Chinese Take-out: Basil Chicken

I love Chinese food. We get take-out once and a while but it's so expensive...I'm ALWAYS shocked at the price of it when I order. So I try to make stuff at home as much as I can..and then I also know what's in it. I adapted this from America's Test Kitchen (I know, I know - haven't they already perfected it?).

1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup rice wine
1 tbsp brown sugar
1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs in bite sized pieces
6 scallions, white and green parts separated and sliced thin on bias
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 2-in. piece of ginger, sliced thinly
6-8 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 tbsp water
1 tsp cornstarch
1 cup Thai basil leaves, sliced lengthwise
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

1. Put the chicken in a medium sized bowl with the soy sauce and rice wine and marinate for an hour or while you do step 2.

2. Add oil to skillet with ginger and garlic and heat over medium low heat for about 10 minutes or until they're softened - don't burn them!

3. Pour the chicken and marinade into the pan. Turn heat up to medium high and bring to a simmer. Then turn down to medium low and simmer for about 10 minutes, turning the chicken occasionally.

4. Combine the cornstarch and water and turn the heat back up on the skillet to medium high. Let sauce thicken.

5. Add the basil and celery and cook for another couple of minutes until the celery is just tender. Drizzle the toasted sesame oil and serve over rice. I like this with a side of steamed broccoli with a little soy and sesame and red pepper flakes ;)

Greek Turkey Bunless Burgers and Rice Pilaf

I love gyros. We ate tons of them in Greece and there's a great gyro place down the street from us in Davis Square. I tried this version of a turkey pita-less gyro/bun-less burger semi-salad the other night and we'll definitely have it again and again. The feta in the burger keeps the turkey from getting too dry (a trick I learned from a delicious Flour turkey burger recipe). The tzatziki is key to making this what it is - either buy some or make it (recipe linked to another Greek recipe below).


Turkey Burgers

1 lb ground turkey
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion pwder
1 cup cooked spinach, juices squeezed out and chopped
1/3 cup feta

Rice Pilaf

1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup rice

Extras
Tzatziki
Chopped tomatoes and cucumbers



1. Saute the onion over medium high heat. Add the rice and cook until translucent. Add the broth and cook the rice until tender.

2. While the rice is cooking, combine the turkey burger ingredients in a large bowl and make patties. Cook over medium high heat in a bit of olive oil until cooked through.

3. Serve burger over rice with tzatziki and veggies on the side.

Tumeric Tilapia and Coconut Rice

I've always been one for fast dinners but since #2 arrived last month, I'm looking for 20 mins or less to get a balanced dinner on the table...and something that 3.5 year old #1 will eat. Miraculously, he's going through a fish phase so this works. It takes him an hour to eat it but he loves it. This is from Cooking Light.

1 tbsp tumeric
Salt & pepper
2 tilapia filets
2 tbsp canola oil
2 cups cooked white rice
1 cup coconut milk
1 tsp sugar
1/2 cup cilantro
1.5 tbsp lime juice
Matchstick carrots, broccoli slaw or another veggie side

1. Season the fish with the tumeric, salt and pepper.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet and cook the fish until browned and cooked through. Remove and set aside - keep warm.

3. Wipe out the pan. Add the rice and heat through. Add the coconut milk and sugar and stir until thickened. Add the lime juice and cilantro.

4. Either remove the rice from the pan or move to one side of the skillet. Add the slaw and cook until softened. Serve on the side.

One-Pot Penne with Sausage, Pumpkin, and Fennel

I got this from Food52 and was drawn to it because I had a can of pumpkin leftover from holiday baking. It's DELICIOUS and takes very little time to make.

1 tbsp olive oil
1 small to medium fennel bulb, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 links of Italian sausage, casings removed
1 fresh sage leaf or 1/2 tsp dried sage
1/2 cup dry white wine (or 1/4 cup lemon juice + 1/4 cup water)
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
3 cups dried penne
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 lemon juiced
1/2 cup Parmesan
1/4 chopped parsley if you have it

1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil on medium high and cook the carrot, fennel, onion and garlic until softened. Add the sausage and cook through, crumble it up as it cooks.

