I'm back!  In the time since my last post, we added to the family and are adjusting to life with Baby G.  What a wild ride!  

• I used 1 quart homemade turkey stock from a smoked turkey we ate at Thanksgiving dinner and 1 quart store bought chicken stock.  You can use chicken, turkey, or vegetable stock here.  
• I halved the orzo amount from the original recipe, and still felt like there was a lot in the pot.  Feel free to adjust based on how thick you like your soup.
• On the orzo (or any other soup with pasta)- pasta has the tendency to swell and become mushy in soups, especially when it comes to leftovers.  You can follow the directions above and your pasta will likely have a similar result.  It doesn't usually bother me in these thinner, shorter pastas.  If, however, you don't like how pastas turn out in soups, cook the pasta separately to desired doneness and then add it to individual bowls of soup.  
• I used a rotisserie chicken for this recipe.  My local store's rotisserie chickens are smaller but less fatty, and it takes about half the chicken to get the amount I want.
• I didn't use a slow cooker, but I imagine you could warm everything together, maybe not adding the chicken and spinach until the last 30 minutes to hour of cooking.

Prep your farro:  follow package directions to cook farro.  Let cool.  Also may be done ahead of time.

• I always like to give credit where it's due.  This recipe was inspired by a Smitten Kitchen recipe.
• Farro is a grain, and it is sold in several places.  I found my bag at Trader Joe's.  If you can't find farro, you can substitute barley, quinoa, and even rice or some other grain.  

serves 15

1 chocolate cake, baked in a 9x13 pan
1 large tub cool whip or approx. 2 cups heavy cream, whipped (you want about 6 cups total whipped cream)
1/2 cup strong brewed coffee or espresso
3-4 packages white chocolate instant pudding mix
4 cups almond milk OR 6 cups cow's milk
Dark chocolate bar (optional)
3 Tb. Chocolate covered espresso beans, chopped

Bake a chocolate cake according to recipe or package directions.  When cooled, cut into about 1 inch cubes.

Make your instant pudding (if you're a purist, feel free to make your own pudding; you want about 5-6 cups):
            Dissolve either instant coffee or instant espresso in your milk before adding it to your pudding mixture.  The amount depends on your own desire for the coffee flavor to shine through, but I'd go with about 1/3 cup intsant coffee or 3 Tb. instant espresso.  If you, like me, need a dairy free option, you need 4 boxes of pudding mix.  Mix 1 box mix to 1 cup almond milk, dissolving the instant espresso/coffee into your milk prior to mixing with the pudding.  If you don't need a dairy free option, you could get away with 2-3 boxes pudding mix, and follow package directions with amount of milk, adding the instant coffee/espresso prior to mixing with pudding mix.  Set aside.

In a large bowl or trifle bowl, layer as follows:
Place a layer of cake cubes in the bottom of the bowl.  If you have a plastic squeeze bottle, pour half your brewed coffee/espresso into the bottle and squirt over the cake.  Top with half the pudding mixture, and the top that with the whipped topping/cream.  Repeat layers.  On top, for garnish, scatter chopped, chocolate covered espresso beans and, if desired, use a small hole zester/grater (such as a Microplane) to grate little chocolate shavings on top.  Cover and refrigerate about a day or two before you need to serve.

Notes

• My dad can't have dairy, which sometimes presents a challenge in making desserts.  I mean, take away milk, cream, butter, sour cream, and cream cheese, and you're left with a baking challenge.  While not the food snobby thing to do, I used a cake mix, pudding mixes with almond milk, and whipped topping.  If you're a purist, feel free to make all these homemade.  There are also low sugar and sugar free options in most of these products, which make it helpful for those with diabetes.  
• This tasted pretty good the day I served it (1 day after I made it), but it tasted way better and the mocha flavor really came through the next day, so you could make this as far as 2-3 days in advance and still have a killer dessert.  Garnish before you serve rather than when you make it.
• Feel free to try another pudding flavor, such as cheesecake, vanilla, or even chocolate.  I like the color contrast of the coffee-colored pudding.
• We liked this pretty well as is, but I thought about adding a crunchy element/layer through the dessert.  If you want to play a little bit, add in some chocolate biscotti or more chocolate covered espresso beans between the pudding and whipped cream layers.
• By the way, when pouring/squirting the coffee over the cake, you don't want to absolutely inundate the cake with coffee.  It shouldn't be so soggy it falls apart.  You just want to impart some coffee flavor into the cake.

There are some vegetable dishes I make or eat that blow me away, and it's not because I'm that good.  It's because the vegetables are that good, especially when simply prepared in a way that lets flavors just shine.  Flavors blend and create this flavor show in your mouth that make your eyes roll and your head tilt slightly back at the impact of delicious flavor.  Some vegetables, even when not in season, deliver that kitchen-cred wow factor when you saute them in garlic and olive oil, which is exactly what I did with these tomatoes and green beans.



