Three Cheese and Sopressata Pizza with Melted Tomatoes and Arugula Salad

Dinner 1.31.2012: Three Cheese and Sopressata Pizza with Melted Tomatoes and Arugula Salad

Three Cheese and Sopressata Pizza with Melted Tomatoes and Arugula Salad

Pizza Dough (makes 3 small or 2 large)
You can either use 4 cups of white flour (12 oz water) or 3 cups white and 1 cup whole wheat (~13 oz water). Whole wheat flour will absorb more water so will need to add a little more. Also, do not use more than 1 cup of w/w flour, otherwise the dough will be too heavy.

You can keep unused dough in an air tight container for 5 days (it will develop more flavor) or freeze (FoodSaver) it immediately after kneading - defrost in refrigerator and let rise as usual.

• Combine and knead (dough hooks) for 8-10 mins: 3 cups (bread) flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 Tbs yeast
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 oz olive oil
• ~13 oz warm water (dough should still be slightly sticky)

Let dough rise in a warm place - cover bowl with a wet towel so it won't dry out. Roll/stretch into desired shape/thickness (I like a thin crust), let rest, add toppings and bake on a metal cookie sheet at 500F (preheated) 7-12 minutes.

Melted Tomatoes (small/cherry tomatoes (halved), olive oil, kosher salt, minced garlic, dried oregano) - cook on low heat until desired consistency has been reached

Three Cheese and Sopressata Pizza (Asiago, Jack, Parmesan cheese; Sopressata, black olives, melted tomatoes, dried oregano, olive oil)

Arugula Salad (arugula, olive oil, white balsamic, herbs de province, honey, dijon, kosher salt, black pepper)

Three Cheese and Sopressata Pizza with Melted Tomatoes

Pizza Dough

Melted Tomatoes

Garlic Linguine with Glazed Carrots and Pan-roasted Chicken

Dinner 1.30.2012: Garlic Linguine with Glazed Carrots and Pan-roasted Chicken

Garlic Linguini with Glazed Carrots and Pan-roasted Chicken

Garlic Linguine (olive oil, fresh thyme, minced garlic, butter, kosher salt, pepper, grated parmesan,  chopped parsley) - toss with al-dente Linguini

Glazed Carrots (carrots, water, kosher salt, sugar, garnish with green onions)

Pan-roasted Chicken (olive oil, kosher salt, pepper, herbs de province) - finished 12 min @ 375F oven

Mexican Chocolate Chip Cookies

Dessert 1.29.2012: Mexican Chocolate Chip Cookies

Mexican Chocolate Chip Cookies

I recently won this Breville mixer at an online contest. I was very excited when I got the news, but since I already own a KitchenAid mixer I was not sure what to do with two mixers, but I decided to give it a try since I'm not really into baking and mostly use my KitchenAid mixer's attachments to grind meat. I have to say that the Breville creamer attachment is awesome - I did not have to scrape down the sides of the bowl once to make chocolate chip cookies! This mixer is a keeper and from now on I will commit to using it at least once a week - sorry, beloved KitchenAid. I'll be sure to visit from time to time ...

Mexican Chocolate Chip Cookies

• Cream until fluffy: 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
• Add: 2 large eggs (one at a time)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Combine and add: 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp (New Mexico) red chile powder
• Add: 1 12-ounce package semisweet chocolate chips OR Mexican Ibarra or Abuelita chocolate

Refrigerate 1-24 hours; bake @ 350F 10-14 minutes; rest 3 mins; cool on rack.

