Father's Day Celebration!

Love Father's Day...it always seems like the real kick off to summer here instead of Memorial Day.  I guess because the weather is just now what I expect of summer days. So, with a green salad with romaine, tomatoes, red onion/green onion, cumcumber, avocado and italian dressing...this is our BBQ.

I also made a friend's turtle brownies!

Best Burgers for a crowd

3.5-4 lb of ground sirlion (90/10)

2 eggs

4 T A-1 Steak Sauce

1 tsp salt

1 T. pepper

Gently combine and make 4 oz patties, refrigerate until time to grill.

Bumpus German Potato Salad

3 lb of small Yukon gold potatoes

2-3  C of green beans trimmed and cut into 1" pieces

1/2 lb of bacon cooked and chopped (I cook in the microwave on a large plate with paper towels, the oven at 350 for 10-13 minutes is easy too)

3/4 C finely chopped yellow onion

1/3 C white vinegar

1/4 C sugar

2 T dijon mustard

Kosher salt & White Pepper to taste

3 scallions/green onions, finely chopped

Place potatoes whole into a pot of cold water so potatoes are covered by approx 1 inch of water, bring to a boil and boil about 20 minutes until fork tender, remove and rinse in cold water so still warm but can cut into 1/4" thick rounds.  While potatoes are cooking steam the green beans or blanch them for 2-4 minutes.

Saute yellow onion until translucent, in a glass bowl stir together vinegar through mustard and add to onions, stir to combine, then add potatoes, green beans, bacon and stir, taste, add salt and white pepper to taste, add in finely chopped green onions and put into a serving dish, serve at room temperature.

Turtle Brownie Recipe

This is from a friend, Denise Leo.....here is link to her new website, it is in progress but should have a variety of FABULOUS and EASY recipes up in a few weeks, so a recipe follows below for the brownies that is one of my favorites but she her website is using box mixes to make easy but delightful brownies your family and friends will love — so check out this site for fabulous brownie ideas in a few weeks (she recommends Betty Crocker Low Fat Fudge Brownie Mix).

Out Of The Box Brownies-by Denise Leo

Amy's Best Brownie Recipe

10 T butter, plus more to grease the pan

6 oz bittersweet chocolate, broken into chunks

3 eggs

1 1/2 C sugar

1/2 tsp espresso powder or intant coffee

1 T vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

1 C all-purpose flour

1/2 C cocoa powder (I use Hershey's Special Dark)

1/2 tsp baking powder

Denise's Turtle Brownie Topping:

1 to 1.5 cups pecan halves, toasted in a 350 degree oven for 5 minutes, set aside.

1 tub Marzetti Caramel Apple Dip

1 bag Flipz (or any bite-sized chocolate-covered pretzel), about 1.5 to 2 cups

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a glass 9 X 13 baking dish. Melt butter and chocolate together in the microwave, stirring every minute (don't let mixture boil), set aside for about 5 minutes to cool slightly (if you add when it is too hot it will make brownies dry). 

In a large bowl of a stand mixer, combine eggs, sugar vanilla, espresso powder/instant coffee and salt. Beat for 3-4 minutes, mixture will be a pale yellow. Add in chocolate and butter mixture, blend. Then add in flour, cocoa, and baking powder, mix until just combined (don't over mix flour or brownies will be tough). Spread batter into dish and bake for 20-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges with only a few crumbs. Cool brownies on a wire rack until completely cool.

When completely cool, top with carmel and then decorate with pecans and flipz pretezels.

Wishing everyone a Wonderful Father's Day Celebration!

Pizza Friday!

I don't know if you feel this way, but I feel like just an hour ago I was typing Pizza Friday from last week! Where did this week go!?!? Oh yeah, it's summer, and we had beautiful weather, and I had my boys! So time just flew by!

Well, using up more of the CSA bag...so I made my favorite pizza dough. My no-cook sauce. AND, I topped the pizza with:
tomato sauce
then I tore fresh mozzarella into chunks and placed on pizza
sprinkled on crumbled feta
asparagus, cut into 1 inch chunks
red bell pepper, thinkly slices (seeds removed)
red onion thinly sliced
leftover rotisserie chicken, chopped
then a light covering of shredded parmesan cheese

It is in the oven and it smells awesome!