I am a frequent and devoted shopper at Aldi stores.  They sell produce at a much lower price than competitors, and while I've gotten some duds (talking to you, organic baby carrots), I've overall been very pleased with the items I've bought.  They had these green beans and tomatoes for a good price, and I sort of remembered seeing some cooking shows that blanched green beans and then sauteed them with garlic and oil.  I got the idea to add the tomatoes, and had a great side dish.

This is one of those dishes that are quick, simple, and take few ingredients, but whose flavor is very good.  What else do you saute like this?

Sauteed Green Beans and Tomatoes
serves 4

1 lb green beans, washed and trimmed of ends
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved if you want the cooking to be quicker
2 Tb olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste
Ice Water

Blanch your green beans:  bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.  To the side, partially fill a large bowl with ice water.  Throw in the green beans, boil for 1-2 minutes.  Using a sieve, spider, or tongs, quickly remove the green beans to the bowl of ice water.  Allow them to cool for a minute or so in the water and remove to a colander or paper towel lined plate to drain the water.

In the meantime, heat a large skillet over medium-low.  Add your oil, and when it's warmed, add the garlic.  Allow the garlic to infuse into the oil, being careful not to let the garlic turn brown.  Turn up the heat to medium-high and add your tomatoes, cooking until they start to wilt a bit, about 2-3 minutes.  Add the green beans and saute the tomatoes and green beans until softened (green beans will still retain some of their firmness), about 1 minute.  Serve.


Notes

• Blanching the green beans makes them a more vibrant green and helps bring out some flavor.  You can skip this step if you're feeling lazy.
• Times and stove temperatures are relative to your stove.  I tend to feel like my stove runs hot, so I am either usually at lower temperatures than a lot of recipes suggest or shorter times.  Your stove may be different
• I used a 12 inch skillet.  It's wonderful for sauteing!

It is (I hope) nearing the end of soup season, but it's cold and rainy here this week, so I thought I'd share one more soup recipe with you.  You may already have a killer vegetable-beef soup recipe, but in the case that you don't, I submit mine to you.  It actually took me a few tries and reading through/testing several recipes to get this recipe right.  It's such a simple, basic, and iconic dish, but like fried okra, success eluded me for a while.  Actually, success may still be eluding me on the fried okra, but that's another story for another day.  On our last snow day, though, I think I pretty much figured it out.  I actually came up with a good recipe, which makes me feel pretty excited.

We all have our own ideas of what goes into vegetable-beef soup, so feel free to change as you see fit.

Vegetable Beef Soup
serves 6-8

1 lb lean ground beef
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 Tb vegetable oil
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1- 28 oz can diced tomatoes in their sauce (or 1 qt home canned tomatoes)
1- 8 oz can tomato sauce
1- 16 oz bag frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
1/2 cup uncooked macaroni
2 medium sized red skinned potatoes, cubed
1 1/2- 2 qt. beef broth
Freshly ground black pepper


In a large pot or dutch oven, heat your oil over medium to medium-high.  Add the beef, onion, and garlic.  Season with salt and pepper and cook until onion is softened and beef is cooked.  Add in the tomatoes, their juice, and the can of tomato sauce.  Cook for a minute.  Add in the vegetables, potatoes, and broth.  Bring to a boil and boil 15-20 minutes or until potatoes and vegetables are tender.

Meanwhile, bring a medium- large pot of water to a boil over high heat.  Salt the water and cook the pasta until al dente.  Add to the soup at the end of the cooking time.  Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.

Notes

• The soup got better the longer that it sat, so feel free to make this in advance and refrigerate or even freeze it.  
• I wrote myself a note to watch the salt level.  If you don't drain/rinse your pasta and just use a slotted spoon to add it to the soup, that will add some salt as well.  Since people have different salt sensitivities, taste and season to your own liking.  Is "liking" when used that way a Southern thing?
• As I mentioned before, this is the first real breakthrough success I've had with vegetable beef soup, so it'll likely be a work in progress.  I made myself a note that I might try adding some tomato paste in with the beef and onion and cook a minute, just before adding the other tomatoes.  
• I also made myself a note that I might have missed the texture and even flavor that lima beans add.  
• From experience and probably various TV cooks, I have learned to cook the pasta separately, and that it seems to expand to approximately 237 times its original volume when you add it to a soup and let it sit in your soup, so that when you come back to the soup, it seems like it's been overtaken by noodles.  Cooking it separately and keeping it separate will help solve that problem.  If you don't do this, be prepared to add extra liquid.  
• This is great served with cornbread!

