Fast Dinner: French Bread Pizza

So, I have been completely neglectful on my food posts lately.  Here's a fast dinner for 2+(or lunch) to kick things back off.

French Bread Pizza.  Three words; just delicious.  Eat by its self or with a side salad.

Here's what you need:
1 loaf of French bread or a thick similar style loaf
1 small can of pizza sauce
Toppings, I used pepperoni
Mozzarella cheese, grated

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Slice loaf of bread long ways and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Spread pizza sauce on each slice.

Sprinkle pepperoni (or other toppings) about.

Cover generously with Mozzarella cheese.

Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit until melty, golden and delicious looking (see picture).

Roasted Garden Tomato Turkey Pasta Bake

Why can't you take a turkey to church?
Because, it has fowl language.

Ready? Five times fast? "Roasted Garden Tomato Turkey Pasta Bake, Roasted Garden Tomato Turkey Pasta Bake, Roasted Garden Tomato Turkey Pasta Bake, Roasted Garden Tomato Turkey Pasta Bake, Roasted Garden Tomato Turkey Pasta Bake, Roasted Garden Tomato Turkey Pasta Bake."  Let me know if you come up with an easier name for this dish.

Last night, I was totally craving some kid food.  Like Hamburger Helper or box Mac and Cheese...I settled on Pasta Bake (which is pretty standard kid food, unless you have those fancy kids, like the ones that always want sushi and foie gras...not to hate on sushi, I had that Monday night.)  The garden tomatoes on our kitchen counter have been piling up and eyeing me the past couple of days, so I thought I would teach them a lesson by roasting those suckers.  Making your own sauce is super easy and way more tasty, just do it already.

Here's What You Need (for a big ol' pan full):
a variety of garden tomatoes (large and grape), about 2-3 cups of
2 ish teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil, plus the same
basil
thyme
oregano
rosemary
parsley
salt and pepper to taste
6 cloves of garlic, peeled, kept whole, plus 1 teaspoon of minced garlic
1/2 a large onion or 1 small-medium sized onion, diced
1 orange pepper, diced  (you could sub red or green if you felt like it)
1 yellow pepper, diced
1 pack of ground turkey, approximately 1.2 pounds
1 15 ounce can of tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups of finely grated mozzarella cheese
1 package of Rigatoni pasta, approximately 1 pound
1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

Fast 15 Minute Dinner: Mustard Caper Baked Tilapia

What do you call a fish with a tie?
Sofishticated.

Yesterday, I went on a long bike ride and the husband went on a run, so we both got home exhausted.  Ok, what to do for dinner.....

We had some tilapia in the fridge and decided on a quick mustard caper sauce versus a lemon pepper something or other.  (I think we were both craving salt)  No matter.  This is a great flavorful recipe that can be executed from start to table in about 15 minutes (awesome).  We served ours up with some sauteed okra, but this would also be good with some cheesy rice if you have the time.

Here's what you need:
2 pieces of tilapia
1 teaspoon of grainy mustard
2-3 teaspoons of Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon of drained capers
1 teaspoon of finely chopped garlic
a couple of splashes of white wine or about 3-4 tablespoons
2-3 teaspoons of fresh chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste
fresh squeezed lemon juice to taste

Roasted Lemon Basil Shrimp With Angle Hair

What did the lemon say to the lime?
Sour you doin'?

Scrimps! Yay!

Do you say shrimp or scrimps?  I like to call them scrimps, maybe it's a southern thing, maybe I am just a weirdo...awww....let's go with it's a southern thang. 

Summer is such a great time for light and flavorful dishes.  This is a super easy roasted lemon basil shrimp recipe (say that fiver times fast) that works great over pasta, but you could probably put the dish over fresh spinach or rice as well.  Husband added red pepper flakes to his (which is always a good idea, if you like that sort of thing).  The best part, you can get this sucker on the table in under 30 minutes.  Bamzers.

Here's what you need (we made extra, so you could prob serve 3-4 people with this):
1 pound of shrimp
1 lemon, using zest and juice
8 or so tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, plus 2 teaspoons
handful of fresh basil leaves
6 or so little sweet peppers
handful or so of grape or cherry tomatoes
angel hair pasta
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon of white vinegar

Lemon Thyme Baked Salmon and Sauteed Garlic Lemon Kale

What did the fish say when he posted bail?
I'm off the hook!