2. Add the sage and wine and deglaze the pan and reduce the wine by 1/2. Add the stock and penne and make sure the penne is in or under the stock. Bring to a low boil, cover, and cook for 7 mins.

3. Add the pumpkin and lemon juice, stir to combine. Cover and cook another 3 mins or until the pasta is cooked through. Add the Parmesan and stir well.

Turkey Meatballs and Orzo

This one recently got great reviews in our house. And it's quick and easy - I make the meatballs on the weekend and and throw it all together on a weeknight in a matter of minutes. This is from Food52.

Meatballs
2lbs ground turkey
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 cloves garlic, minced
Zest from a large lemon, save juice
1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil

Orzo

1 lb orzo

1 finely chopped shallot

Juice from one lemon

Salt & pepper

1/3 cup olive oil

1/2 cup Parmesan

3 cups chopped greens, such as kale or spinach

1. To make the meatballs, mix the turkey through the Parmesan in a large bowl until well combined. Cook the meatballs any number of ways - bake on a lined sheet at 375 for 20 mins or so, broil for 10 mins turning so all sides browned, or in a pan on the stove top.

2. Cook the orzo in a pot of boiling water until tender. Drain and put in a bowl.

3. While orzo cooks, combine the shallots through the olive oil and heat in a saucepan or small skillet until shallots are soft. Pour over the orzo and mix together. Add the greens and the Parmesan.

*If you make the meatballs a few days before, reheat them, covered with a few tbsp of water in a large skillet on the stovetop. Once heated through, remove top and let water evaporate. Add the orzo/vinaigrette mixture, greens and cheese and heat through.

Tortellini Chicken and Arugula Salad

10 minutes. That's what Cooking Light says and it's true. You don't count the time it takes to boil the water but 10 minutes!!! It takes less time to decide what to order on a take-out menu and punch in your credit card :)

1 package of frozen cheese tortellini
2 cups chicken breast (either leftover, pulled from a grocery rotisserie or whatever you've got in the fridge)
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp lemon zest
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp sugar
3 cups baby arugula
thinly sliced shallot (optional - I'm not a fan of raw onion but someone in my family eats them like apples)
1/4 cup Parmesan

1. Cook the tortellini. Drain, rinse with cold water.

2. Combine garlic, oil, lemon, sugar, salt and pepper and mix well (or use store bought salad dressing but you'll get a completely different meal).

3. Toss the tortellini, arugula and chicken and drizzle with dressing.

Baked Eggs in Tomato Sauce

Has anyone noticed that these meals are getting easier and faster to make? That's the goal these days folks - somehow eat a delicious meal on a weeknight before 9pm. I'm aiming for a half hour or less these days so keep an eye out. This is from Fine Cooking magazine - it took about 10 minutes plus a few  more to bake. Also - this is the Italian version of pretty much the same thing I posted a couple of months ago...oops!

3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can chickpeas, rinsed
1 onion diced
28oz can crushed tomatoes
3-4 eggs
1/2 chunk of fresh mozzarella, sliced
Handful of basil, thinly sliced
You can add some sausage to this if you're looking for meat!

1. Preheat oven to 425.

2. Mash half of the chickpeas in a bowl with a fork.

3. Over medium heat in a large skillet, cook the onions until translucent. Add garlic, tomatoes, and mashed chickpeas. Bring to a boil and remove from heat.

4. Add the rest of the chickpeas and make depressions in the tomato sauce for each of the eggs. Crack eggs into the holes and place the mozzarella around it. Put in the oven to bake for 8-9 minutes - don't over do it! Remove from the oven when done and sprinkle with basil.

Chicken and Waffles

I didn't even know about chicken and waffles until a few years ago...I'm a New Englander. What a shame...the northeast needs to get its act together. I'll always order it if it's on the menu because I can't be bothered with frying chicken at home. But this recipe from Cooking Light is a healthier and easier version...and takes about five minutes (plus 10 mins baking time) with almost no cleanup. And the combo of the maple syrup, soy, and sriracha/sambal is amazing.