This dish is a variation of this recipe, which I got out of the January 2011 issue of Everyday Food.  I played with the ingredients and spices even further and came up with this tasty spin.  Even my husband, who does not like mushrooms, likes this dish.  Aside from seeing them, you do not taste a mushroom-y taste.  This "lasagna" is, however, satisfying.  It's warming.  You'll be a little embarrassed to realize you've eaten 1/4 of the pan, by yourself, in one meal.  Oops.

Smoky Black Bean Mexican Lasagna
serves 4

2 Tb vegetable oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1- 15 oz can black beans or 1 1/2 c prepared black beans, drained and rinsed
3/4 lb button or cremini mushrooms, rinsed and quartered
10 oz spinach (if frozen, thawed and excess liquid squeezed)
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1- 16 oz jar salsa
4 oz cheese, grated (I suggest monterrey jack but use chedder, pepper jack, or any combo)
5 medium sized flour tortillas, halved
Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat your oven to 400 F.

In a large sauce pan, heat the vegetable oil over medium to med-high heat.  Add the onions and garlic and saute until they begin to soften and start to become translucent, about 3-5 minutes.  Add the mushrooms and the spinach if using fresh and continue to cook the mixture another 5-10 minutes, until the vegetables are cooked and softened.  If the spinach is cooked, just add in with black beans.  Add in the black beans and warm through.  Add in spices and stir for a minute or so.  Add about 1/2 cup water and cook, stirring occasionally until liquid is reduced to just coating the vegetables, for about 5-10 minutes.

Assemble your lasagna:  spoon out half the bean mixture into the bottom of an 8x11 inch rectangular casserole dish (can be done with a 9x13).  Pour over 1/3 of the salsa (about 2/3 cup) and 1/3 cheese.  Top with 3 tortilla halves, covering the mixture.  Repeat this layer, and sprinkle on the remainder of the salsa and cheese.  Bake in preheat oven for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.  Remove from oven and allow to sit a couple minutes before cutting.  Serve with avocado, small salad, rice, chips and salsa- whatever floats your Mexican- inspired boat!

Notes

• If you're not quite convinced about the meatless thing, just add in 1 lb any ground meat in place of the mushrooms.
• You may need more cheese.  It depends on how cheese-loving you are.
• I used jarred salsa here, and suplemented it with the PW's restaurant style salsa.

This is your captain (obvious) speaking.  It's cold.



We enjoyed our second snowfall of the fall/winter season this week- well I enjoyed it.  I love snow!  But let me stay at home with my hot chocolate and my bathrobe, and I'll be mesmerized by the beautifully, slow falling flakes for hours.



When it's bitterly cold outside, few things really warm you like chicken and dumplings.  They're so good!  My aunt is known in our family as the queen of chicken and dumplings.  Her soup is thick and creamy, and her dumplings light and dense at the same time.  It's crazy good, and defies science.



I went a couple years ago to see how she made it.  I watched her from start to finish, and then got to enjoy the fruits of her labor.  She demonstrated every step and explained why she did things the way she did.  I took notes.  It was a real "snatch the pebble, grasshopper" moment.  By the way, if you want to learn how to make something, I love the method of watching someone or helping someone do it.  You spend some good, quality time with that person and you learn how to make it.  Whether it be a family member, friend, lady at church, whoever- don't be afraid to ask them to help you learn.



Now it may seem a bit crazy after talking about how awesome her stuff was to say that I decided to alter it, but I did.  She used some pre-packaged/convenience items.  Not that there's anything wrong with that (quick, name that sitcom)!  There's truly not, but being the kitchen nut I am, I wanted to know how to do it, truly from scratch.  The method stayed the same, but the approach/ingredients changed.  Here is my experience:



Take a whole chicken, and cut it into the 8 separate body pieces.  Use it, along with vegetables and herbs/spices to make stock.  Remove the meat when it's cooked so it doesn't get overcooked and return the bones to the pot to keep making the stock more flavorful and richer.  Separate the ingredients and return the chicken and stock to the pot.  Bring to a boil, and add your dumpling dough.  Cook through, 10-15 minutes, and enjoy!  It took me a couple times to get the dumplings, and the second time I used a slight variation on Alton Brown's recipe.  Those came out much better than mine, which were a variation on my regular biscuit recipe.



By the way, I am a Chicken and Dumplings purist, meaning that I don't need other vegetables in my soup.  It's literally just chicken and dumplings in a broth.  If you're looking for more, maybe that will come later, but this is all I've ever needed.  Also, dumplings to me are cloudy, pillowy floating biscuits and not flat.  Just FYI, should you be shocked at the results, expecting flat noodly things.



