Category: Basil

Hamburger Soup

Basil, Cabbage, Carrot, Cheddar Cheese, Ground Beef, Potatoes, Soup, Tomatoes

This is an old family recipe from one of the old UBC cookbooks.  Everyone likes it.  It tastes better the next day…. and freezes well too.

  • 1 lb. Ground beef
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 cup cubed potatoes
  • 1 cup cut up carrots
  • 1 cup shredded cabbage
  • 1 16 oz. can tomatoes
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ½ t. thyme
  • ¼ t. basil
  • 1 T. salt
  • pepper
  • 6 cups water
  • 1 cup cubed cheddar cheese

Sauté beef until brown.  Add onions and cook until transparent.  Pour off oil.  Add the rest of the ingredients EXCEPT for the cheese, and simmer for one hour.

Put cheese into each individual bowl before serving soup

Bruschetta

Appetizer, Basil, Garlic, Tomatoes
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • whole, peeled clove of garlic
  • loaf of Tuscan bread (large, dense…french is ok too)
  • toppings – fresh tomatoes, fresh basil, olives…etc
  • Toast thick slices of bread on cookie sheet until hard. (15 minutes at 350).  Rub fresh clove of garlic over toasted bread.  Garlic will be imbedded in bread.  Drizzle, generously, olive oil over bread.  Sprinkle with freshly ground salt and pepper.  Additional toppings can include, fresh tomatoes, fresh basil, sun dried tomatoes, olives, fresh mozzarella etc…  Pour more olive oil over toppings.

Creamy Garlic Dressing

Basil, Garlic, Lemon, Parmesan, Parsley, Salad

Moosewood Cooks at Home

This is really quick and tastes great.

  • 3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
  • ¾ cup vegetable oil
  • ¼ cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 T. chopped fresh basil, (or 1 t. dried)
  • 1 t. salt
  • 1 T. grated Parmesan cheese
  • ½ t. coarsely ground black pepper
  • ½ cup milk (whole, 2%, or skim)

Put the garlic, oil, vinegar, basil, salt, Parmesan, and pepper into a blender, and whirl for a couple of seconds.  With the blender still running, slowly add the milk, whirling until the dressing is thick and smooth.  Covered and refrigerated, this dressing will keep for a week.

Variations:

  • add ½ t. of hone or sugar to offset the tartness of the vinegar
  • add 1 t. fresh lemon juice for extra tartness
  • add 1 T. of minced fresh parsley for flecks of color without altering the flavor.