Pizza d'Estate

Ah... pizza. I don't know anyone who does not like pizza. It's fast, it's easy, and it can be healthy if you do it right. I made some pizza tonight for me and the man... here's what I did. It took about 10 minutes prep because I'm fastidious, and less than 20 minutes cooking.

First, I went to the grocery store around 5:30 expecting to grab my regular pizza bread. The 15 year-old Polish boy who is crushing on me followed me around the store blushing and dropping things, so I sent him looking for pizza bread when I couldn't find it. They have frozen dough but I'm a woman on a mission and didn't have the time to thaw it out... so instead, after he apologized profusely for not having it, I grabbed some focaccia bread on sale. The scary lady behind the meat counter muttered it would be good. This was my first time using it.

The man made a great salad the other night so I used a lot of veggies he had left over.

Steps:
-Cover a pan with tin foil (easy clean up) and put the focaccia bread on it.
-Cover the bread with some red sauce
-Pick some fresh basil from your plant and place it on the sauce (What?? you don't have a basil plant?? Get on the boat, man!)
-Layer the following items: pepperoni (or prosciutto), peppers of all colors and onion.
-On top of this you put whatever cheeses you prefer. I crumbled some feta I had and then added fresh mozzarella and even a little shredded cheddar. I sprinkled some Parmesan that I had for the texture.
-Sprinkle a smidgen of olive oil on top and shake on some oregano.
-pizza is not pizza without oregano.
-did you know that?
-cook at 425 degrees for about 15-20 minutes.



Mangia and pretend you are back in Trastevere!

Here are pre- and post-pictures. As you can see, I forgot to take a picture after until I had already eaten half - further proof of its deliciousness! Still sorry for picture quality-can only use my phone. The second picture must be fuzzy because of the Utopian haze that surrounds homemade pizza.

Pumpkin-Shaped Quesadillas

I must admit, I found a version of this online (from All You) and think its a really cute idea. I just tweaked it a little to make it easier. I'm planning on making them Friday or Saturday. I'll post a picture of how it comes out for me.

Ingredients:
tortillas
cheese (whatever you like!)
any veggies you want to toss in.
oil
easiness!

Buy a pack of tortillas that are a reddish or orange color. I know they have a tomato based kind that has this orangey color, or you can look around. If you are lucky and live down the road from Hannaford's (cough cough), I'm sure you have a million options.

I believe each pack has about 8 tortillas in them, which means you can make 4 of these. So if you want more then double it. They are big though...

On the cutting board, pile 4 tortillas and trim the top of them with a knife so that you make a stem of a pumpkin. Then cut out eyes, a nose (or no nose) and mouth however you like. Put these to the side. Then pile up the next four and cut the stems the same way as you did for the first set. That is all though, this second set does not need eyes or anything because it will be on the bottom of the quesadilla. You are going to cook this eyeless set on a frying pan in some oil just for a few minutes each and toss some yummy cheese on top. I personally would probably use some mozzarella with maybe a little cheddar or pepper jack. It's totally up to you. You may also want to sprinkle some chopped veggies in but don't go overboard because you don't want to fill these up too much.

Now that you have the bottom of the quesadilla done with some cheese melted on it, you are going to top it with the pumpkin face tortilla and then toast these in the oven just so they are crispy. You will probably only be able to do 2 at a time on a tin-foil covered cookie sheet, so the first 2 should just be covered so they stay warm.

Enjoy with salsa or whatever else you like.... Happy Halloween!

Dan's Chicken Stir Fry

My man Dan is quite the cook and he's usually in charge of our more meat-based recipes. Chicken with veggies and rice is his go-to meal when he's on deck. We have an awesome wok that Lauren gave us when we graduated that we use for this one. What's great is you can basically use whatever you like. We use chicken cause we are trying to lay off red meat as much as possible and the more veggies the better.

Buy some chicken breasts and cut them up into bite sized pieces. You can mix this with some lemon, parsley and other spices and then start frying them. We put them up on the rack while we cook the veggies.

For veggies we cook zucchini, red and yellow peppers, onion and carrots. Of course you can add or subtract based on what you like. Have some good olive oil while you cook this. If you want rice too you can cook that at the same time - it's up to you.

Mix all together....mangia! easy!

Keep coming back for some quick and easy inspirations for your own kitchen!