Chicken and Dumplings
whole recipe inspired by my Aunt Jenny; dumplings by Alton Brown
serves 6-8

1 whole chicken, cut up but bones and skin left in tact
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 2 inch sections
1 onion, peeled and quartered
2 ribs celery, cut into 2 inch sections
3 garlic cloves, smashed
1 Tb whole peppercorns
2 tsp. Kosher salt
Water
1 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 c. buttermilk
2 Tb butter, chilled or frozen
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

In a large Dutch oven or stockpot, place the chicken and all the vegetables, whole peppercorns, and 2 tsp. salt.  Cover with about 1- 1 1/2 inches of water.  Bring to a boil over medium-high or high heat, and then back the heat down to med-low or low to simmer.  Skim foam off the top.  Simmer for 45-60 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.  Cut off the heat and allow the pot to cool most of the way.  Remove the chicken and take the skin and meat off the bones, loosely shredding the chicken as you go. Discard the skin but reserve the meat.  Add the bones back to the pot, and bring back to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and simmer another 60 minutes, or until the bones begin to soften and the vegetables are limp.  Remove from heat and cool.  Strain through a cheesecloth lined strainer, and discard the vegetables (or eat them, as we did) and discard the bones.  This can be done in stages.

Return the now made and strained stock and the shredded chicken to the pot, and bring back to a boil over medium-high heat.  Salt and pepper to taste.  While heating the chicken and stock, make the dumpling dough:  In a medium bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking powder, 1/2 tsp. salt, and baking soda.  Cut or grate in the butter (see my grating tip below) until you have a mixture that looks coarse and pebbly.  Add the buttermilk and stir until just incorporated.  You will have a very moist, shaggy dough.  When the chicken stock is boiling, drop the dough in with a small disher or large spoonful, about 2-3 Tb.  Cover the pot and allow the dumplings to cook through, about 10-15 minutes.



Notes

• From Rachael Ray and Ina Garten, I recently learned that cooling the chicken in the stock liquid fortifies the stock further and keeps the chicken moist.  You could skip the step of allowing the chicken and stock liquid to cool, but I liked the results here.  I also liked returning the bones to the pot and further cooking the stock.  The flavor was great.
• From my Aunt Jenny, I learned that you need a loose dough/batter, which she says is the secret to her light and fluffy yet dense dumplings.  She uses a Southern style biscuit mix and adds vegetable oil to the mix until it's about as runny as pancake batter.  I wanted to make my own dumplings, but the first trial of chicken and dumplings proved that my standby biscuit recipe was not going to hack it.  Thankfully, the slight variation of Alton Brown's dumplings in his I'm Just Here for More Food worked well.
• I can't say that it's an original idea of mine to grate butter rather than to cut it into cubes, but I can't remember where I got it, so I'll just tell you that I've found a trick for cutting butter that really works for me.  About 10 minutes before you need the butter, place the butter and a larger hole cheese grater in the freezer.  When you get to the part of your recipe that tells you to cut the butter into the dry ingredient mixture, grate the butter into the mixture, using the cheese grater.  The trick is to keep the butter and everything that touches the butter as cold as possible during this process.  Some will stick to the grater, but that shouldn't affect your final outcome that much.  

We had a Christmas party this past weekend in which we all brought dishes.  When completing the list of who would make what, the theme pretty quickly turned from dinner to hors d'oeuvres and desserts.  I decided to bring black eyed pea salsa (can't believe I haven't shared this before- recipe coming soon!) and these pinwheels, which I sort of made up on the spot.  I had seen different recipes on The Pioneer Woman and floating around on Pinterest, but pinwheels are the sort of thing that just seem to not need precision or a recipe- they're like a sandwich and encourage customization.

Plus, who doesn't love pinwheels?  My grandmother used to buy some from Sam's Club and serve them at family get togethers.  They were my favorite.  I have good memories of times where pinwheels are served.

Anyway, they were a pretty big hit- all of them were eaten, and they're on the healthier end of party food- lower in fat, not fried, no mayo.



Pesto Turkey Pinwheels
Makes 25 pinwheels/ 5 tortillas

1/2 block (4 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup prepared pesto
5- 8-10 inch tortillas
1- 8oz package deli turkey- not shaved
1 or 2 roasted red peppers, cut into thin strips
8 oz package sliced provolone, meunster, or cheese of your choice
Asiago or Parmesan cheese, shredded or ribboned

In a small bowl, mix together the cream cheese and pesto until well incorporated.

Working 1 tortilla at a time, lay tortilla on a flat surface and spread the pesto/cream cheese mixture onto the tortilla in a thin layer, leaving about 1/2"- 1" border.  Add 3-4 turkey slices, spreading out evenly over the pesto mixture.  Layer with the cheese slices and the red bell pepper strips, using the bell pepper strips every few inches (see photo, above).  An optional variation is to leave out the cheese slices and instead to cover the turkey and red pepper strips with the Asiago or Parmesan shavings/shreds.