Mexican Chocolate Chip Cookies

Mushroom Frittata with Mozzarella, Spinach, and Zesty Tomato Sauce

Breakfast: 1.29.2012: Mushroom Frittata with Mozzarella, Spinach, and Zesty Tomato Sauce

Mushroom Frittata with Mozzarella, Spinach, and Zesty Tomato Sauce

Mushroom Frittata

• Pre-heat oven to 350F
• Saute (mushrooms first, add onion after a few minutes):
• olive oil
• 4 lg. mushrooms
• 1/2 small onion, chopped
• kosher salt
• pepper
• chopped parsley
• Add: chopped spinach
• Add, stir, let set 2-3 mins: 7 eggs, broken up with fork
• 2 tbs heavy cream
• 1/2 cup Mozzarella, diced
• kosher salt
• pepper
• chopped parsley
• Top with sauce: 3-4 tbs. zesty tomato sauce
• Bake @ 350F until eggs are set: ~ 12-15 mins.

Zesty Tomato Sauce: click here for recipe

Mushroom Frittata with Mozzarella, Spinach, and Zesty Tomato Sauce

Spaghetti a la Eggplant Parmesan

Dinner 1.27.2012: Spaghetti a la Eggplant Parmesan

Spaghetti a la Eggplant Parmesan

I could not decide which canned/diced tomatoes to buy so I chose 'Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted Chopped Tomatoes' and it turned out to be the best choice I could have possibly made. The sauce turned out incredible!

I have made the mistake (twice!) and roasted the eggplant in the oven on aluminum foil and it WILL stick! Try roasting it on either baking paper or on the stove top in a non-stick pan. The eggplant is very delicate and will get mushy.

Roasted Eggplant (olive oil, peeled/diced eggplant, kosher salt, pepper)

Zesty Tomato Sauce (olive oil, 3 minced garlic cloves, crushed red pepper flakes, lg. can Muir Glen Organic crushed fire roasted tomatoes, kosher salt, chopped parsley, basil chiffonade, sugar) toss al dente pasta with sauce, diced Mozzarella, roasted eggplant and grated Parmesan

Pan-roasted Chicken (olive oil, kosher salt, pepper, herbs de province) - finished 12 min @ 375F oven

Mushroom and Cauliflower Linguine with Chicken

Dinner 01.25.2012: Mushroom and Cauliflower Linguine with Chicken

Mushroom and Cauliflower Linguine with Chicken

Mushroom and Cauliflower Linguine (olive oil, sliced mushrooms, kosher salt, pepper, chopped parsley, cauliflower, white wine/sherry, stock, fresh thyme, heavy cream, lemon zest, grated parmesan, sliced almonds)

Sage-roasted Chicken (generously season chicken with kosher salt, black pepper, dried sage, brush with melted butter and roast 15 min @ 450F, reduce heat to 400F and roast for another 60 mins (baste once after 30 mins), turn off heat and let rest in oven for 15 mins)

Sage-roasted Chicken

Spaghetti in Tomato Sauce with Zucchini

Dinner 1.23.2012: Spaghetti in Tomato Sauce with Zucchini

Its easy to spice up a plain jarred tomato sauce by sauteing a few vegetables and simmering the sauce down with some good chicken stock.

Tomato Sauce with Zucchini (olive oil, red onion, mushrooms, kosher salt, pepper, parsley, stock marinara sauce, dried thyme, sugar, paprika, zucchini, parmesan)

Pan-roasted Chicken (olive oil, kosher salt, pepper) - finished 12 min in 375F oven

Spaghetti in Tomato Sauce with Zucchini

Vegetable Curry over Rice with Chicken and Riata

Dinner 1.21.2012: Vegetable Curry over Rice with Chicken and Riata

You can pretty much use any kind of vegetables, but keep in mind their cooking times may vary drastically! Add potatoes and carrots first and when they are starting to soften add the cauliflower, then zucchini and tomatoes.