Calzones

My love for calzones started at Dighton House of Pizza. Greasy fingers... extra sauce. It's all good. Now I'm spoiled since I can get almost any type of food, from Peruvian to Moroccan, by walking a few blocks. Growing up though the Greek joint was the spot.. the closest spot...almost the only spot now that I think of it.

Well, I started making my own calzones... and they are delish.

I have two recipes: one for a spinach and feta calzone and the other for ham, sopressata (or salami) and provolone. The both take about 35 minutes total.

Spinach and Feta Calzone:
-Buy frozen pizza dough and let it thaw for a few hours.
-Also buy and defrost 2 packages of frozen spinach. You'll want to squeeze out the extra water.
-get some feta cheese and a ball of mozzarella.
-Now that you have a bowl of squeezed spinach add a twirl of olive oil, some grated Parmesan, a little pepper and fresh garlic that has either been minced or pressed. Mix it all together in that bowl.
-Roll out the dough with a pin so you make a rectangle...about 1/4 inch thick or less (otherwise it gets too doughy). Then place the spinach mixture evenly and chunks of feta and mozzarella. The feta really makes this dish so be generous. Then I fold the ends of the calzone and then roll it so the edge is on the bottom. Less spills out while it is cooking if you do this.. although I put so much in it it still sometimes comes out-like in the picture.
-Get this on a pan with tin foil and cut three slices along the top so the steam can come out.
-I brush a beaten egg on the top for a nice golden color and then stick it in a preheated oven at about 375 for about 25 minutes. You can probably do even less since there is no meat but 25 will definitely do the trick. All in all, with prep, this should maybe take you 35 minutes.

Sopressata, Ham and Provolone Calzone
-start this the same way by buying and thawing out pizza dough and then rolling it out into a rectangle.
-I buy about a 1/4 pound of sopressata (or salami), 1/4 of ham and a 1/4 of provolone. Any extra can be used for sandwiches or paninis. Then I just place it evenly down the middle of the rectangle of dough. If you have any feta in your fridge toss some in too for a nice white color.
-Roll in the short edges again as it is described above and then roll the whole calzone so the crack is on the bottom.
-Cut three slices along the top for the steam to escape and brush the egg on it for that golden color. Cook for 25 minutes at 375.

Always serve with some marinara sauce and vino rosso! che magnifico! The picture I am including again is from my cellphone. This is actually my first attempt making these. The second time I made them, when my friend Stephanie came to visit, it came out even better. This picture is of two spinach and feta calzones. You can see the difference in egg wash as well (plus that one was in the back of the oven - nicer color). Enjoy!

Tortellini with Pancetta, Peas and Broccoli

If you are anything like me, you aren't a huge salad person. Although... it seems like most people do like salad. Of course, I don't have anything against those who are salad fans, it's just that I personally have a hard time swallowing fresh spinach. For some reason the gag reflex is just triggered. Maybe I ate too much lemon grass in my yard when I was a kid. I'm jealous of people who actually like salads, I wonder if I am missing something. I try to eat them to be polite, but they just aren't me. Soooo, I need to make up for all those nutrients by getting lots of veggies in my other dishes.

With that tirade aside...My mom gave me a version of this recipe (from Relish) the other day and it was a big hit with the man. I always know if it's a success because the table is silent for about 5 minutes-always a good sign.

Ingredients:
1 T olive oil
4 ounces or more of diced pancetta (can just buy it at the store like this)
about 1/2 cup of chopped red onion
2 minced garlic cloves
1 tsp salt and 1 tsp of pepper
1 lb cheese tortellini (I suggest the multicolored pack)
1 cup of frozen peas
1 1/2 cups broccoli florets (I never get the buttered kind...gross)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (wow, apparently I have spelled "Parmesian" wrong my whole life)

(serves about 5) Cook the tortellini. While the water is boiling...Put the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and add the pancetta until it starts getting crisp (less than 10 mins). Then add the onion and garlic for about 3 minutes. Sprinkle on the salt and pepper...it should begin to smell delicious. In the meantime the tortellini should be cooking. Before it is fully cooked (say when you have 2 more minutes to go) add in the peas and broccoli. The peas will float and the broccoli will go bye-bye below the pasta. Then, dump out the excess water and mix everything together! Feast! Add more cheese if you like.

