Tag Archives: Mozzarella

Chicken Pesto Ciabatta Melts are perfect for your next weeknight meal!  Think of a classic bistro sandwich with warm, toasted bread, tender, juicy chicken, fresh, ripe tomatoes, melted cheese, and an herby pesto to top it off.  That’s what this recipe is, a wonderful hot sandwich option that fills the void for dinner (or lunch).  It’s filling without leaving you uncomfortably full.  The fresh ingredients make it feel like a light sandwich.  I personally think ciabatta is the perfect bread for a sandwich.  It’s soft and airy inside with a crispy crust so you can’t go wrong! The recipe can be found here. Start by baking the ciabatta bread according to package instructions.  Set the bread aside to cool.  Then slice the tomato and set it aside until ready to assemble.  I always but take and bake ciabatta vs fresh.  I think the taste holds up and I like that I can bake it when ready and feel like it … Continue reading

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Caprese Ravioli Salad is the pasta salad of summer…. or winter…. whenever you are looking for something light and refreshing.  It’s ready in about 20 minutes or less and is packed with fresh flavors of basil, tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and balsamic glaze.  This recipe can be served as a side dish or main course.  If serving as the main course, add a garden salad or some fresh veggies and hummus on the side. The ravioli is coated in a wonderful oil and herb dressing.  You can use cherry or grape tomatoes.  I recommend cheese ravioli or perhaps cheese tortellini (if you can’t find ravioli).  Use fresh basil, it’s way better than dried basil.  And use mozzarella pearls or fresh mozzarella slices that are cut into smaller chunks.  The keyword here is FRESH!  You will really notice a difference in the taste and texture of the dish if your ingredients are fresh. The recipe can be found here. Start by … Continue reading

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Chicken Pesto Naan Flatbread is a quick and easy meal that comes together with minimal effort and few ingredients.  It’s filling, flavorful, and done in about 20 minutes.  This recipe is great for spring or summer and can be made in the oven or on the grill. The recipe can be found here. Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the flatbreads on the baking sheet. Top each with ¼ cup of pesto and spread evenly over the top.  Add more or less to taste.  We like pesto at our house, so I tend to go a little pesto crazy 🙂 Add ½ cup of mozzarella cheese to each flatbread. Add ½ cup of cooked and diced chicken to each flatbread.  This is the perfect way to use up leftover rotisserie chicken. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cheese … Continue reading

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Grilled Chicken Caprese is an Italian-inspired chicken dish that is perfect for summer!  It’s made with tender, juicy chicken that’s topped with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, and a lovely balsamic glaze.  This dish can be prepared in a variety of ways, but my preference is to grill it. The recipe can be found here. Start by preheating a grill pan over medium-high heat.  Spray with cooking spray.  You can also use your outdoor grill if you prefer. Combine the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Season both sides of the chicken. Grill for 6-7 minutes on each side or until cooked through and an internal temperature of 165 degrees F is reached. Top each piece of chicken with a slice of fresh mozzarella cheese.  Loosely place tin foil over the grill pan to act as a cover to melt the cheese (or close your actual grill over to … Continue reading

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Friday night is pizza night at our house.  With COVID, we’ve been cooking at home a lot more than ordering in or going out to eat so we’ve taken to preparing our own pizzas from scratch at home.  It’s been fun to play around with toppings and be creative with what we add to each pizza.  You can definitely stick with the traditional toppings if that’s what you prefer on pizza, but we like to branch out and make each pizza unique. This crust is a favorite of mine as well.  I’d prefer less dough and more toppings in each bite so I’m going to share with you my recipe for Thin Crust Pizza Dough.  This is the base I use for all my homemade pizzas.  It’s thin, doesn’t require any time to rise, and gets nice and crispy when you bake it on a pizza stone.  One plus side … Continue reading

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Vegan Lasagna is a flavorful and hearty dish that’s packed with protein.  Yes, it is vegan but even meat lovers will enjoy it!  It’s layered with tender noodles, cashew ricotta cheese, marinara, spinach, and topped with mozzarella cheese. The recipe can be found here. The ricotta cheese is thick, creamy, and is a great recipe to use in lasagna, pasta, pizza, and more.  I was skeptical when making the ricotta because this was my first attempt, but it did not disappoint.  I didn’t know what to expect but was pleasantly surprised and admittedly didn’t know vegan cheese could taste this good!  It was also very easy to make and only requires a few ingredients, most of which are pantry staples if you lead a vegan lifestyle.  It has a lovely texture and amazing cheese flavor. The mozzarella is stretchy, creamy, and very smooth.  It’s a wonderful substitute to dairy mozzarella!  … Continue reading

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Margarita Chicken is one of my new favorite dishes.  It’s quick and easy to make, healthy, and a tasty meal you can enjoy all year round.  The chicken is grilled to perfection, then topped with melted cheese, pesto, tomatoes, and basil. The recipe can be found here. Here’s how you make it: Start by combining the olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning in a bowl.  Add the chicken and toss to coat. In a separate bowl, combine the tomatoes, basil and lemon. Heat a skillet over medium-low heat.  Cook the chicken on each side for about 8-10 minutes.  I like to cook the chicken low and slow, so I don’t burn the meat if the chicken breasts are thick.  You can always cover the skillet to help evenly distribute the heat.  If you are better with a grill it’s OK to cook the chicken that way too! … Continue reading

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