I did cook the 7-grain blend this week as I planned.....loved it.  I used a large heavy pot and added olive oil, then 2 C of the 7 grain blend, I stirred until it was toasted and added in 1/2 C of white wine.  I cooked and stirred this until it was absorbed and evaporated....then I added 4 C of chicken broth and brought to a simmer and covered for about 35 minutes....then I removed the cover and continued to simmer until almost all of the liquid was absorbed so the grains were creamy.  In the meantime I sauteed, white onions from my CSA bag, but you could use yellow or red-whatever you have, that I chopped in garlic seasoned olive oil. Once they were golden I added in chopped broccoli and asparagus, and cooked for 2-4 minutes....I poured the grains into a large serving dish and poured on the veggies.  I added crumbled feta cheese and tossed.  My boys kept saying what smells so good?  And they ate this very well!  I'm so proud :o)

And for the finish on Pizza Friday, well you just can't go wrong with good old pepperoni!

For the pizza fans!

Well, I've been slow, but here are more pizza/calzone (and a foccaccia) recipes all using the dough recipe that follows.....from dessert to breakfast and a few others...Enjoy!

Amy's Dessert Calzone

One ball of dough from my favorite pizza dough recipe  (recipe follows, recipe makes 2)

--Roll out to into a round about 12-14 inches across on a well floured surface.  Transfer to your baking sheet (I use a stone in my oven, so I place cornmeal on a wooden pizza peel, and then it easily slides into the oven onto my stone). On half of the dough gently spread Nutella (hazelnut and chocolate spread at grocery near peanut butter) and Marscapone cheese (you could sub some cream cheese here) (don't be too fussy spreading this on the dough, this will all melt together).  You can stop here, or add other ingredients, like chopped nuts, berries (I like strawberries sliced and blueberries). Whatever you can dream up, add it in! Fold the dough over to make and pinch the edges together, I start at one side and roll the dough back and pinch and keep going around. Then take a sharp knife and make 2 to 3 slits 2 inch slits in the top for steam to vent. You can brush with melted butter or egg wash. Place in a preheated 450 degree oven for about 12-15 minutes until the top is golden and the filling is melted. Let stand 10-15 minutes before slicing. Optional, serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Apple Dessert Pizza

 1/3 C. ricotta cheese

2 t. butter

1/2 t. cinnamon

2 oz. apricot preserves

1/4 C. chopped walnuts

Pinch sugar

1 medium Granny Smith apple (or other firm apple)

Whipped cream for garnishing

1.  Peel and core apple.  Thinly slice into approximately 15-20 slices. 

2.  Sauté apples in butter and sugar until fairly soft.  Set aside and let cool.

3.  Spread ricotta cheese on 9” dia. pizza dough.  Fan apples on top of ricotta.  Place dollops of apricot preserves around apples.

4.  Sprinkle chopped walnuts over pizza.  Dust with cinnamon.

5.  Bake in preheated 500˚ oven for 8-10 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

6.  Slice pizza and serve with whipped cream.

Broccoli and Ricotta Calzone

4 servings

1 (15-ounce) container part-skim ricotta cheese

8 ounces shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

1 (10-ounce) package frozen broccoli florets, thawed and drained

Salt

Black pepper

1 ball of pizza dough

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan

1. In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, mozzarella and broccoli. Mix well. Season with salt and black pepper. Roll dough out to a 12-inch circle. Spread cheese filling over 1 side of circle, to within 1-inch of the edge. Lift 1 side of dough and fold over so that it meets the other side, forming a half moon, and pinch the edges together to seal.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
3. Transfer calzone to a large baking sheet sprinkle the top with cheese. Bake 15 minutes, until puffed up golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing.

Amy’s Breakfast Pizza



One ball of pizza dough, rolled out

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Bake crust on stone for 1-2 minutes.

Remove and put some garlic olive oil on crust, prepare eggs:

In a large glass bowl, crack 7 eggs
, 1/2 c milk, 
salt and pepper 
to taste, whisk together. Microwave for 2-3 minutes, whisk, microwave for 2-3 minutes more. Whisk and spread on crust, top with:

Cooked bulk sausage

2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese

 whatever veggies you like--red or green bell pepper, onions, tomatoes (squeezed and diced)

Variation….par cook thinly sliced potatoes and layer on too.

Return to the oven to bake 10-12 minutes more.