Deliciousususususuususususussss.....

I must have been on some kind of Thyme-Lemon kick the other day, because in addition to the tasty Raspberry Lemon Thyme Smash we also had this beauty for dinner.

This is my new favorite way to cook salmon.  It came out absolutely flaky, moist and delicious.  Since outside has been full of rain, grilling was not an option.  Into the oven dinner goes! (or on the stove-top if your name is Kale).

Healthy, somewhat fast (under 40 minutes), and warm.

Here's what you need (for 2 people):
For the Salmon:
1 big ol piece of salmon
1-2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil
1-2 teaspoons of lemon zest
1/3-1/2 teaspoon of fresh thyme
salt and pepper to taste
For the Kale:
1-2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon of garlic, chopped/minced
2-3 large handfuls of kale
1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Garlic Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

Why do potatoes make good detectives?
Because, they keep their eyes peeled.

 I'mmmmmmm baaaaAAaaacCCCkkkk.

Apologies for the lack of posting, south Georgia is its own planet (well, and when you are dealing with family health stuff, it's hard to think about anyhting else....except maybe having some vino....)

The weather here has been complete shanarkys.  Just rain, rain, rain.  I found myself craving some simple meat and potatoes.  I made my quick Turkey Meatloaf and then, some oh so yummy Garlic Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes.

Scalloped Potatoes, or Potatoes Gratine (if you are feelin' fancy) is made up of thinly sliced raw potatoes, layered in a buttered dish, topped with cheese or breaded crumbs and baked.  There are many, MANY variations out there.  Here, I used a cheesy garlic sauce in between each layer for maximum flavor penetration.  Layers of potatoes, baked cheesy deliciousness, how could you go wrong?

Here's what you need:
4 large potatoes
a mandolin (used to thinly slice the potatoes easily)
3 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups of milk (I used 1%)
1 teaspoon of Hungarian Paprika
1 teaspoon of ground pepper
1 teaspoon Rosemary salt  (or 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of rosemary if you don't have on hand)
2 teaspoons of Minced Garlic
1 cup of finely shredded cheddar cheese, and 1/2 of finely shredded cheddar cheese

Garlic Bolognese Ghetti

A guy walks into the doctor's office.  A banana stuck in one of his ears, a garlic clove in the other ear, and a carrot stuck in one nostril.  The man says, "Doc, this is terrible.  What's wrong with me?"  The doctor says, "Well, first of all, you need to eat more sensibly."

Although, we are from Georgia this is not Honey Boo Boo's Sketti  (ketchup and butter....not so sure about that).

If you like meaty garlic deliciousness, this is a good fast-filling Ghetti recipe from our house.

Here's What You Need:
1/2 a package of angel hair pasta
1 pound of organic (or otherwise) ground chuck
1 onion
2 tablespoons of fresh minced garlic
1 teaspoon of dried parsley
1 15 ounce can of plain tomato sauce
fresh basil for topping
Parmesan for topping
salt and pepper to taste

My New Favorite Dijon Garlic Roasted Chicken

How long do chickens work?
Around the cluck!

I must be on some weird chicken kick.  Either that, or the organic chicken has been on sale lately :)

This chicken is finger lickin' delicious. OMG!  I know I can get excited about cooking, but this recipe is one of the reasons why.  Super fast, super easy (kids could help you) and suuuuuuuuper tasty.  (Next time I want to try this rub on some drumsticks.)  This time, I used organic split chicken breast (the skin and bones help flavor the meat).  Best part, you can get these babies on the table in about 35 minutes.

Here's what you need:
2 organic (or otherwise) split chicken breast
1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon of fresh minced garlic
1 tablespoon of marjoram leaves
6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy Herb Roasted Chicken

What do you get when you cross a chicken and a pit bull?
Just the pit bull.

We love, love, love roasting whole chicken.  First off, it's super easy.  Second, this is a great option for two people because then you eat leftovers for the whole week.  Chicken enchiladas, chicken on top of spinach salad, chicken salad, chicken roll ups, chicken BLT, chicken pot pie, etc. etc.  The possibilities are endless!

