Appetizers

Watermelon Salad

Our Sweet Basil Kitchen Cookbook

Ingredients:

- 5 cups chopped watermelon

- 2 cups sliced grape tomatoes

- 2 cups sliced red grapes

- 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil

- 1 to 3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar

- Sea salt

- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped mint

- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil

Cooking Instructions:

Combine watermelon, tomatoes, and grapes in a large bowl. Chill 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Drizzle chilled fruit with olive oil and vinegar to taste. Sprinkle with salt, mint, and basil. Serve. Serves 6 to 8.

TIP: Regular balsamic vinegar can be used if you can’t find white balsamic, but try to go lighter.

Fruit Salsa With Cinnamon-Sugar Chips

Our Sweet Basil Kitchen Cookbook

Ingredients:

- 2 peaches, chopped

- 2 nectarines, chopped

- 4 kiwi, peeled and chopped

- 1 mango, peeled and chopped

- 2 (16 oz.) packages strawberries, chopped

- 1 tablespoon lemon juice

- 1/4 cup strawberry jam

- 6 uncooked tortillas

- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

- 1/2 cup cinnamon sugar

Cooking Instructions:

Add all of the fruit to a large bowl, drizzle with lemon juice and jam, and lightly fold everything together. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. (Don’t refrigerate longer than 3 hours or the juices will begin to break down the fruit.)

Preheat oven to 400° F. and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.In a skillet over medium heat, cook the tortillas one at a time according to package directions. Brush each cooked tortilla with melted butter and then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Use a pizza cutter to slice tortillas into triangles and then arrange on prepared baking sheet.

Bake 5 to 8 minutes, until chips are crispy. Serve with chilled Fruit Salsa!

Serves 6 to 8.

Brown Sugar Grilled Pineapple

Our Sweet Basil Kitchen Cookbook

Ingredients:

- 1 pineapple, peeled, cored, and sliced

- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

- 3/4 cup brown sugar

Cooking Instructions:

Preheat grill pan to medium-high heat.

In a small bowl, combine the hot, melted butter with the brown sugar and stir until sugar is absorbed, about 1 minute.

Place pineapple slices on grill and cook until grill marks begin to appear. Flip and cook again on the other side, about 1 minute.

Remove pineapple slices from the grill and quickly brush the butter-brown sugar mixture over each side. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Cade and Carrian Cheney are the husband-and-wife team behind the popular Oh, Sweet Basil food blog. Together, they have collected more than 100 recipes that combine their love of fresh ingredients with unexpected flavor combinations and mashups of tried-and-true family favorites.

The Cheneys believe that "Cooking isn't just about the food, it's about the hands that created it. For us, that means sharing a little Southern comfort and a little farm-to-table. But wherever you are and whatever flavors you are sharing, remember that good food and good people make for a good life."

Main Courses

Mango Chicken Salad

Our Sweet Basil Kitchen Cookbook

Ingredients:

- 1½ cups light coconut milk, divided

- 1/3 cup lime juice, divided

- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce, divided

- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

- 2 tablespoons peanut butter

- 2 tablespoons honey

- 2 cups chopped Napa cabbage

- 2 cups chopped romaine lettuce

- 1 cup peeled and chopped jicama

- 1 cup peeled and chopped mango

- 1½ cups chopped seedless cucumber

- 1 red bell pepper, chopped

- 1/2 cup chopped strawberries

- 1/2 cup peeled and chopped oranges

- 1/4 cup chopped red onion

- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

- 1½ cups cooked angel hair pasta, prepared according to package directions

- 1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

- 1 tablespoon chia seeds

Cooking Instructions:

In a large Ziploc bag, add 1 cup of the coconut milk, 3 tablespoons lime juice, and 2 tablespoons soy sauce. Add the chicken, seal the bag, and shake gently to coat the chicken. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours.

In a small mason jar, add the remaining 1/2 cup coconut milk, lime juice, soy sauce, peanut butter, and honey. Screw on the lid and shake to combine. Store in the fridge.

Heat a grill pan over medium heat and brush with a small amount of olive oil. Remove chicken from the marinade, discarding the marinade, and grill until cooked through, about 12 to 15 minutes, turning once. Let cool slightly, chop, and then set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, romaine, jicama, mango, cucumber, bell pepper, strawberries, oranges, red onion, cilantro, pasta, and chopped chicken.

Pour reserved dressing from the mason jar over the salad and toss to coat. Sprinkle with the almonds and chia seeds. Serve immediately.

Serves 6.