1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tbsp Sriracha or sambal oelek
1 tsp soy sauce
1/4 flour
1 egg
1 cup cornflakes, crushed
1/4 cup panko
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 paprika
1 package of chicken cutlets
4 Belgian waffles
1 tbsp melted butter
1/2 cup green onions

1. Preheat oven to 425 and place a rack on top of a large baking sheet.

2. Combine first three ingredients in a bowl.

3. Put the flour, salt, paprika in a bowl, beat the egg in another, and combine the panko and cornflakes in another.

4. Dredge each piece of chicken in the flour, then egg, then panko/cornflake mixture. Place on rack and drizzle with melted butter. Bake for 10 minutes.

5. Toast the waffles and serve with chicken and onions on top and drizzled with syrup.

Afghan Butternut Squash with Rice

I'm always looking for quick and easy stuff and you know we like all things saucy in this house. I found this on Food52 and loved it. I took some liberties to change it up - added the chicken and garbanzos - which likely makes it completely un-Afghan but I liked it this way. We're gonna have this again and again in the future. Jack ate it for lunch all week - home run.

2 lbs butternut squash in 1/4 - 1/2 inch cubes
4 tbsp olive oil, divided
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 onion, chopped
1 1/4 tsp coriander 
1/2 tsp tumeric
1 cup crushed tomato
1/2 cup water
Leftover chicken, shredded (from a rotisserie, leftover from grill, or you can simmer a breast or a couple of thighs in chicken broth for a half hr or so to tenderize and shred)
1 can of garbanzos (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Arrange the squash on a baking sheet in one layer. Drizzle with a couple tbsp of olive oil, dash of salt and pepper and the sugar and cinnamon. Bake until quite soft (about a half hr), stirring once. Remove from oven and set aside.

2. In  a large pan, heat a couple tbsp of oil and cook the onions until soft. Add the spices and cook for a couple of mins. Add the tomato sauce and water and mix well. Cook for about 20-30 mins until sauce thickens. Add the squash, chicken, and beans at the end to warm through.

Serve over rice.

Chicken Tacos with Creamy Chipotle Slaw

See what I mean? Tacos. The best part is that this was the leftover chicken from two nights earlier and the rest of the cabbage from the Vietnamese Pork Salad. This isn't a recipe but we loved it so I'm putting it in to remind myself. Lazy dinner and emptying out the fridge...yessss.

Spice rubbed chicken thighs (or any leftover chicken)
Handful of shredded cheese (mexican blend or cheddar or jack)
1 cup cole slaw mix
1/4 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1 tbsp sauce from a can of chipotles in adobo sauce (or more if you like it spicier)
Avocados, sliced if you have them

1. Combine the slaw, sour cream, and adobo. Add salt and pepper to taste. Heat the chicken and set aside. Heat the tortillas and melt the cheese in them. Add chicken, slaw, and avocado. That's it!!

Spice Rubbed Chicken Thighs with Jalapeno Guac

We eat tacos all. the. time. What else would I do with all of that leftover chicken? But because we have them, ahem, at least once a week, I try to change them up as much as possible...which includes serving them tortilla-less.

1 package of boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp garlic powder
Salt & pepper
Enough kale or other greens for a salad
1 cup or more of black beans
1 cup or more of corn
1 cup or more of diced tomatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp honey
1/8 tsp dijon mustard
2 avocados
2 - 3 jalapenos, seeds and veins removed, finely diced
Juice of one lime
2 tablespoons of sour cream or plain yogurt (if you have it)

1. Combine the chili powder through the salt and pepper and rub thoroughly into the chicken thighs. Given them 30 mins if you have it, otherwise, do everything else before you grill them.

2. To make the salad dressing, combine the olive oil thorugh the mustard to make your dressing, or use store bought dressing if you have it.

