Grilled Turkey Panini and Tuna Pesto Pasta Salad

Grilled Turkey Panini

Sliced artesian bread
Olive oil
Deli sliced turkey breast
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Shredded lettuce
Herb mayo*

Drizzle olive oil on one side of the bread for the top and bottom slices, then flip the bread over to expose the dry side. Spread the herb mayo on both slices. Top the mayo side with one slice of turkey, cheese and lettuce. Grill on an indoor grill for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and the bread is toasted.
*Herb mayo
Mix a small amount of mayo with a dash of garlic powder, dried basil, and dried oregano.


Tuna Pesto Pasta Salad

(Adapted from Market Pantry brand medium shells box)

3 cups medium shells pasta
1 (7 or 8 oz.) container refrigerated basil pesto (about ¾ cup)
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 cup bite-sized pieces roasted red bell pepper, well drained
1 (12 oz.) can solid white tuna packed in water, drained
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1 (2.25 oz.) can sliced black olives, drained (I omitted these because I don’t care for olives)
¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese (whoops! I forgot the cheese when I made this)
Sliced green onions for garnish (my idea)

Cook pasta according to directions. Rinse with cold water to chill; drain. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine pesto and mayonnaise; mix well. In a large bowl, combine pasta with all remaining ingredients. Add pesto mixture; stir gently until thoroughly combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve.


Yummy! I love pasta salad :) Easy summer night meal.

Mediterranean Couscous Stuffed Roasted Peppers

1 box Mediterranean flavored couscous
1 bell pepper
Shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook couscous according to box directions. Seed and slice bell peppers in half the long way. Stuff peppers with couscous and bake for 40 minutes. Last few minutes of baking, sprinkle cheddar cheese on the stuffing and continue baking till cheese is melted.

The couscous on the top of the pepper came out a little crunchy, I'm going to play with the bake time and temp more till it comes out perfect! This recipe was inspired by Giada at Home on Foodnetwork. I'm looking forward to trying different stuffings like taco seasoned hamburger meat with other taco fixings.

The Beginning...

Basil Development is a blog about my cooking experiences. The name "Basil Development" was inspired by one of my favorite shows, Arrested Development. I cannot wait to share my cuisine with you!