Beginning with 1 end, tightly roll the tortilla up, slice into 1 1/2" slices, and pin with toothpicks to keep together.  You should have 7-9 total slices, including the ends.

Notes

• I had a lot of cream cheese mixture left over, but that will work well with any wraps you may want to make yourself, maybe as a pasta sauce, a veggie dip, etc.  Or just make more wraps.
• I alternated use between the meunster cheese and Asiago cheese in the wraps, partially for experimentation and partially because I didn't have that much sliced cheese on hand.  I am not sure which I preferred, and I am not sure the crowd had a preference either.  
• I used spinach and herb wraps, but any soft tortilla shell will do.  I liked the green color, especially here at Christmas.

Not too long ago I discovered Brit + Co, which highlighted a recipe for slow roasted tomatoes, which is an at-home method for making "sun dried" tomatoes.  If you like sun dried tomatoes, these are a great recipe for you.  The slow roasted tomatoes have the intensity and complexity of flavor that sun dried tomatoes have but have a softer texture, which can be nice.  They're also a good way of using up or preserving tomatoes you have lying around that might otherwise go bad.  I made the recipe as is:



Slow Roasted Tomatoes
from Smitten Kitchen

Cherry, grape or small Roma tomatoes
Whole gloves of garlic, unpeeled
Olive oil
Herbs such as thyme or rosemary (optional)

Preheat oven to 225°F. Halve each cherry or grape tomato crosswise, or Roma tomato lengthwise and arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet along with the cloves of garlic. Drizzle with olive oil, just enough to make the tomatoes glisten. Sprinkle herbs on, if you are using them, and salt and pepper, though go easily on these because the finished product will be so flavorful you’ll need very little to help it along.

Bake the tomatoes in the oven for about three hours. You want the tomatoes to be shriveled and dry, but with a little juice left inside–this could take more or less time depending on the size of your tomatoes.

Either use them right away or let them cool, cover them with some extra olive oil and keep them in the fridge for the best summer condiment, ever. And for snacking.

* I don't know how many tomatoes I started out with, but I ended up with 1- 8 oz jar.  I filled the jar with the tomatoes, surrounded them with olive oil, and stored them in my fridge.
The only problem with making a recipe that isn't necessarily a dish in itself is that you then have to put some thought and effort into what else you're going to make with them.  I mean, you could eat these by themselves, and they might make a good accompaniment on a meat and cheese tray or something, but I wanted to use them as a star in a dish.  It took me forever to get around to making something.  I used half the tomatoes to make Drew and me a pasta dish.  It was a good choice.  A really good choice.  We both said we would eat and want this again, and Drew's heart doesn't leap at the thought of pastas like mine does.

I made a variation on spaghetti aglio e olio (spaghetti with garlic and oil), and used the slow roasted tomatoes it it.

The more I look at some of my pictures, the more I realize I am a terrible photographer.  Don't let that deter you from making this tasty and simple dish!

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio with Slow Roasted Tomatoes
feeds 2

4 oz. long pasta, such as spaghetti or fettuccine (or a mix, if you're like me and have a little of both)
1/2 jar (4 oz) slow roasted tomatoes and oil
6-10 cloves garlic, depending on your own love of it
1-2 Tb olive oil
Grated/shredded Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Boil noodles until al dente in a large pot of salted water.  Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.  Slice your garlic cloves into slices and your oven roasted tomatoes into strips.  In a large, shallow pan, pour the oil from the tomatoes into the pan and add additional olive oil to coat the bottom.  Heat over medium to medium low and add garlic.  Saute on low, being careful not to brown the garlic.  Add the tomatoes just to heat.

Toss in the pasta and reserved pasta water if needed to coat the noodles.  Add cheese.  Serve and eat with a green salad.

I hesitated on whether or not to post this, because it just seems so easy; it's more of an idea than a recipe, really, but since we all get stuck in food ruts and sometimes get inspiration from other people, restaurants, etc, I decided to share.  You know, in case you were a little tired of a turkey sandwich.

Pick a tortilla or wrap of your choice.  I used a sun-dried tomato wrap.  Layer turkey, baby spinach or mixed baby greens, roasted red bell pepper strips, shredded parmesan cheese, and pesto.  Wrap up like a burrito and enjoy!

