Breakfast Pizza

May 6, 2010

I wish I loved arugula. I wish dirty dishes cleaned themselves. I wish I was more sophisticated (imagine cooking dinner in heels instead of comfy but ruddy pajamas). I wish I could eat pizza every single day and not end up with motherly hips at age 23 24 (I almost forgot my age!). But alas, I do not yet like arugula. And I constantly find myself doing dishes. I still haven’t given up on sophistication- once and a while we drink sparkling fruit juice out of wine glasses. And pizza or not, I’m probably destined to have motherly hips someday. Which makes me wonder, why not have pizza more often?

Pizza for breakfast- ingenious! Pizza for breakfast with bacon and cracked eggs on top- even better. Except we at this for dinner. But no matter. It tasted very much like a big breakfast plate of crispy bacon and cheesy soft-cooked eggs. But it was on a chewy pizza crust sprinkled with a trio of freshly chopped onions. Unique and awesome.

P.S. See that parsley and those chives? They came from my very own little herb garden! Mid-pizza production I stepped outside my back door with my garden gloves and clippers and picked us some fresh pizza toppings. I have a fond affection for my petite plants. No doubt you’ll be hearing lots more about my new garden in the months to come…!

Breakfast Pizza

INGREDIENTS

1 recipe pizza dough
5 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
5 eggs
2 cups mozzarella, shredded (or a combination of mozzarella and fresh crumbled goat cheese)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Regiano
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp. chives, chopped
1 shallot, minced
2 green onions, sliced

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare pizza dough according to recipe directions.

2. Preheat oven and pizza stone to 450 F. Prepare pizza crust according to recipe directions.

3. Sprinkle the cheeses and bacon over the prepared crust. Crack the eggs over the top and season with salt and pepper.

4. Bake in preheated oven for about 10 minutes, until the crust is golden brown, the cheese is bubbling, and the eggs are cooked through.

5. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the parsley, chives, shallot, and green onion. Let cool several minutes before slicing.

Makes 1 large pizza.

(Adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

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Sweet Onion and Zucchini Gratin

April 28, 2010

This creamy side dish combines two of my favorite veggies- zucchini and onions- in a cheesy gratin. It’s another Ina Garten recipe, so of course it’s splendid! She tends to douse food in butter, so I chose to lighten it up a bit by using less. It wasn’t missed. This casserole contains A LOT of onions- so if you find soft sweet onions repulsive than maybe it isn’t for you. But I love them! Dustin is somewhere in the middle and he managed just fine. I was amazed that just a few basic ingredients produced such outstanding flavor. Maybe it’s the nutmeg, or perhaps the Gruyere?!

Be sure not to overcook the zucchini in the skillet. If you let it get too soft before the dish goes into the oven then you might end up with zucchini mush. So barely tenderize them before baking. Since the dish is already cooked, it only needs a few minutes in the oven to become brown and bubbly. It serves better after settling for a few minutes on the counter.

I served it alongside a balsamic roasted turkey tenderloin. The meat was incredibly moist and yes, tender! I just wish more of the balsamic flavor had come through in the marinade. I’ll be perfecting that recipe in the future and then sharing it with you.

Sweet Onion and Zucchini Gratin

INGREDIENTS

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter + 1 Tbsp. for topping
1 lb. ( 2 large) yellow onions, thinly sliced
2 lbs. zucchini, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 tsp. kosher salt (to taste)
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 cup hot milk (warm in the microwave or on the stove top)
3/4 cup fresh whole wheat bread crumbs (I used dried but fresh would have been much better)
3/4 cup Gruyere, grated

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.

2. Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a very large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, reducing the heat as necessary, until soft and sweet (about 20 minutes). Add zucchini and cook for several minutes until they begin to soften (and no longer or the zucchini will turn to mush in the oven). Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste. Stir in the flour. Pour in the hot milk and cook for a few minutes until it forms a sauce. Pour the mixture into an 8×10 baking dish (I managed to fit mine into an 8×8 dish).

3. In a small bowl, toss the breadcrumbs and cheese together. Sprinkle on top of the zucchini mixture. Dot with the remaining Tbsp. of butter cut into small bits.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until bubbly and browned on top. Remove from the oven and let sit for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 6.

(Adapted from Food Network)

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Chipotle Turkey Burgers

April 25, 2010

I’ve been repeating a lot more recipes lately because I miss them. I look through my archive list and start drooling at the memory of some of these dishes. Like this tempting turkey burger that I waited way too long to revisit! The first time around I served these on my homemade light brioche buns which are soft and fluffy and delicious (almost too good because they detract from what’s piled inside them)!

Chipotle Turkey Burgers

INGREDIENTS

Turkey Burger:
1 lb. ground turkey
1 shallot or 1/4 cup red onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. cilantro, minced
salt and freshly ground pepper

Chipotle Sauce:*
1/4 cup sour cream or mayonnaise
1/2 chipotle pepper in adobo, minced (more or less, depending on how hot you want it)
1/2 small clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp. lime juice 

4 hamburger buns
4 slices cheese (Cheddar, Colby jack, Muenster, etc.)
romaine or Butter lettuce
tomato, sliced
red onion, thinly sliced
avocado, sliced

DIRECTIONS

1. To make the chipotle sauce, in a small bowl, stir to combine sour cream/mayo, chipotle peppers, lime juice, and garlic until creamy.

2. Combine the turkey, shallot, garlic, cilantro, some salt and black pepper, and 1 Tbsp. of the chipotle sauce (this is optional, but makes the burgers more tender and flavorful!) and mix gently with your hands. Divide the meat into 4 equal portions and form them into patties.