Vegetable Curry (olive oil, chopped onion, kosher salt, curry powder, garlic, stock, coconut milk, ginger, potato, carrots, cinnamon, cauliflower, zucchini, tomato)
Rice (jasmine rice, cooked in salted water)
Chicken (olive oil, kosher salt, pepper, paprika)
Riata not pictured (plain yoghurt, garlic, salt, grated cucumber, lemon zest, olive oil)

Vegetable Curry over Rice with Chicken and Riata

Pasta with Sweet Potato, Mushroom and Red Onion Sherry-Cream Sauce

Dinner 1.20.2012: Pasta with Sweet Potato, Mushroom and Red Onion Sherry-Cream Sauce, Chicken and Blue Cheese

Pasta with Sweet Potato, Mushroom and Red Onion Sherry-Cream Sauce

It seems odd to pair pasta with sweet potatoes, but it really is delicious! The mushrooms, red onions, sherry and cream really work together perfectly. I made this combination once before and it instantly became a favorite.

Sweet Potato, Mushroom and Red Onion Sherry-Cream Sauce (olive oil, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, red onion, kosher salt, pepper, sherry, stock, fresh thyme, garlic, heavy cream, parsley, starchy pasta water, grated parmesan)

Pan-roasted Chicken with Blue Cheese (olive oil, kosher salt, pepper, herbs de province, blue cheese) - finished 12 min in 375F oven, topped with blue cheese

Pasta with Sweet Potato, Mushroom and Red Onion Sherry-Cream Sauce

Salmon with Garlic Pasta and Green Beans

Dinner 1.18.2012: Salmon with Garlic Pasta and Green Beans

Salmon (olive oil, kosher salt, pepper, dill) - finished 10 min in 375F oven
Garlic Pasta (olive oil, garlic, kosher salt, pepper, lemon zest, parsley, butter)
Green Beans (blanched in salted water, finished in pan with olive oil, salt, pepper and lemon juice)

Salmon with Garlic Pasta and Green Beans

Spaghetti Puttanesca

Dinner 1.16.2012: Spaghetti Puttanesca

Spaghetti Puttanesca (olive oil, garlic, black olives, capers, anchovy, parsley, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, plain marinara sauce, stock, sugar, spinach, parmesan)

 Spaghetti Puttanesca

Tomato-Meat Sauce with Sauteed Mushrooms

Dinner 1.15.2012: Tomato-Meat Sauce with Sauteed Mushrooms

I had some left over tomato-meat sauce - not enough for 2 servings so I sauteed some mushrooms and red onions, deglazed them with white wine, added stock and let it reduce, added the meat sauce and fresh thyme, let it simmer gently for a few minutes and dinner was served.

Tomato-Meat Sauce with Sauteed Mushrooms (olive oil, mushrooms, red onion, kosher salt, pepper, white wine, stock, garlic, fresh thyme, parsley, left over tomato-meat sauce, parmesan)

Tomato-Meat Sauce with Sauteed Mushrooms

Scrambled Eggs with Turkey, Mushrooms, Red Onion, Spinach

Breakfast 1.15.2011: Breakfast 1.15.2011: Scrambled Eggs with Turkey, Mushrooms, Red Onion, Spinach

Scrambled Eggs with Turkey, Mushrooms, Red Onion, Spinach

Scrambled Eggs with Turkey, Mushrooms, Red Onion, Spinach (butter, eggs, kosher salt, pepper, cheddar cheese, sauteed mushrooms & red onions, turkey, spinach, parsley)

Sweet Potatoes and Mushroom Sherry-Cream Sauce, Broccoli, Steak with Blue Cheese

Dinner 01.13.2012: Sweet Potatoes and Mushroom Sherry-Cream Sauce, Broccoli, Steak with Blue Cheese

Sweet Potatoes and Mushroom Sherry-Cream Sauce (olive oil, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, red onion, kosher salt, pepper, sherry, stock, fresh thyme, garlic, heavy cream, parsley, starchy pasta water)
Broccoli (kosher salted water)

Steak with Blue Cheese (canola oil, butter, kosher salt, pepper, blue cheese) - finished 8 min in 400F oven

Sweet Potatoes and Mushroom Sherry-Cream Sauce

Spaghetti with Tomato-meat Sauce

Dinner 1.12.2012: Spaghetti with Tomato-meat Sauce

Tomato-meat Sauce (olive oil, diced onion, ground sirloin, kosher salt, pepper, stock, fresh thyme, sugar, plain marinara sauce, parsley, grated parmesan)