This is also a fantastic option for dinner guests.  The prep takes 5 minutes, and once the bird is in the oven there's not much to do.  Once out, well that baby pretty much sets the table for you.

General plan: Rinse.  Dry.  Mix up some herbs, garlic, lemon zest, salt and/or pepper with either canola oil or here, we used olive oil.  Rub the bird down.  Fill the cavity with lemon slices, garlic either/and/or onion etc.  Cook.

Here's what you need:
1 whole chicken, we used organic, but get what you prefer
1/4 cup of olive oil (or canola oil)
2-3 tablespoons of herbs (whatever you're feeling: lemon zest, herbes de provence, sage, thyme, rosemary, garlic, etc.)
salt and pepper to taste
1-2 lemons (for stuffing the cavity and/or squeezing on the chicken as you eat its delicious goodness)

Grilled Orange Pork Loin Chops and Savory Farro

What do you call a pig that takes karate?
Porkchop.

Every once and a while, I like consult a cookbook or two and try new recipes.  We received The Winemaker Cooks by Christine Hanna for Christmas and thought we would try out the "Orange and Dijon-Marinated Pork Tenderloin"  (adapted a bit) with some pork loin chops.

Hanna Winery & Vineyards is located and based in Healdsburg, California and the tasting room is open daily 10-4.  Christine Hanna,  president and author of The Winemaker Cooks, took over the family winery founded by her father Dr. Elias S. Hanna.  Her cookbook has over 100 thoughtful recipes organized by seasons, meals, and wine pairings.  If you are anything like us and enjoy wine (while cooking and eating), this book is an A+. 

To balance out the sweetness of the orange-Dijon-wine sauce I made a Savory Farro, earthy with onions, kale and toasted pecans.

Here's what you need (we made enough for 4 people):
For the pork:
4 pork loin chops
6 cloves of garlic
2 oranges (zest from 1, juice from 2)
3 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 cup of savingnon blanc
salt and pepper to taste
 For the farro:
1 cup of farro
2 cups of water
1 tablespoon of butter
salt and pepper to taste
2 handfuls of small chopped kale
1/2 onion, diced
2/3 cup of pecans

Grilled Basil Salmon with Sun Dried Tomato Kale Salad

What's the difference between a piano and a fish?
You can't tun-a fish.

Quick. Dinner.  Hungry.  Quick Quick.  (Sometimes, that is totally what happens at our house)  Luckily, you don't have to sacrifice flavor for a fast meal.

I think this kale salad is my new favorite (the dressing makes it).  Inspired by all the gorgeous salad bars at Whole Foods, it is dressed with a super-tasty sun dried tomato vinaigrette that makes you go yuuuuuuuuummm.

The salmon is a simple olive oil, salt, pepper and grill.  Then, topped with fresh basil and lemon juice.  Fresh food that leaves you full with out feeling overly so.

Here's what you need:
Salmon, I usually grill one bigger piece then divide onto plates after grilling.
1/4 cup of chopped sun dried tomatoes
2 tablespoons of white vinegar
1 tablespoon of olive oil, plus 1 teaspoon
1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, plus 2 teaspoons
salt and pepper to taste
2-3 handfuls of chopped kale
1 carrot
1/3-1/2 cup red cabbage
2-4 tablespoons of plain goat cheese
5-7 fresh basil leaves

"The Onion Thing"

Did you hear about the Frenchman who jumped into a river in Paris?
He was declared in Seine.

Oh "The Onion Thing", or at least, that is what my husband calls it.  This is a dish I made for him one night when we first started dating (apparently it worked, he likes onions).  The dish is made up of a toasted french baguette, plain goat cheese and onions cooked down for at least an hour with red wine, balsamic, and Worcestershire until they are almost black and thick like jam.  "The Onion Thing" is all about layering; layering small amount of red wine, balsamic, and Worcestershire over time gives the onions a really great flavor.  This works great as a dinner or lunch, but could also be scaled down for appetizers.

Here's what you need:
1 red onion
1-2 tablespoons of butter
5.5 oz log of plain goat cheese
1 loaf, french baguette
red wine
balsamic vinegar
Worcestershire
salt and pepper to taste

Grilled Steak Salad with Feta and Mustard Vinaigrette

What is a cow's favorite moosical note?
Beef-flat.