 Walnut Brie Pizza

1 ball of pizza dough, cook for 2-3 mintues in 450 degree oven

Remove and add Seasoned olive oil on the crust

Mushrooms cooked with garlic

Walnuts , chopped and toasted

Carmelized onion

Brie cheese, just pull pieces off and toss on pizza

Shredded mozzarella cheese

Place back in 450 degree oven for 12-14 minutes

Focaccia with Rosemary and Grapes

1 ball of pizza dough

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Coarse sea salt, for sprinkling

1 garlic clove minced

1 shallot, cut into thinly sliced rounds

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves

1/2 cup green grapes

1/2 cup red grapes

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Roll the pizza dough into a rectangle on a sheet of parchment paper or wax paper. Place the dough and the parchment on a baking sheet.

Using a pastry brush (I love the new silicone brushes), cover the top of the dough with olive oil. Sprinkle the dough with coarse sea salt. Sprinkle the dough with the garlic, shallot, and rosemary. Spread the grapes over the top of the dough and push down into the dough.

Bake the focaccia until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cut into slices and serve.

Amy's Favorite Pizza Dough

(makes 2 approx 12 inch pizzas)

1 1/4 C warm water

2 T Olive Oil

1 tsp sugar

2 tsp salt

1/4 C cornmeal

3 T whole wheat flour

3 C unbleached white flour

1 T yeast

• Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water (about 105 to 110 degrees F), add the rest of the ingredients and beat using the dough hook of a stand mixer until a nice dough ball is formed. If it is still sticky place flour on the counter and turn out the dough and knead until smooth.  Be careful not to knead in too much flour and make the dough too heavy. Let rise for 60-90 minutes, until doubled in size. Punch down and turn out and divide into two dough balls to roll out for pizzas.

• Option—Do you have a bread machine? Place the ingredients into your bread machine in the order the machine suggests, set for the dough cycle, when complete, turn out and divide into two balls which you will roll out for the pizzas.

--If you don't have one, you should look at investing in a Zojirushi bread machine...it is my second machine and I just love this machine. I make most of our bread and it is so nice to place ingredients in, go to work and come home to dough ready to go, or even a baked loaf!  www.zojirushi.com  They also make great rice cookers....this is a necessity in my kitchen too!

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.  Place pizza stones in the oven if you have them. If not place your pizza pans into the oven.  When hot, roll out the dough into your circle to fit your pan (doesn't have to be perfect). Take stone/pan from the oven and place dough on stone/pan.  Place back into the oven for approx. 4 minutes, then take it out of the oven, it's time to top it!

Easy salad tonight....all from my grab bag--You can do the same with items you keep in the fridge!

This week's bag is perfect for a quick salad, so for dinner tonight...

I'll chop some romaine, and put the garlic scapes (or you can use a garlic clover peeled) in the food processor and chop finely. I'll steam some green beans (just put the amount needed on a plate with some water and steam in the microwave for a few minutes. Then,  I'll add some cubed watermelon, and feta cheese. I'll mix the zest and juice of one lemon, with some champagne or white wine vinegar, a tsp of honey, kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste, and extra virgin olive oil....and toss everything together! 

Yes, I love my weekly grab bag of veggies!  Remember the best salads combine veggies and fruits with a light vinaigrette, since everything is so fresh this time of year!  For example, if you don't have watermelon use any kind of melon, or peaches, or berries....just remember to mix savory and sweet. Then add some kind of cheese for salty. Toss vinegar and oil together if you don't have lemons or limes, but the citrus juice and zest do add freshness.  I keep lemons and limes in the fridge all of the time!

Tomorrow I'll make the 7 Grain mix to make a vegetarian "rice" like dish. When the grains are cooked, I'll add in chopped peaches, I'll steam some more of the green beans, chop and add, along with some chopped red onion, feta cheese crumbled and a drizzle of olive oil. 

Have items in your fridge to use....don't ever hesitate to ask me what to do with them! I can usually come up with a combination my family likes!

Garlic Scapes PF

from Becky and Greg at Dangling Carrot Farm in Williamsport, OH

7 Grain Mix ORG
from Stutzman Farm in Millersburg, OH
Note - 7 Grain Mix can be enjoyed as a cereal, in a trail mix, or as a plain old-fashioned snack.

Farmhouse Feta Cheese
from Jim and Angel King at Blue Jacket Dairy in Bellefontaine, OH

Mini Watermelon
  from the US

Peaches

from Georgia

Green Beans
from Georgia

Romaine Hearts ORG

from California

Eggplant-So versatile!

