Fresh Basil

I went to visit the garden the other day. It's gorgeous! The beans will be ready to pick this weekend. I can hardly contain myself I am so excited. :)

To tide myself over in the mean time, I am using up some fresh baby basil bunches I picked.

By now you all know I love the pairing of tomato and basil. My tomatoes aren't ready yet, but the farmers market has an abundance of ripe cherry and grape varieties.

I pulled out an old favorite from my summer recipes box the other day. It was the perfect fit for my fresh ingredients.

This recipe originally came from a Cooking Light 15 Minutes or Less cookbook. It is a great fusion of summer flavors, fast.

I am not a fan of olives as a general rule, but I do enjoy kalamata olives once in a while. They have a wonderfully meaty flavor to them. You can substitute black olives in a pinch, but I highly recommend holding out for kalamatas.

Here's to you and your culinary adventures friend. Cheers!

Chicken with Tomato, Basil, and Feta
Serves 4
273 cal per serving

4 (6oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
16 pitted kalamata olives, halved
3 TBS light balsamic vinaigrette
3 TBS crumbled feta cheese
3 TBS baby basil leaves
Salt and pepper to taste

Season chicken with salt and pepper.

*Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Coat with cooking spray. Cook chicken about 6-7 minutes on each side until no longer pink. Remove from heat and keep warm.

Combine tomatoes, olives and vinaigrette in a bowl. Add the mixture to the hot pan. Cook until tomatoes soften, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Spoon tomatoes over chicken. Sprinkle with cheese and basil.

Best served with orzo pasta that has been cooked in chicken stock. Sprinkle the pasta with toasted pine nuts or toasted chopped pecans.

* You can grill the chicken on an outdoor grill for a smoky flavor. Make sure you oil the grate first so the chicken doesn't stick.