3. Preheat grill to medium high heat. Grill patties for a few minutes per side, until cooked through. Place a slice of cheese on each patty just before it is done grilling to allow it to melt.

4. Place grilled burgers on buns and top with lettuce, tomato, red onion, avocado, and chipotle sauce.

Makes 4 burgers.

*This recipe doesn’t make a ton of sauce, so feel free to double the sauce if you like a lot!

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Pesto Artichoke Chicken Pizza

March 29, 2010



I made this pizza last year, but I never posted a picture until now. It was tragic, really, that I waited so long. Because I know that recipes require a photo to catch my eye, and you’re probably the same way. If you’re like me, you quickly lose attention flipping through a cookbook that doesn’t have pictures and won’t even consider a blogger recipe that isn’t documented in pixels. So I finally got around to posting the proof that this recipe looks (and incidentally tastes) delicious! This time around I went with a purchased bottle of pesto. But if you’ve never made your own you should give it a try. The homemade pesto on top of this pizza is outstanding!

6/25/09: I’m so frustrated! The few shots I did remember to take of this pizza turned out disastrous. I’m no pro photographer but I know when a photo is unappealing. What’s tragic is that this pizza is very appealing. Chunks of juicy rotisserie chicken and plump pieces of artichoke layered between melted Fontina and mozzarella, all on the most amazing half whole wheat crust ever created. It’s a shame that I can’t show you.

While I love having dinner guests (us “chefs” thrive off of feeding our friends and family), it is a blogging distraction. I’m so focused on getting dinner on the table in a timely fashion, that taking pictures is the last thing on my mind. So if you are ever invited to dine in my kitchen, I ask that you remind me to pull out my camera before we dive in. A recipe without a photo is just no fun.

This was my first homemade pesto. It’s so easy! But it takes a lot of ingredients that you might no always have on hand. So if that’s the case, it’s probably easier (and cheaper) to buy it pre-made. But this was the best pesto I’ve ever had.

Pesto Artichoke Chicken Pizza

INGREDIENTS

Pizza:
1 recipe Pizza Dough
about 1/3 cup basil pesto (recipe below)
about 1 1/2 cups Fontina cheese
about 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese
1 can artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
1 boneless skinless chicken breast half, cooked and chopped (or shredded rotisserie chicken)

Basil Pesto (makes enough for two pizzas):
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup pine nuts
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS:

1. Prepare the pizza dough according to directions.

2. While the dough is rising, prepare the pesto. It can be kept in the refrigerator until ready to use.

3. Preheat oven and pizza stone to 450 F.

4. Once the dough is ready, top with a thin layer of pesto, half of the Fontina and mozzarella, chicken (I toss the chicken in enough pesto to coat to ensure it stays moist while the pizza is baking), artichokes, and the remaining Fontina and mozzarella.

5. Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling. Remove from the oven and let cool several minutes before slicing.

For the pesto:
1. Put the basil, pine nuts, garlic, and Parmesan in a food processor and pulse until a chunky paste forms. With the motor running, add the olive oil in a steady stream and process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Makes 1 large pizza.

(Pesto recipe from A Good Appetite)

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Coconut Cream Cake

March 16, 2010

This year I baked my own birthday cake. I have to admit, I didn’t mind one bit! I knew exactly what I wanted. I’d been dreaming about this cake that I’d spotted on Pioneer Woman some time ago, but never justified making, because it contained coconut. Lots and lots of it- in the batter, in the frosting, and even more on top! And Dustin despises coconut. And usually, I try to please him. But this was my birthday. The one day a year I could make whatever dessert I wanted and not feel guilty for not thinking of him. So I made this beautiful coconuty cake for my family who was coming to celebrate, and mostly for me!

I give him credit, because even when he claims to dislike an ingredient, Dustin is usually willing to try at least one bite of anything. Well the silly thing is, Dustin turns out to not only like this cake, but to absolutely love it! As do the rest of us, but that was more expected. He even said it was one of the best cakes I’d ever made! That from a coconut hater.

We all agreed that this cake is incredible. Soft and moist in the middle, with three layers separated by coconut and pecan studded cream cheese frosting (that is sweetened with a generous portion of powdered sugar), and topped with golden toasted coconut. It was one of my best birthday cakes ever. (A close competitor with last year’s German Chocolate Cake– another one of my favorites!)

Coconut Cream Cake

INGREDIENTS

For the Cake:
1 stick salted butter, room temperature (I used unsalted and added 1/2 tsp. salt)
1 cup canola oil
1 cup sugar
5 whole egg, separated
1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup buttermilk

For the Frosting:
2 packages (8 oz.) cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick salted butter, at room temperature (you can add a pinch of salt if you use unsalted butter)
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
6 cups powdered sugar
1 cup chopped pecans (could be toasted for extra flavor)
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
several squeezes fresh lemon juice (about half a lemon, optional but highly recommended)

1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut, toasted (for topping the cake, optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter and flour 3, 9-in. round cake pans.

2. In a medium bowl, beat egg whites until stiff and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, cream butter, oil, and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in egg yolks, vanilla, and coconut.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt (if using).

5. Alternate adding the buttermilk and dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined. Fold in the egg whites.

6. Pour evenly into the three prepared pans. Sprinkle the top of each with 1 Tbsp. sugar.

7. Bake in preheated oven for 16-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before removing from the pan to cool completely.

8. To make the frosting, in a large bowl cream butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and lemon juice. Add the powdered sugar slowly, beating until smooth and creamy. Stir in the pecans and coconut. Store in the refrigerator until the cake has cooled completely and is ready to frost. Sprinkle the top of the frosted cake with toasted coconut (optional) and serve.

Makes 1 9-in. round, 3-layer cake.

(Adapted from Pioneer Woman)

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