Summer, oh how I adore thee....just man....it's HOT.  When it gets like this we turn to lots of salads for dinner, topped with grilled veggies, meat, or poultry.  This Grilled Steak Salad with Feta and Mustard Vinaigrette was the perfect meal last night.

Last week, we hit up a great local restaurant called Muss and Turners (white cheddar poblano pimento cheese to die for!) and they had the most wonderful brand of mustard (we tend to fall in love with condiments quite easily) called Maille 1747 Fine de Dijion (very French, no?).  The husband's parents were nice enough to track some down for us, and I thought it would make into a great vinaigrette to pair with this hearty salad.

Here's what you need:
1 steak, per two people
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
spinach
chopped red and green cabbage
1 vine tomato
2-4 tablespoons of crumbled feta cheese, we used tomato and basil flavored feta
2 teaspoons of Maille 1747 Fine de Dijion mustard, or another Dijion of your choosing
5 teaspoons of Balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil

Grilled Chicken Spinach Salad with Apples and Bacon

What day do chickens hate the most?
Fry-days.

Although not fried, this Grilled Chicken is sure to make your mouth happy.

Finally, the rain stopped and the sun abated enough for a good grill out on the back porch Thursday night.  This Grilled Chicken Spinach Salad with Apples and Bacon was a quick and tasty dinner (it would also be also a really good lunch or brunch option).  We served ours up with a simple tomato rice.

Here's what you need:
2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (we only used 1 for 2 people and saved the other for the next day)
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 teaspoon of onion powder
1 teaspoon of chili powder
1-2 teaspoons of paprika
salt and pepper to taste
2 carrots, chopped
6 radishes, chopped
1 apple (we used fuji)
1 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
2 large handfuls of spinach
3 slices of bacon, cooked and diced

Chicken Fajitas

What's the difference between a viola and an onion?
No one cries when you cut up a viola.

Yet another silly word, that was dancing about on my tongue last night: Fajitas.  FAH-he-taaaaaaa, Fajita, anyway you say it, this is one easy tasty meal.  My husband's mother made some extra tortillas (from scratch!...reminder, take pictures next time and add to post....), and so we made some fillings.

After BBQ'ing the other day, I wanted to try out a dry rub on the boneless, skinless organic chicken I picked up earlier this week from Publix.  As you can tell from the picture above, the chicken had a great crust to it.  Very juicy and flavorful.  I will be experimenting more with this rubbing down of meat and poultry.....hmmm....dry rubbed shrimp?  The possibilities are endless.....

Here's what you need (for two):

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 teaspoon of Kosher or coarse salt

1 teaspoon of pepper

1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
1 teaspoon of garlic powder

1 teaspoon of onion powder

1-2 teaspoons of olive oil or bacon fat

1 yellow onion

2 green peppers

1 clove of garlic

1 avocado

1 lime, juiced

salt and pepper to taste

1 vine tomato

1 cup of finely shredded cheese, either colby of 4 cheese mexican blend

2-3 tortillas per person 

BBQ Pork Spare Ribs

I just got poked by Chuck Norris on Facebook.
Now, I have three broken ribs.

Let get serious for a minute...and talk about BBQ Pork Spare Ribs.  I mean.  Delicious.  Fall off the bone, mouth-watering, make you feel like you're barefoot outside and you don't even care that sauce is all over your face delicious. Those kind of ribs.

Being a rib virgin (cooking, not eating), I of course committed the cardinal sin of forgetting about removing the membrane, or back bone skin, but luckily caught it before they went in the oven and was able to get it off before the roasting commenced.  For those, like me, who have never made ribs before:  Get some St. Louis style cut ribs and google how to remove the membrane, or back bone skin.  There are experts all over the place with different ways.  I used the "stick a knife in-between the skin and bones on the ribby side and then pull with all your might" method.  Experiment, find what works for you.

For these ribs, I massaged in a dry rub and let them sit in the fridge for an hour before roasting in the oven.  My leftover dry rub (that never touched the raw meat) was used to build my BBQ sauce.  Get excited.  Here we go on another meaty adventure.