Italian Turkey Wrap
by me!
Serves 1

1- 10 inch or larger tortilla/wrap
3-4 slices deli turkey (depending on the amt of meat you like)
Handful of baby spinach of mixed baby greens (about 1/2 cup loose)
3 Tb roasted red bell pepper strips (cut into strips if whole)
1 Tb Parmesan cheese, shredded
1-2 Tb pesto

Layer all ingredients in a tortilla and wrap, folding in two ends and rolling up like a burrito.  Enjoy!

Salmon, dill and mustard are a pretty classic combination, but not one I make very frequently...maybe ever.  I found this whole grain mustard at Aldi for a great price and picked it up.  One night when I had no idea what to make for dinner, slathering some salmon with this mustard and dill just seemed like a good idea, and it was.  It's tasty and quick, and requires only three ingredients.  I will definitely be making this again.  Served with a salad or baked potato/sweet potato, you've got a great meal.

Since Drew and I are the only ones for whom I almost ever make salmon, I am used to making a 2 person portion- I don't try to have salmon leftovers because they're not the best.  If you have more people to feed, this recipe is so easily adjusted.  Just add more mustard and dill. 

Mustard-Dill Salmon
serves two

1- 4 inch (maybe 1/2 lb) piece salmon
1/4 cup good quality mustard (whole grain, dijon, etc)
1 tsp dried dill

Mix the dill and the mustard together and spread in an even layer over the top of your salmon.  Bake the salmon at 400 F for about 8-10 minutes, checking for doneness after 8 minutes.  For a crisper crust try broiling, but watch it carefully! 
  

If you are a pizza purist, I am sorry.  You can quit reading now.  Wait for Thursday's post, which will be on the homemade crust.  If, however, you're a little more relaxed on your pizza philosophy, keep reading, because I think you'll like what I have to share. 

Drew and I like to support area restaurants, and one of the two we visit most in town is Papa's Pizza to Go.  Yes, it's a chain, but this particular franchise might as well be its own business, with the personability of the owner and staff.  Anyway, one of our favorite pizzas there is the philly cheesesteak pizza, which expectedly has either roast beef or thinly sliced steak, onion, and mushroom.  All is topped by mozzarella cheese and is based by a thin crust and white sauce.  We wanted to replicate it at home. 

As a side note, making pizzas is a great way to make this junk food just a little less junky, and it's really fun for kids to get involved- they love being able to top their own pizzas!  Fun fact- kids who cook or help their parents in the kitchen tend to have a more expanded palate and eat healthier than those who don't. 

I made up the sauce for this pizza and the "ratios," so here goes!

Philly Cheesesteak Pizza
1-12 inch pizza crust (size may vary)
3/4 cup shredded cheese- Italian blend suggested, containing provolone, mozzarella
1/2 cup white sauce, store bought or see recipe below
1-2 medium cut slices roast beef, cut into 2 inch ribbons
1/3 cup sliced onion
1/3 cup sliced bell pepper
1/3 cup sliced mushrooms

If you are using raw dough, top the raw dough with all ingredients.  If using a prepared crust, follow package directions.  Top the dough/crust with the sauce, then half the cheese.  Add all other toppings and top with remaining cheese.  Bake in a 400-500 degree oven for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is bubbling and crust is a golden-brown color. 

White Sauce
1 Tb. butter
1 Tb. flour
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper, to taste

In a small saucepot over medium heat, melt butter.  Add the flour and stir, cooking for about a minute.  Slowly add in the milk and mayo and stir together.  Add in the grated cheese and stir.  Allow to thicken to a thicker sauce.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

*  Note- you may need to increase other ingredients to taste/thicken.  All amounts are approximations.

Notes

• While I am personally anal and use homemade crust/sauce, I am not the food police.  I don't care what you do- feel free to use store bought crust or alfredo sauce. 
• Good pizza in the home oven (especially my home oven) is tough.  For best results, preheat your oven a long time and use a pre-heated pizza stone. 

I have largely refrained from posting lettuce or greens based salads on here because I kind of scoff at the idea of recipes for these sorts of things.  I mean, you just layer a bunch of fresh ingredients over a bed of lettuce or other greens, and you have the dish.  Where's the need for instructions in that? 

So, why, you ask, do I post this one?  It's just so pretty!  I made this up a couple weeks ago because Drew brought home a whole gallon of strawberries from Strawberry Hill USA after taking his grandparents there and we wanted to start eating them immediately, and I saw a salad recipe that used tomatoes and avocado and somehow thought the strawberry and avocado would play together.  I was right! Oh, and bonus!  The salad is made from romaine lettuce that grew on its own from a renegade seed in our garden. 

So, it's simple.  I'll post the "recipe" below but really, just go with what you love.  Please note that because I tend to just throw salads together until I think they look pretty, measurements are anything but exact.

