Pizza Challenge 2k10!

A few Friday's ago, a couple of friends and I were trying to figure out something fun and inexpensive we could do together. Going out for dinner and drinks can really add up, so being the food-loving bunch that we are, we decided on... Pizza Challenge 2k10!

Here's how it works - the host provides the basic ingredients (dough, sauce, cheese) and each team brings the toppings (for a fun twist, have everyone bring a topping to swap or provide a secret ingredient that everyone has to use!).  Create categories (i.e. Taste, Texture, Creativity, etc) and have everyone vote on the finished product.

Our Team Breakdown:

Sam & Jon aka "The Winners" - Sun-dried tomato alfredo, spinach, chicken and onions

Erin & Dan - Mushrooms, bell pepper, olives and pepperoni

Claud & Matt - Italian sausage and jalapeno

It was a blast - Here are a few pics from the night! 

Winner of Most Creative by far - by Dan & Erin

Cheers!

Claud

DIY: Roasted Tomato & Garlic Hummus

One of my favorite middle-eastern treats is hummus.  It's a great, healthy snack, and makes for a tasty appetizer, too!  Next time you're thinking about picking some up, try making it yourself. It's super easy, and only takes minutes.  This recipe is one I threw together after discovering my love for roasted tomatoes from my previous post.

Enjoy!

Roasted Tomato & Garlic Hummus

1 can garbonzo beans

2 medium tomatoes, roasted

1 garlic clove, papery outermost skin removed, but left unpeeled.

1/4 tsp of salt

1/4 tsp of pepper

4 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Slice tomatoes into 8 wedges and discard the seeds. Place the tomatoes and garlic in a roasting pan and drizzle with olive oil.

Rinse the beans under cold water (rinsing removes a good amount of the sodium). Let drain for a few minutes.

Place beans into food processor (or blender) along with 2 tbsp of olive oil. Pulse until creamy.  Add garlic, tomatoes, salt, pepper and remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil and pulse until desired texture is achieved.  If you want the hummus to be completely creamy, you can pulse all ingredients at once. I like the bits of tomato, so I prefer to add the remaining ingredients after the beans are blended. 

Cheers!

Claud

Quick Dinner Fav: Italian Turkey Sausage & Sun-dried Tomato Rigatoni

I've made this for dinner a couple of times now, and I have to say that its become one of our favorites.  Sometimes the best recipes come from the days you're rummaging through your pantry just trying to throw something together. This is definitely one of those recipes.

Turkey Sausage & Sun-dried Tomato Pasta

Half a box of Whole Wheat Rigatoni Pasta

3 Italian Turkey Sausage Links

12 oz. Pasta Sauce 

• (My Fav: Fire-Roasted Tomato & Garlic, by Classico)

1/2 c. Sun-Dried Tomatoes, chopped

4 oz. Black Olives, sliced

1/4 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3 tbsp Basil, chopped

1/4 c. Shredded Cheese 

• (I used Kraft's Shredded Parmesan, Romano, and Asiago)

1. Bring 4 cups of lightly-salted water to a boil in a medium sized sauce pan. Add a 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil and pasta to water and cook for 10-12 minutes. 

2. Remove sausage from casing and cook until lightly browned, breaking up into small pieces.

3. Warm pasta sauce, black olives, sun-dried tomatoes in a small saucepan until heated throughout. 

4. Drain cooked pasta, toss in medium sized bowl with remaining olive oil.

5. Add sauce to pasta, top with ground turkey sausage, and toss until combined. 

Serve with a sprinkle of cheese and enjoy!

Cheers!

Claud

DIY: Not-Your-Average Pizza

So let me tell you about me and pizza.  I really can't say that I have a favorite food (it's too hard to pick!), but if I had to narrow it down, pizza would definitely be on the list.  I just can't turn it down - the sauce... the cheese...mmmm!  Now don't ask me New York or Chicago - I love both, but since I don't live in either city, and it isn't exactly a healthy meal, I learned how to make my own, and let me tell you, it definitely satisfies the craving.


You can put just about anything on a pizza, so I'll tell you the basics, my favorite ingredients, and you can go from there!  


Ingredients
1 pre-made pizza crust (thin crust works best, and if making a personal sized pie, pita bread is the way to go)
1 jar of your favorite 'spaghetti' sauce (you can use marinara, it has the most consistent texture, but I prefer sauces with a little added flavor like garlic, herb and fire-roasted tomato) 
1-15 oz can of reduced sodium, fire-roasted tomatoes (I LOVE chunks of tomato, and canned is the definitely the best for pizza)
1 package of Italian (or Mozzarella) shredded cheese
Sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
Roasted red bell pepper, chopped (you can roast a bell pepper ahead of time in the oven or on a comal/cast iron skillet)
Fresh basil, thinly sliced
1-4 oz. can of sliced black olives


Directions
First pre-heat the oven to 425 (if the directions on the crust packaging states a different temperature, go with it).  Next, brush the pizza crust lightly with olive oil and place in pre-heated oven for 8-10 minutes until lightly toasted.  Remove crust and layer generously with tomato sauce (1 full sized pizza takes about 1/3 -1/2 a jar of tomato sauce).  Add vegetables and basil:

Cover with shredded cheese. I've found that if you put the vegetables under the cheese it keeps them from over cooking. When they're on top (especially the basil) they tend to cook faster than the time it takes to melt the cheese and heat the pizza throughout.  You can also layer the veggies and cheese for a more cheesy pizza, just make sure the cheese is on top and veggies underneath. 