3. To make the salad, combine the kale, beans, corn, tomatoes and dress salad.

4. To make the guacamole, combine avocados, jalapenos, lime juice, and sour cream/yogurt and salt & pepper.

5. Grill the chicken and serve over the salad with guac on the side.

Grilled Egg & Eggplant

Not a combo I would've thought up. But these days I'm going for meals that are high in flavor, healthy, and fast as hell to make. This is from Bon Appetit. The spicy sauce in this recipe could be used in a million other ways but it really works with this. You can pan cook the eggplants but the smokey char from the grill is like another ingredient. Serve this on its own, over some sauteed kale, or rice, both...whatever.

2 jalapenos, seeded and de-veined
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp honey
4 Japanese eggplants or 1 lb of regular eggplant(s) - cut lengthwise about 1/2" thick
4 tbsp olive oil
3 scallions, thinly sliced
2 cups cilantro
1/4 cup fresh dill
2 eggs

1. Toss chiles, garlic, and a large pinch of salt on a small bowl and let sit until softened - about 10 mins. Stir in vinegar and honey and set aside.

2. Drizzle eggplants with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill or cook in a large skillet until lightly charred and tender. When finished, cut on a diagonal and toss in a large bowl with scallions and half of the hot sauce, cilantro and dill.

3. Heat remaining 2 tbsp of oil in a skillet over medium and fry the eggs until yolks are just set. Remove eggs from pan and cut into strips. Arrange over the eggplant and drizzle with remaining hot sauce, cilantro and dill.

30-Minute Red Curry

I've been making a lot of curry the past six months. Turns out my 1.5 year old prefers a good home cooked curry than just about anything else. This little boy loves his food spicy and saucy. He gets a whiff when I'm heating it up and starts to kick his legs in his high chair and bounce up and down. This Thai red curry from Bon Appetit is one of the best that I've made over the years. You could do this with fish, chicken, shrimp, just veggies - rice noodles or rice.

1 large shallot
6 cloves of garlic
1 2" piece of ginger, peeled and cut into pieces
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp red curry paste
2 tsp tumeric
1 28oz can of diced tomato
1 can of coconut milk
1 lb vegetables - cauliflower, carrots, etc.
1 lb white fish (cod, halibut, haddock) or chicken, shrimp

1. Pulse shallot, garlic and ginger in a food processor to finely chop. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and cook the garlic mixture until golden. Add the curry paste and tumeric and cook until darker in color and starts to stick to the pan - about 3 mins.

2. Add tomatoes and cook for about 5 mins. Stir in coconut milk and season with salt. Simmer and stir occasionally until its thickened - about 10 mins.

3. Add vegetables and add enough water to cover the veggies. Bring to a simmer and cook until veggies are crisp but tender - about 10 mins.

4. Season the fish/chicken/shrimp with salt and pepper and add to the curry. Return to a simmer and cook until meat is cooked through. Serve over rice noodles or rice with a squeeze of lime and some cilantro.

Chicken Saltimbocca

We eat a lot of chicken. Have you noticed? This is one of my all time favorites and it's a great work night dinner since it takes about 15 minutes to make. I usually serve it with asparagus or broccoli or some other kind of green. This is from Food & Wine.

4 chicken breasts, halved or pounded into thin cutlets
10 sage leaves
4 slices of prosciutto
1/2 cup flour
3 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp butter
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Place 2-3 sage leaves on each breast and wrap the breast with a slice (or two for full coverage) of prosciutto. The prosciutto should stick together so you shouldn't need a toothpick. Lightly dredge the breasts in flour and shake off the excess.

2. Heat a large skillet to medium high and add oil and 2 tbsp of butter. Cook the chicken until the prosciutto starts to curl  - the chicken may not be cooked through - you'll finish it after next step. Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate.

3. Add the remaining 2 tbsp of butter to the pan, add the win and cook over high until reduced by half. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Cook until reduced by half again.