Strawberry Avocado Salad
serves 2 an entree sized salad

1 head romaine lettuce (or 2 cups baby greens), washed and roughly chopped
1 shallot or 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup strawberries, sliced
1 avocado, diced
1/4 cup sunflower seeds or sliced almonds
2 tb. olive oil
2 tsp red wine vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste

In a large bowl, place lettuce.  Top with shallot, strawberries, avocado, and seeds or almonds.  In a small bowl, stir together the oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper.  Drizzle over salad.  Divide between two large plates or bowls and serve. 

*for added protein, feel free to add cooked and shredded or diced chicken- maybe even steak or tuna or white kidney beans/tofu. 

After an unintentional 5 month hiatus, I am back!  I have several recipes to share with you, but for today, here's a quick and healthy one. 

A couple months ago I had lunch with two wonderful ladies at a local Mexican restaurant, and one of them ordered this salad that looked amazing.  A bed of spinach is topped with chicken, black beans, avocado, and cheese.  I have since ordered the salad at Mi Pueblito, the local Mexican institution, and have loved it, but I also decided that I can make my own for less at home. 

This salad has a good variety of textures, with the spinach leaves, beans, and chicken and is super healthy. 

At home I left off the cheese to decrease the calories and I didn't even miss it.  The creaminess of the avocado completely renders the cheese unnecessary for me. 

I also used salsa in place of salad dressing.  I recommend that you use a homemade salsa such as this one or a Mexican restaurant thinner salsa for this purpose. 

If you're cooking for one or want a different spin on salad, go for this.  If you like black beans, avocado, chicken, and spinach, this just may be a new favorite!

The Edge Salad, a Recreation
inspired by Mi Pueblito restaurant chain

For two people
3 cups baby spinach leaves (adjust to your plate and taste)
2 chicken breasts, cut into thin strips and sauted
1/2 cup prepared black beans, drained and rinsed
1 avocado, sliced thin
1/2 cup thin or restaurant style salsa
1/4 cup shredded cheese, such as cheddar, Mexican blend, monterrey jack (optional)

Place the spinach leaves on two plates or in two larger bowls.  Top with remaining ingredients.  Pour salsa/cheese last.  Enjoy!

I felt sort of at a loss as to what to post here, because I made this Tuesday when it was chilly, but now it's all warm with no cold days in sight, and I don't know about you, but I find it hard to eat chili when it's not chili weather.  Sigh. 



I decided to share today, though, because it's so good and it's the best thing I've had this week.  I made a second attempt at grilled pizza, and while it wasn't bad, I don't necessarily deem it good enough to share with you on here yet.  It was truly nothing to write home about. 



This chili, though, is mild to medium spice, with an abundance of beans and tender chicken, and I really enjoyed it.  I used this recipe as a jumping off point to create my own chili, and I think I've got a pretty good thing going.  Nothing but positive feedback from my taste testers (this time Drew and Dawna)! 

It comes together in around 30 minutes, which is great in terms of prep time and for those who are super busy.  You can of course substitute dried cooked beans for the canned if you're interested in saving money over time.  This time I opted for saving time.  You can use precooked, shredded or cubed chicken if your interest is further time savings.

White Chicken Chili
by me, but inspired by a Better Homes and Gardens recipe

1 lb raw chicken, cut into bite sized cubes
1/2 cup onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tb. oil (vegetable or olive)
3-15 oz cans great northern beans, two cans drained and rinsed
2 cups chicken broth or stock
1 cup (4 oz.) grated pepper jack cheese
1- 4 oz can diced green chilis
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin

In the bottom of a 4 or 5 qt dutch oven or pot, heat oil over medium to med-high heat.  Add the onion, garlic, and chicken and cook until chicken is cooked through and onions are translucent. 

Add in all other ingredients (in terms of the beans, two cans' worth of just beans and one can with the beans and their liquid) and stir to mix.  Bring to a boil, increasing the heat if needed.  Once at a boil, decrease heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes.  Enjoy with tortilla chips and more cheese, if desired. 

Let me know what you think!

I am on a neverending quest to keep my lunches interesting.  Since I work 25 minutes from home and don't want to go out to lunch every day, I bring my lunch most days.  I am not a sandwich-every-day kind of person, so I am always up for new ways to keep my lunches on the appealing side rather than making lunch banal.  I'm glad to add a new one to the repertoire, my Asian slaw salad.  I developed this recipe after reading several utilizing everything from pre-packaged slaw to ramen noodle soup mix packets.  Yuck!  At the base, however, each recipe was fairly similar and I liked the fresh ingredients as well as the balance of vegetables and protein.  I think (hope) my recipe strikes a nice balance between freshness and convenience. 



