Basil Archives - Cooking In Stilettos™

Orzo With Italian Sausage and Roasted Red Peppers

June 23, 2016 By Aly 10 Comments

For an easy weeknight dinner, make this scrumptious Orzo with Italian Sausage and Roasted Red Peppers – just a few ingredients and a lot of flavor!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links to products I adore and trust in my kitchen. Thank you for supporting Cooking In Stilettos.

Easy weeknight dinners have been my saving grace the past few weeks and this Orzo with Italian Sausage and Roasted Red Peppers has made multiple appearances on weekly meal plan – it’s that good.

My Jr. Sous Pug, Jeffie’s, blindness and diabetes chaos has had the schedule in a bit of an uproar with new meds, twice, sometimes thrice, weekly doctor appointments, charts galore and craziness. He developed cataracts almost overnight due to the diabetes. Sadly, he’s been having a rough go of it with learning commands, navigating walks and coping. I have seen him go from a fiercely independent pup to one that is so scared and hesitant that it’s been heartbreaking. His primary vet referred him to a veterinary eye surgeon that could essentially work miracles. …

Middle Eastern Chickpea Salad

March 31, 2016 By Aly 30 Comments

Looking for a fabulous salad – make this chic and delicious Middle Eastern Chickpea Salad with protein-packed chickpeas and fresh veggies that are tossed in a flavorful lemon basil vinaigrette. This easy salad can be served as a side dish, main entree or nestled in pita bread for the perfect lunch on the go.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links of products that I adore and trust in my kitchen. Thank you for supporting Cooking In Stilettos

A couple months ago, some of my dear friends from the Dance Party days got together for cocktails, conversation, and memories with a bit of dancin’ of course. As my buddy Heather was throwing the soiree at her gorgeous studio in Manayunk, she asked that we all bring some of our favorite dishes. You know I had to whip up something tasty so not only did I bring my favorite Pulled Pork with Caramelized Onions, but I brought a fresh veggie salad I have been thinking about making forever – a Middle Eastern Chickpea Salad.

I saw the Barefoot Contessa make a version of this salad on one of her episodes in London. She was inspired by her trip to this amazing store, Ottelenghi, which also happens to be one of my favorite cookbooks. As Heather is a fitness guru, I thought this salad might be a healthy choice – somewhat balancing out the rich pulled pork. This salad was a hit and I knew I had to recreate it here for y’all….

Sparkling Black Widow Cocktail – A Spooky Witch’s Brew #NotJustAnyLife #NotJustAnyTequila

October 13, 2015 By Aly 10 Comments

This Sparkling Black Widow Cocktail has a lethal bite. Fresh blackberries and basil are muddled with Hornitos® Black Barrel Tequila and a touch of sweetness and sparkle. This libation is the perfect witch’s brew!

This post has been sponsored by Hornitos® Tequila.

Halloween is just around the corner – have you started your party prep yet? Don’t fret – I have a Halloween sip for you that will get any party started – a Sparkling Black Widow Cocktail!

Halloween is one of my favorite times of the year – the ghosts, the ghouls and the goblins come out to play and this year I am ready for them! For a gathering I am having with friends, I wanted to whisk up a haunting libation that had the mood of the holiday. This Sparkling Black Widow Cocktail is fruity with a touch of sweetness and effervescence but with a deep, dark secret. Lurking in the depths of this drink is one of my favorite tequilas, Hornitos® Black Barrel….

Grilled Chicken and Pear Salad with Lemon Basil Vinaigrette #PledgeforEVOO

August 7, 2014 By Aly 27 Comments

This Grilled Chicken & Pear Salad with Lemon Basil Vinaigrette will be a favorite for grilling all year long – grilled chicken and pears are tossed with fresh veggies and peppery arugula in a delicious and easy lemon basil vinaigrette that’s made from scratch!

Disclosure: This post has been sponsored by Pompeian. My love for the brand and opinions are all my own.

When Pompeian reached out to see what recipe magic I could whip up with their Extra Virgin Olive Oil, I wanted a recipe that would carry the buttery flavor throughout while not being too heavy for summer. It’s National Olive Oil month and Pompeian is encouraging everyone to lose the butter. No problem – I love using olive oil, in fresh and cooked preparations and especially with my summer salads. There’s nothing that beats a homemade vinaigrette, in my opinion. The main component of a great vinaigrette – a fabulous olive oil.

Do you ever have a dish that has you thinking “I so need to recreate that at home“? That was my dilemma a few weeks ago. We have this local restaurant near the 9to9 that has some killer salads and, recently, I had one of their salads which had pears, chicken and a lemon basil vinaigrette. It was soooo good but I was thinking “I know I can make that with a bit of a spin” and it hit me – I’d use freshly grilled pears along some peppery arugula. I’d also carry the lemon flavors throughout with a lemony marinade for the chicken and that would also be grilled. I’d drizzle the salad with a fresh lemon basil vinaigrette and top it with my favorite cheese – a salty, crumbly ricotta salata. Southern Living had a fabulous vinaigrette recipe that I jazzed up and it’s full of fresh summer flavors.

This Grilled Chicken and Pear Salad with Lemon Basil Vinaigrette is the ultimate summer salad my friends!…