Sorry for the image quality. This picture is from my cellphone. Definitely eat it with some red wine. The food...not my cellphone.

Dee's Rocky Roads

My friend Isaac's mom is an amazing cook/baker and when we were in college she would send him boxes of deserts. This is her recipe for Rocky Road Bars. You're going to feel pretty naughty eating these... but life is short, right?

1 1/2 cups crushed pretzels
1 1/2 sticks of melted butter
1 can (14 oz) of sweetened condensed milk
2 cups of marshmellows
1 bag of butterscotch chips (12 oz)
1/2 a bag of Heath Bits

You can definitely get creative with these and substitute your favorites, like peanut butter bits instead of butterscotch.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the pretzels and butter in a small bowl. Lightly press the mixture into a 9 X 13 pan. Then pour the milk evenly over the bottom. Top this with the marshmallows, butterscotch, chocolate and heath bits and pack this down. Bake for about 25-30 minuntes. Eat and melt. Repeat.

Mama's Meatballs

This is Mama's so you know it has to be good.

This will make a lot...but its so good who cares.

Mix the following all together in a large bowl:
-1 pound of hamburger meat (Not the veal mix! Save the baby cows!). Try to let it sit out a little so it's not as cold. Either way your hands will get pretty numb.
-about 1/2 tsp of garlic powder
-1 egg
-3 pieces of white bread with their crusts peeled off. Soak these in milk and then squeeze most of the milk out (two squeezes is fine).
-1 Tbsp of cornstarch
-dash of crushed red pepper flakes
-less than a teaspoon of salt
-a dash of pepper and parsley.

Mix all together with your hands and roll into balls. About an inch in diameter or bigger if you don't mind cooking them longer. Put them on a tin-foil covered pan and cook in the oven until brown.

You can use these for meatball subs with melted provolone cheese or with spaghetti and red sauce. If you are cooking them for spaghetti drop them in the sauce before serving. Enjoy the comfort...the bread is what makes it! mmm

A friend of mine's mother adds grape jelly for an extra sweetness - try it if you are feeling adventurous!

Roman Fettuccine Carbonara

This one is a favorite go-to when I have company.

Recipe: serves 2 (really probably 3 but the man has a big appetite). Obviously double or triple this if you are having guests...or if you want leftovers

1/2 pound bacon
1 can of peas
1/2 pound fettuccine
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 1/2 Tbsp of melted butter
some pepper
1 egg slightly beaten
1/2 cup of heavy cream

Start cooking the fettuccine right away since it takes awhile to cook. While the water is working to a boil fry the bacon (15 mins) and chop up into smallish pieces--about an inch long. Microwave the peas (5 mins). Dump the water from the fettuccine and return the pasta to the big bowl. Add the cream, butter, egg, bacon and cheese. Make sure the egg, cream and butter are warm because they can cool the dish down otherwise. Add the peas last and lightly mix them because they can mush. Serve hot! Envision you are back in a small convent on a Roman side street. Le suore would be proud!

The picture I am adding, again, is not mine (stupid camera!) but I found one as close to what I do as possible. Mine has dark shreds of bacon in it instead.

Acorn Squash

a nice twist to a traditional dish...

Recipe: for 2
-Using hidden strength, cut the acorn squah in half.
-Then scoop out the seeds as you would a pumpkin. Try to cut the tips off each round so the squash can lay flat on a plate. If you can't cut the stem its ok, it will cook fine off balance as well.
-Lay both halves(middle end up) on a microsafe dish with a tiny bit of water in the bottom, just an eighth of an inch or so.
-Cover it with saran wrap and cook for 10 minutes in the microwave.
Carefully remove plastic and watch out for debilitating steam. Add a dab of butter, a few pinches of brown sugar, and a shake of cinnamon.

Enjoy as your man falls in love with you all over again! I didn't have my camera for this one so I found something similar online. In this one they cut it the long way which is your choice. Looks like it's baked too instead of the easier way in the microwave--no worries!

Also...

It might take me a little time to get off my feet because of a currently broken camera... but recipes are on the way!

Welcome

Hi all, and welcome to my new blog. I will be keeping track of amazing meals I cook at home with my main man Dan as well as some extraordinary meals I have wherever my travels take me. I hope you are able to use some of what you see to inspire your own memories!