and lamb stew with green and red cabbage, lamb sausage, red potatoes, and Creole mustard. Rustic European-style one-pot dinner ready in an hour.

Classic Italian lasagna with a homemade ground beef and tomato meat sauce, cottage cheese and egg filling, mozzarella, and Parmesan. Layered, baked, and worth every minute.

Slow-simmered puttanesca sauce cooked 6 to 8 hours with plum tomatoes, a whole head of garlic, anchovies, kalamata olives, and capers. Dark, rich, and deeply concentrated.

Bacon and Swiss pizza quiche merges quiche custard with pizza-style tomato sauce, basil, and oregano. Crispy bacon, melty Swiss, and a spoke-pattern sauce drizzle make it brunch-table royalty.

A light chicken and broccoli stir fry with Italian herbs and Parmesan instead of soy. Thin-sliced chicken cooks in a flash over crisp broccoli and peppers. A quick, lean 35-minute dinner.

Meatloaf bracciole: ground beef rolled jelly-roll style around crumbled bacon, mushrooms, onion, mozzarella, and Italian herbs, then braised in tomato sauce. A stuffed meatloaf that slices beautifully.

Cheesy eggplant pasta sauce with mushrooms, red pepper, and blended cottage cheese braised in dry sherry. A creamy, low-fat vegetarian sauce with nutritional yeast for extra savory depth.

Hickory-smoked chuck roast studded with garlic and marinated overnight in vinegar, Worcestershire, and basil. Grilled low over indirect heat with soaked wood chips for deep smoky flavor.

Shrimp and wine spaghetti in a garlicky tomato sauce with white wine, basil, and oregano. A quick Italian-style seafood pasta dinner ready in under 45 minutes.

Sourdough pizza bread for the bread machine with pepperoni, parmesan, basil, and oregano baked right into the dough. All the flavors of pizza night in a sliceable loaf.

Fat-free tomato onion dressing blended with sauteed sweet onion, herb vinegar, basil, poppy seeds, celery seeds, and dill. A light, tangy salad dressing with no oil.