4. Return the chicken to the pan and cook until chicken is done.

Kale Pesto Hearty Salad

I eat a lot of kale. It's my favorite green. I chop it up and mix it into at least half of what we eat. So the other night when were low on dinner options because the fridge was looking pretty empty, I used it as a base for this salad...also because my basil plants in the balcony garden haven't quite reached their full potential and I needed a filler. I used brown rice for this salad but pasta, barley, wheat berries, and quinoa would be great subs. I also served this room temperature but it's good hot or cold.

2 cups of cooked brown rice, slightly cooled
1 bunch of kale, stems removed
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, thinly sliced
3-4 basil leaves (depending on how basil-y you'd like it, you can add more)
1/4 cup of walnuts or pine nuts
1/3 cup olive oil, divided
1 tbs red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp honey
1-2 cups of cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup of peas
1 cup of chicken if you have it (left over roast chicken is great)

1. If you don't have leftover cooked rice on hand, get your rice going while you do the rest of the steps.
2. In a medium skillet, heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the kale and some salt and pepper. Cook until just softened - you don't want it mushy. Remove from pan and set aside.
3. In the same pan, add the shallots and cook until soft. Remove from heat.
4. In a food processor, add the kale, garlic, basil and nuts and process until until it forms a wet paste.
5. In a small bowl, mix the rest of the olive oil, mustard, honey and red wine vinegar until emulsified.
6. While the rice is still a bit warm, add the vinaigrette and mix well. Add the kale mixture and stir until well combined. Add the tomatoes, peas and chicken and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Strawberry Rhubarb Bars

It's strawberry season!! And I'm all things strawberry at the moment. I made these bars (thank you Smitten Kitchen, yet again!) yesterday and LOVE them. The best part - there is zero clean-up. As in - none, not even a bowl to wash. That's the best kind of baking...

*This is for an 8x8 baking dish. If you double the recipe, use a 9x13 dish (which I highly recommend because the 8x8 simply won't make enough of these).

1 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
Heaping 1/4 tsp salt
6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1 cup small-diced strawberries
1 cup small-diced rhubarb

1. Preheat the oven to 375.

2. Line the baking dish with parchment paper (make sure edges come up over the sides of the dish - this is necessary if you want a no clean up job.

3. Place the oats, flour, brown sugar and salt in the baking dish and mix together. Pour the butter over and stir until clumps form and all ingredients are absorbed. Set 1/2 of this mixture aside. Press the remaining mixture evenly into the dish to form the crust.

4. Sprinkle half of the strawberries over the crust. Do the same with the rhubarb so crust is evenly covered. Sprinkle the cornstarch over the fruit, then the lemon juice, and 1/2 of the granulated sugar.

5. Sprinkle the remaining fruit and the remaining 1/2 tsp of granulated sugar.

6. Scatter the remaining crust/crumbs over the fruit and press lightly to form a top crust.

7. Bake 30-40 minutes or until it's bubbly and top is golden.

Caroline's Stromboli

My dear friend Caroline's little son Wes is battling stage IV neuroblastoma at only 1 1/2 years old. Since the beginning of this incredibly difficult journey, I have admired Caroline courage, grace, humor, and tenacity. More than anything, I am astounded by Caroline's ability keep a level head and take life one day at a time. I was recently down in DC and was able to visit Caro and the family in VA for the day. The two of us escaped for a nice long lunch in the sun and a couple of glasses of champagne. At the end of the afternoon we returned to the house and amidst organizing the three kids, batting practice in the front yard, and preparing for an evening at baseball practice (all while entertaining ME), Caroline whipped up some stromboli. I share this recipe because it's delicious but also because it totally captures Caroline... "Oh, these? I carmelized the onions this morning while everyone was still sleeping..." Enough said.

Pretty much any of these ingredients can be swapped/subbed but I'm staying true to Caro's recipe:
1 pre-made pizza dough
1 package of shredded Italian cheese
1 red onion, caramelized
1 handful of jarred jalapenos, finely chopped
6-8 slices of salami
1-2 cups of blanched and chopped spinach
Red sauce for dipping

1. Preheat the oven to 425

2. Roll out the pizza dough into a rectangle, about 12" by 24." Make sure to use plenty of flour so it doesn't stick to the surface.

3. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the dough, leaving 1/2" on the left end clean for sealing. Sprinkle the onion, the jalapenos, and the spinach over as well. Top with slices of salami. It should look like a big square pizza.

4. Starting on the right/short side, gently start to roll the dough from right to left. Roll as tightly as you can. When you get it all rolled up, seal the long end to the roll and seal the short ends so nothing oozes out while baking.

5. Place carefully on a baking sheet (you might need an extra set of hands), sealed side down. Bake for about 30-40 mins or until the crust is browned and the insides are melted.

6. When stromboli is done, remove from the oven and let sit for about 5-10 mins before cutting. Serve with tomato sauce on the side for dipping.

Spicy Eggy Fried Rice

Not sure if this is an egg dish or a rice dish, but it's YUMMY. This is adapted from a Food and Wine recipe called "Breakfast Fried Rice" - unless I was in Asia, not sure I'd have this for breakfast, but it makes a perfect lunch or dinner. I made this last week one night for a cheap and easy dinner and we'll probably have this a lot more in the future.

2 tbsp sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 green onions, sliced
1 cup or so of leftover rice (use as much as you want to balance it out, make the meal bigger)
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 cups chopped kale
3 eggs, beaten
Salt & pepper
Sriracha or hot sauce

1. Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 tbsp oil and garlic. When hot, add the kale and saute until just wilted. Push to one side of the pan.

2. Add the rice, vinegar and soy sauce and heat through. Push to the side with the kale.

3. Add the remaining oil and green onions. Then add the eggs and scramble. When eggs are cooked, mix in the kale and rice until well combined. Serve with Sriracha.

Pan-Roasted Chicken with Harissa Chickpeas

Mmmm...harissa. My new favorite flavorizer. You can get a tube of harissa paste in nicer grocery store or spice shop - it's a nice, hot pepper/paprika flavor that warms up anything. I tried out this Bon Appetit recipe a couple of nights ago and it was really easy and so full of flavor. A great one pan meal.

3-4 bone-in, skin on, chicken thighs (only as many as you can fit in a pan with some space)
1 small onion, halved, sliced thinly
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 can of chickpeas, drained
3 tbsp harissa paste
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup parsley
1/2 lemon

1. Preheat oven to 425.

2. Heat a bit of olive oil in an oven proof pan (cast iron works well for this) on medium high. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to pan, skin down. Cook until browned on each side, about 5 mins. per side. Transfer to a plate.

3. Pour off all but about 1 tbsp of fat from pan. Add onions and garlic and stir often until softened. Add tomato paste and continue to stir until mixed with onion and a little browned. Add the chickpeas and harissa. Continue to stir. Add the broth and scrape up brown bits from the pan. Bring to a simmer.

4. Nestle the chicken back into the pan and put in the oven for about 25 minutes or until cooked through. Sprinkle with parley and give it a squeeze of lemon to finish it off.

Bruschetta

We're on a bit of an appetizer kick here...yesterday was Valentine's Day and I went the extra mile on Paddy's favorite meal of Pasta Bolognese by adding a few small bites to get us started. Bruschetta is so simple and delicious and can really be an app, a snack, lunch, whatever. I always make a little extra tomato topping and save till the next day to have on top of chicken, or fish, a salad, etc.

1 baguette
1 container of cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 bunch of basil
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, grated
2-3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper

1. Warm the olive oil on medium low heat in a saucepan with the garlic. Let the garlic infuse the oil but be careful not to let it burn.

2. Add the tomatoes to a bowl and pour the oil over them. Add the vinegar, salt and pepper.

3. Slice the baguette into thin slices and arrange on a baking sheet. Broil until lightly toasted, turn over and toast the other side.

4. Add the basil to the tomato mixture and mix well. Pile on top of the toasts and away you go!