Remove from oven and enjoy!

My other favorite, Pesto Chicken, follows the same directions but with the following ingredients:
1 pre-made pizza crust (or pita for personal pies)
1 small jar of pesto (or make your own!)
2-3 cooked chicken breasts, sliced (use light seasoning, you don't want the flavors to compete with the pesto)
1-4oz. can of sliced black olives
1/2 cup of chopped jarred artichokes 
1 small container of goat cheese crumbles
1 package of Italian (or Mozzarella) shredded cheese


Spread pesto on lightly toasted crust.  Add sliced chicken, olives, artichokes and top with shredded and crumbled goat cheese.  Again, you can layer alternating ingredients for a more cheesy taste, just make sure a layer of cheese is on top.

Aside from being one of my favorite things to make (and one of my most requested recipes), this elegant twist on pizza makes for an amazing dinner date.  The whole experience is fun, affordable and something you and your significant other can easily do together.  My husband Matt and I made these for Valentine's day one year, and it was so fun!  Just top it off with a glass of pinot noir, and that's what I call the perfect evening. 

Give it a try, I promise you'll love 'em. 

Cheers!
Claud

The Versatility of Omeletes

I have to admit, I'm pretty partial to pancakes (apple... banana... chocolate chip... mmmm), but every now and then, when I'm in the mood for something different, I'll go for an omelette.  They're easy, full of protein and the possibilities are endless when it comes to ingredients. 

Sunday morning I went through my fridge and was able to round up the following:

• Sun-dried tomatoes
• goat cheese 
• fresh basil
• red bell pepper
• 2 eggs

First heat up a drizzle of olive oil in a small non-stick pan.  Then whisk eggs in a small bowl with a tlb or so of milk and set aside.  Once the oil is heated, add all ingredients EXCEPT for the cheese.  (Side Note: I had always mixed the ingredients in with the egg and poured it all in at once, but on my honeymoon, I watched a resort cook make them, and she would always sauteed the ingredients first, it made such a difference! Since eggs cook so quickly, sometimes the ingredients will stay cold, so sauteing before adding the egg is a must).  

After about 3 minutes, give the eggs another quick whisk to reintroduce air bubbles, this makes the omelette nice and fluffy.  (I completely forgot this part during this go-round).  Add the egg to the veggies, sprinkle on the cheese and let cook for about 30 seconds... 

or until the top no longer has that glossy look. Now I had always tried flipping to help cook the egg on top, but then I always end up with more of a scramble then an omelette...

...so I did a little research, and learned that if you cover the pan while the egg is cooking, the steam will help cook the top.  Now, according to Wikipedia, it's normal for the top to be a little raw, but that's just not my style so I think I'll try covering it next time.  Once it's cooked, you fold it in half and serve. 

Overall, the omelette tasted AMAZING. Every flavor was so noticeable, and the goat cheese was an awesome alternative to your regular old shredded cheese.  But like I said, the great thing about omelets is that they're so versatile, so get creative!  Put your thinking cap on! This dish is almost impossible to mess up, and chances are, you've already got a handful of ingredients that would go great together. I will definitely make this again for breakfast OR dinner, and hope you'll give it a try, too!

Cheers!

Claud


P.S. Try it with a grapefruit mimosa - You'll never go back to the traditional version, trust me. 

DIY: Croutons

Let's talk Croutons.  Last night I decided to make my own, and I have to say, they turned out great! We're talkin' I-vow-to-never-buy-again good. Here's an original from your's truly!


Homemade Croutons
1 small baguette - I used a frozen loaf. I wouldn't recommend using fresh bread (aka the kind you eat half of on the drive home), it's just too soft. Semi-stale bread or bread that's a few days old works well. 
Olive Oil
1 tbsp dried Italian spices (or whatever spices you want)
Butter - I prefer butter made from yogurt, it's lighter and not as caloric as regular butter
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper


Preheat the oven to 400.  Cut baguette into small crouton sized pieces. Place pieces in a medium sized bowl, drizzle with olive oil and toss until coated.  Add very small pieces of butter (the reason I don't add this before cutting is because that can get messy), then add spices, salt and pepper. Place pieces on an oven-safe pan covered in foil and bake for 12-15 minutes or until desired crispiness.


My Pick:

A few of the leftovers post bake:

The perfect addition to a turkey chef salad:

And just for laughs... Matt likes to point out that I often leave the oven on....

Enjoy!
Claud