Asian Slaw Salad
serves 3-4 as an entrée

1-2 cups chopped or pulled cooked chicken (rotisserie chicken, anyone?)
1 large or 2 small red bell peppers, sliced thin lengthwise (think julienned like french fries)
1/2 bunch green onions, sliced thin (think small, thin rounds like a frisbee)
1/2 cup almons, chopped or slivered
1 large carrot, shredded
1 medium napa cabbage (about 1.5 lb), shredded or sliced very thin
1- 3 oz. package ramen noodles, crushed (discard seasoning packet)
1 Tb. creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup asian sesame salad dressing (see notes)

Combine your carrot and cabbage and sit them in a strainer or collander for about an hour to allow the excess moisture to dry out.  Discard liquid.  Place the carrot and cabbage in a large bowl and add the bell pepper, onions, almonds, chicken, and ramen noodles.  Toss all ingredients to combine. 

In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the dressing and the peanut butter.  If serving all the salad at once, pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine; serve.  If portioning the salad out to be eaten over several meals, leave the dressing and salad separate and only add as much dressing as you desire, tossing to combine. 



Notes

• On salad dressings- I used Olde Cape Cod brand's all natural Sesame and Ginger salad dressing.  Other recipes used other brands, and some even made a dressing utilizing the ramen noodle seasoning packet.  Feel free to search asian salads to find what works for you, but I liked that the dressing is easy to make while I can still somewhat control the ingredients. 
• On chicken- I almost never have chicken in my freezer or fridge, which I know makes me sort of odd.  If you want to cook chicken breasts and chop them yourself, feel free.  This is a great use, though, of a rotisserie chicken. 

I am afraid this post may seem a little weak in light of my hiatus last week.  The thing is, though, that I have been drinking cucumber water like it's going out of style for over a week now. 



I can't explain why, but there's just something really refreshing about cucumber water that makes me want to drink it over regular water in the summer.  It's somehow almost more thirst quenching.  It's cool, a little sweet, and whispers of the summer sun.  This year we planted four cucumber plants in our garden.  Each one has survived to create more cucumbers than we know what to do with.  If and when I find a good pickle recipe I will share it on here.  I've already make and canned two different batches of pickles, but I'm not completely happy with either one.  Go figure. 

So, other than pickles, cucumber water is a somewhat novel way to enjoy your sudden garden payload of cucumbers. 

I have to give credit to my missionary friend, Jordana, who introduced me to cucumber water last year when she was home from Sweden.  She had it at a cookout, and I loved it at first sip.  I am so glad I tried it, despite its unconventionality. 

Cucumber Water
1/2 gallon water
Approx. 4 inches of cucumber (1 pickling cucumber, half an English cucumber), sliced into thin slices

Combine the two into a pitcher, preferably one with a lid that has a filter so that when you pour the cucumbers don't come out with it.  Allow to sit in fridge for an hour or so before serving.  Enjoy!

Happy Cinco de Mayo!  I actually am not a big celebrant, but in honor of those who want to gorge themselves on Mexican food, I am posting this south of the border inspired meal.  I am hesitant to even post this for you, as it's not a recipe at all- it's just something Drew and I made one night that sounded like a good idea, and we were so right.  Sometimes the best meals are the simplest. 



This meal came about because I wasn't feeling well and didn't really want to cook, but we had to eat.  Drew loves grilling, so we thawed some chicken breasts out, cut some vegetables, and sliced some avocado, topped it all with salsa, and we came out with a satisfying, eye rolling meal experience.  We ate it with a fork and knife, but you could easily pre-slice the chicken, mix it with rice and beans, and have fajitas, tacos, etc.  If you don't like avocado or salsa, this would still make a great grilled meal without the Mexican flavors. 



Grilled Chicken With Pepper and Onion
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2-3 bell peppers of any color, cored and cut in quarters lengthwise
1 large or 2 medium onions, cut in half lengthwise and layers separated (you can keep 2-3 layers together)
1 avocado, sliced
Salsa
Oil, such as olive or canola
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Prepare your grill for direct grilling.  Take your chicken out around 10 minutes before you plan to start grilling, and season both sides with salt and pepper.  Lightly coat your vegetables in oil, salt and pepper.

Place the chicken on the grill first, and grill about 4-5 minutes on each side, flipping once.  If you want to test for doneness, for the love of deliciousness, please only test one piece! 

Place the chicken on a plate and loosely cover with foil to let rest about 10 minutes.  In the meantime, grill your vegetables until they are soft and charred to your liking.  Remove from the grill and either slice into strips or leave whole.  Serve with chicken, avocado slices, and salsa.  We actually arranged ours differently, so how you serve is up to you!  I placed the chicken on the bottom and topped it with vegetables, avocado, and salsa.  Drew placed his chicken and vegetables separately and placed the avocado and salsa on top of the chicken only.