Spaghetti with Tomato-meat Sauce

Fettuccine in Mushroom-cream Sauce, Tomato Concasse and Roast Chicken

Dinner 1.11.2012: Fettuccine in Mushroom-cream Sauce, Tomato Concasse and Roast Chicken

Mushroom-cream Sauce, Tomato Concasse (olive oil, mushrooms, sliced onion, kosher salt, pepper, parsley, stock, fresh thyme, garlic, heavy cream, starchy pasta water, grated parmesan, tomato concasse, green onion)
Roast Chicken (generously salt chicken and roast without basting for about 75 min @ 450F)

Fettuccine in Mushroom-cream Sauce, Tomato Concasse, Roast Chicken

Fettuccine with Pan Roasted Squash in a Herb-cream Sauce, Chicken

Dinner 1.09.2012: Fettuccine with Pan Roasted Squash in a Herb-cream Sauce, Chicken

Fettuccine with Pan Roasted Squash in a Herb-cream Sauce, Chicken.

Pan Roasted Squash (squash, olive oil, kosher salt, pepper, parsley)

Herb-cream Sauce (deglaze squash pan with white wine, reduce turkey stock, fresh thyme, garlic, parsley, herbs de province, lemon zest, heavy cream, parmesan, finish pasta with pad of butter)

Pan-roasted Chicken (olive oil, kosher salt, pepper, herbs de province) - finished 12 min in 375F oven

Farina Dumpling Soup

Dinner 1.08.2012: Farina Dumpling Soup

Farina Dumplings (2% milk, nutmeg, butter, kosher salt, wheat farina, egg)
Turkey Soup Base (turkey stock, kosher salt, carrots, celery, parsley)

Farina Dumpling Soup 

Spaghetti Bolognese

Dinner 1.07.2012:Spaghetti Bolognese

Spaghetti Bolognese (olive oil, mirepoix, garlic, ground sirloin,white wine, turkey stock, tomato paste, marinara sauce, 2% milk, reduced cream, fresh thyme, parsley, kosher salt, pepper)

Spaghetti Bolognese

Pesto Linguine with Salmon

Dinner 1.06.2012: Pesto Linguine with Salmon

I did not make the pesto - I hate to admit - since I did not have my little Braun chopper on hand but is was good never-the-less ;)

Pesto Linguine (pre-made pesto, chopped pecans, parmesan, parsley)

Pan-roasted Salmon (olive oil, herbed salt, pepper) - finished 10 min in 375F oven

Pesto Linguine with Salmon

Spaghetti Puttanesca with Salmon

Dinner 1.04.2012:Spaghetti Puttanesca with Salmon

Spaghetti Puttanesca (olive oil, garlic, black olives, capers, anchovy, parsley, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, canned diced tomatoes, sugar, spinach)
Pan-roasted Salmon (olive oil, herbed salt, pepper) - finished 10 min in 375F oven

Spaghetti Puttanesca with Salmon

Panko and Pecan encrusted Pork Chops

Dinner 1.02.2012: Panko and Pecan Encrusted Pork Chops

Pork Chops (olive oil, kosher sale, pepper, melted butter, Panko bread crumbs, chopped pecans)
Great Northern Beans (olive oil, chopped onions, white wine, stock, dried oregano, kosher salt, pepper)
Brown Rice Pilaf with mushrooms, carrots and thyme
Sauteed Squash dusted with Parmesan

Panko and Pecan encrusted Pork Chops

Sausage and Eggs on Spinach

Breakfast 1.02.2012: Sausage and Eggs on Spinach

Sausage and Eggs on Spinach

Sausage and Eggs on Spinach (olive oil, 'Cracked Pepper and Basil Sausage', sliced onion, spinach, kosher salt, pepper, eggs, green onion)