Grilled Avocado Tacos

Our Sweet Basil Kitchen Cookbook

Ingredients:

- 5 corn tortillas

- 1 ripe but firm avocado

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

1/3 cup crumbled queso fresco

1 lime, cut in wedges

Cooking Instructions:

Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.

Cut open the avocado and remove the pit but not the peel at this point. Brush each open face with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place cut side down on the grill and cook 2 to 5 minutes or until grill marks have appeared. Remove from the grill and allow to cool while you proceed.

Place each tortilla on the grill and grill each side for a few seconds, flip, and cook again, until grill marks begin to form and the tortilla puffs slightly. Remove from the grill and set on a plate.

To assemble tacos, slice the avocado in 1/8-inch slices lengthwise, remove from the peel, and layer a few slices in each tortilla, along with a little cheese, a squirt or two of lime juice, and a pinch of salt.

Serves 2 to 3.

Double-the-Meat, Hold-the-Bread BLT with Cilantro-Lime Dressing

Our Sweet Basil Kitchen Cookbook

Ingredients:

- 2 cloves of garlic, minced

- 1½ tablespoons Montreal chicken seasoning

- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

- 1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon olive oil

- 1 (2-pound) flank steak

- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded flat or butterflied

- 1 (8 oz.) bag baby spinach

- 1 (8 oz.) bag baby arugula or watercress

- Olive oil

- 1 lemon, juiced

- 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

- 2 cups grape tomatoes, sliced

- 1 avocado, chopped

- Cilantro-Lime Dressing

Cooking Instructions:

In a medium bowl, whisk together garlic, Montreal chicken seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, and red wine vinegar. Slowly add the oil while whisking continuously.

Divide the marinade between two Ziploc bags. Place the chicken in one bag, and the steak in the other. Seal well and marinate from 15 minutes to overnight.

Remove steak and chicken to separate plates and discard marinade. On a grill or grill pan heated to medium, cook chicken 6 to 7 minutes and steak 8 to 9 minutes. Flip chicken and steak and allow the chicken to cook an additional 3 minutes and the steak an additional 5 to 7 minutes. (For chicken, 165° F. on a meat thermometer; for steak, 140 to 145° F.) Remove meat to a clean cutting board and tent with aluminum foil. This will allow the juices to redistribute for better tasting meat. After 5 minutes, slice thin on the diagonal and set aside.

To serve family style, place some spinach and arugula on a large platter and lightly drizzle with a little olive oil and the juice from 1 lemon. Stack the steak, chicken, and bacon on top, followed by the tomatoes and avocados. Drizzle with the Cilantro-Lime Dressing and serve immediately.

- Serves 6 to 8.

Cilantro-Lime Dressing

- 1 bunch cilantro, stems cut off

- 3 cloves garlic, minced

- 9 limes, juiced

- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

- 1/2 cup rice vinegar

- 1/3 cup granulated sugar

- 3/4 teaspoon salt

- 1/2 cup canola oil

- 1 medium to large tomatillo, peeled

Place all ingredients in the jar of a blender and process until smooth. Store in refrigerator 7 to 9 days.

Cade and Carrian Cheney are the husband-and-wife team behind the popular Oh, Sweet Basil food blog. Together,they have collected more than 100 recipes that combine their love of fresh ingredients with unexpected flavor combinations and mashups of tried-and-true family favorites.

Desserts

Lemon-Strawberry Shortcakes

Our Sweet Basil Kitchen Cookbook

Ingredients:

- 1 pint strawberries, sliced

- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided

- 2 cups all-purpose flour

- 1 tablespoon baking powder

- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

- Zest of 1 lemon

- 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold, unsalted butter, cut in small cubes

- 1 large egg, slightly beaten

- 1 tablespoon lemon juice

- 1/4 cup heavy cream, plus a few tablespoons for topping

- 1/4 cup whole milk

- 2 cups sweetened whipped cream

Cooking Instructions:

Toss strawberries with 2 tablespoons of the sugar in a medium bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.

In a separate, medium bowl, whisk together 5 tablespoons of the sugar, the flour, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest.

With a pastry cutter or 2 knives, cut the cold butter into the flour mixture until it resembles small peas.

Add the slightly beaten egg, lemon juice, 1/4 cup heavy cream, and milk to the dry ingredients and use a fork to gently mix.

Turn out dough on a lightly floured surface and gently knead until everything is holding together. Roll the dough out to 1/2-inch thick and use a glass or biscuit cutter to cut out shortcakes.