Here's what you need (1 rack can totally feed 4 people if you have sides):
1 rack of St. Louis style pork spare ribs
rack cookie sheet
foil

For the dry rub:
1 cup of light brown sugar
1/2 cup of Hungarian paprika
2 tablespoons of Kosher or coarse salt
1 tablespoon of black pepper
1 tablespoon of chili powder
1 tablespoon of onion powder
1 tablespoon of garlic powder

For the BBQ sauce:
reserve 3/4 cup of dry rub from above
1/2 cup of ketchup
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon of liquid smoke
8 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar

Shrimp Fried Rice with Veggies and Bacon

Quick and easy weeknight meal using...dun-dun-na-doooooon: Leftovers!

Earlier this week we broke down an ordered some takeout Chinese food.  Per usual we were left with a box of rice.  What to do....what to do.... Shrimp Fried Rice with Veggies and Bacon!  Fried rice is great because you can take almost anything that is in your fridge and use it up in this dish.

Here's what we used (feel free to tweak with what you have):
Frozen shrimp, peas, and broccoli
2 carrots, chopped
6 radishes, chopped
1 teaspoon of bacon fat, or 1-2 teaspoon of olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
2 cloves of garlic, diced
1/2 cup of chicken stock
1 carton of leftover Chinese food rice
1/4 teaspoon of five spice seasoning
1/2 a teaspoon of sesame oil
1-2 tablespoons of chopped up cooked bacon
1-2 tablespoons of chopped fresh basil

Chicken Puttanesca

Two olives were on a table hanging out, and one fell on the floor.
The one on the table asked, "Are you ok?"
The one that fell said, "Ol-live."

Puttanesca...it sounds a lil dirty when you say it; what a silly word.  For those of you not familiar, puttanesca is a style of salty sauce usually containing: garlic, tomatoes, peppers, capers, olives, and anchovies.  Puttanesca, Pu-tta-nes-ca....it is just fun to say....

So, I was feelin' quite salty yesterday and Publix had some beautiful organic split chicken breast on sale.  We usually opt for the boneless skinless variety, but sometimes you just need crispy skin?! Am I right?  So much flavor!  I am not a fan of anchovies, so I skipped that ingredient, but feel free to add it to your Chicken Puttanesca.

We served ours up with a side salad and some mini shells, but spaghetti would be good....or crusty garlic bread to soak up sauce with? etc. etc. etc. etc.

Here's what you need (for two people, and leftovers!):
2 split chicken breasts
salt and pepper to taste
2-4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 red onion, diced
2 vine tomatoes, diced
1 cup of chicken stock
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
6 oz of black olives, sliced
1-2 tablespoons of capers

Sauteed Spinach and Kale with Tomato, Roasted Red Peppers, Egg and Bacon

Why did the pig go into the kitchen?
He felt like bac-on.

If you can't already tell....the Week of Salads for Dinner is starting to digress.  I unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on who you ask) was thinking about bacon this afternoon and it was all downhill from there.  Here's a "salad" that can be eaten anytime of the day: breakfast lunch or dinner.  Sauteed Spinach and Kale with Tomato, Roasted Red Peppers, Egg and Bacon.

Here's what you need:
2-3 slices of bacon
1 vine tomato
2 thick roasted red pepper slices
2 hard-boiled eggs
1/2 a bunch of kale
1 whole bag of spinach, or about 6 oz.
salt and pepper to taste

Tomato, Basil, Feta Pearl Couscous Spinach Salad

A faucet, lettuce and a tomato were in a race, what happened?
The faucet was running, the lettuce was ahead, and the tomato was trying to ketchup.

Salad Night Numero 3!!! So far this salad is our favorite (and it was suuuupper quick to make).  When discussing what kind of salad to make for night three, both of us wanted something with a grain (like farro, barley etc.).  In my rushing around yesterday, all I managed to get my hands on was some pearl whole wheat couscous.  The hubby and I both were pearl couscous virgins, but I think after my first taste I am in love.  This Tomato, Basil, Feta Whole Wheat Pearl Couscous Spinach Salad is sure to be a hit with you as well.

Here's what you need:
1 1/4 cup of chicken stock
1 cup of whole wheat pearl couscous
1 small pat of butter
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 tomato, chopped
1/4-1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
10 or so fresh basil leaves
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon of olive oil, plus 1 teaspoon
juice from 1 lemon
1/2 cup of walnuts
a couple drops of agave nectar
2 large handfuls of spinach