Place cut shortcakes on a baking sheet, wrap with plastic wrap, and let rest in the refrigerator 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425° F.

Remove shortcakes from fridge, brush the tops with the remaining heavy cream, and sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake 12 to 15 minutes.

Cool cakes, split them open (or use 2 per person), and top with prepared berries and whipped cream.

Serves 8.

Cookies and Cream Frozen Custard

Our Sweet Basil Kitchen Cookbook

Ingredients:

- 2 cups heavy cream

- 1 cup half-and-half

- 1¼ cups granulated sugar

- 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped out and reserved

- 6 egg yolks

- 1½ sleeves Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped or crumbled

Cooking Instructions:

In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the cream, half-and-half, sugar, and the vanilla bean pod and seeds. Stir occasionally, heating the mixture until bubbles form around the edges. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, vigorously whisk 6 egg yolks together until thick, frothy, and pale yellow in color. After removing the cream mixture from the heat, spoon 5 tablespoons of the hot cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, into the eggs while whisking continuously. This tempers the eggs so they do not begin to scramble when added to the hot cream. Return the saucepan of hot cream to the burner, set heat to medium-low, and slowly whisk in the tempered eggs, stirring constantly.

Heat, stirring continuously, until thickened. You should be able to dip a spoon into the mixture and have the cream coat the back of the spoon. To test, drag your finger through the cream on the back of the spoon; if it leaves a trail, you’re done. Don’t allow cream to get hotter than 160° F.

Remove from heat, cool slightly, and then chill in the refrigerator covered in plastic wrap for several hours or overnight.

Once the mixture is chilled, remove the bean pod, and freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions for your 4- to 5-quart ice cream maker.

When ice cream is almost done churning, add 2/3 of the crushed Oreo cookies to the ice cream and let machine finish churning. Transfer ice cream to a freezer-safe container a few scoops at a time, adding some of the remaining cookie pieces after every few scoops. Freeze at least 4 hours before serving.

Serves 4 to 6.

Lemon Cheesecake Mousse Cups

Our Sweet Basil Kitchen Cookbook

Ingredients:

- 2 cups heavy cream, divided

- 2 cups powdered sugar, divided

- 3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened

- 2 cups Lemon Curd (see recipe below)

- 1 teaspoon lemon zest

- 4 tablespoons water

- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

- 2 tablespoons unflavored gelatin

- 1/2 teaspoon yellow food coloring (optional)

- Fresh blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries for serving

- 1/2 lemon, sliced and quartered for garnishing

Cooking Instructions:

In a medium bowl with an electric mixer, beat the heavy cream into stiff peaks. Add 1/4 cup of the powdered sugar and beat again to incorporate; set aside. In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth, about 2–3 minutes. Add in the lemon zest, lemon curd, and 3/4 cup of the powdered sugar; beat again until smooth and set aside. In a small, microwave-safe bowl, stir together the water and lemon juice and sprinkle the gelatin over the top. Let sit for 1 minute. Heat gelatin mixture in the microwave on high power for 25 seconds. Let it rest 2 to 3 minutes and then beat it into cream cheese mixture. Fold in half of the whipped cream until combined well. Spoon (or add mousse to a pastry bag and pipe it) into serving dishes. Chill in refrigerator 2 hours, up to overnight, reserving leftover whipped cream in the fridge until ready to serve. For serving, pile the top of each dish with fruit, give the whipped cream a good whisking again and add a dollop to each dish. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve immediately. Serves 4.

Lemon Curd

- 6 large eggs - 8 large egg yolks - 2 teaspoons lemon zest - 1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice (about 6 to 8 large lemons) - 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar - Pinch salt - 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, chopped

Cooking Instructions:

In a large bowl, beat the eggs and egg yolks together until pale in color, about 1 minute; set aside.

In a heavy pot over medium heat, combine the lemon zest, juice, sugar, and salt. Cook, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and whisk a few tablespoons of the hot lemon mixture into the beaten eggs to temper them.

Stir the tempered eggs into the hot lemon and return saucepan to burner. Cook over medium heat 5 to 8 minutes, or until the mixture coats the back of a spoon and is thickened.

Remove from heat and press through a mesh strainer over a clean bowl to remove any tiny pieces of cooked egg.

Quickly stir in the butter until melted and combined.

Fill a container or bowl with the curd and press plastic wrap tightly against the top (this prevents a skin from forming on top). Refrigerate until cool. Store in an airtight container with plastic wrap up to 2 weeks.