There are some of my favorite eggplant recipes! And, my friend Linda just reminded me to buy some!

Enjoy!

Baked-Eggplant Parmesan

Prep: 20 minutes Total: 1 hour 30 minutes

Olive oil, for baking sheets

2 large eggs

3/4 cup plain dry breadcrumbs

3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan, plus 2 tablespoons for topping

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

Coarse salt and ground pepper

2 large eggplants, (2 1/2 pounds total), peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch rounds

6 cups of Tomato Sauce (quick recipe follows

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush 2 baking sheets with oil; set aside. In a wide, shallow bowl, whisk together eggs and 2 tablespoons water. In another bowl, combine breadcrumbs, 3/4 cup Parmesan, oregano, and basil; season with salt and pepper.

Dip eggplant slices in egg mixture, letting excess drip off, then dredge in breadcrumb mixture, coating well; place on baking sheets. Bake until golden brown on bottom, 20 to 25 minutes. Turn slices; continue baking until browned on other side, 20 to 25 minutes more. Remove from oven; raise oven heat to 400 degrees.

Spread 2 cups sauce in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Arrange half the eggplant in dish; cover with 2 cups sauce, then 1/2 cup mozzarella. Repeat with remaining eggplant, sauce, and mozzarella; sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Bake until sauce is bubbling and cheese is melted, 15 to 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Chunky Tomato Sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cans whole tomatoes, (28 ounces each)

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

Salt and pepper

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic, stirring frequently, until translucent, 2 to 4 minutes. Crush tomatoes into pan; add oregano. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Grilled Vegetables

These are great on a large anti-pasta platter or piled on crusty bread with pesto spread on the bread as a sandwich. The leftovers are great tossed with a short pasta shape and crumbled goat cheese.

1 medium yellow squash, sliced on bias

1 medium zucchini, sliced on bias

1 medium eggplant, sliced into 1/2-inch thick circles

1 red onion, sliced in 1/2-inch thick circles

2 Roma tomatoes, sliced in 1/2 lengthwise

1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and quartered

1 yellow bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and quartered

2 portobello mushroom caps

3 green onions

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

Prepare a charcoal or gas grill fairly hot.

Prepare all vegetables. Place vegetables in large bowl with the mushroom caps and green onions. Season vegetables generously with salt and pepper, and toss with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Place vegetables, cut side down, on the hot grill and cook for a couple minutes on each side, or until tender and nicely marked by the grill.

Remove from grill and toss with an additional 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. 

Grilled Eggplant, Arugula and Mozzarella Panini

Sliced fresh tomatoes or roasted red bell peppers are an excellent addition to these sandwiches.

4 eggplant slices, each 1/2 inch thick

Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

8 slices country-style bread, each 1/2 inch thick

2 cups loosely packed arugula leaves

4 to 6 oz. fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

Preheat a grill or grill pan.

Brush both sides of the eggplant slices with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the eggplant on the grill. Cook until dark grill marks appear, 3 to 4 minutes per side. 

Brush one side of each bread slice with olive oil. Lay 4 of the bread slices, oiled side down, on a clean work surface, and arrange the eggplant, arugula and mozzarella on the bread, seasoning each layer lightly with salt and pepper. Top each with one of the remaining bread slices, oiled side up. Season the outside of the sandwiches with salt and pepper.

Place the sandwiches on the grill and cover with a piece of foil, place a heavy pan on top, for approx 3 minutes, flip and repeat for 2-3 minutes.

Transfer the sandwiches to a cutting board and cut in half. Serve immediately and repeat with the remaining sandwiches. Serves 4.

Roasted Eggplant Spread/Dip

    * 2 medium eggplants, peeled

    * 1 red bell pepper, seeded

    * 1 red onion, peeled

    * 2 garlic cloves, minced

    * 3 tablespoons good olive oil

    * 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

    * 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

    * 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

    * 2 tablespoons lemon juice

    * 2 tablespoons tahini

    * 3 tablespoons chopped parsley, plus extra for garnish

 Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut the eggplant, bell pepper, and onion into 1-inch cubes. Toss them in a large bowl with the garlic, olive oil, cayenne and salt and pepper. Spread them on a baking sheet. Roast for 45 minutes, until the vegetables are lightly browned and soft, tossing once during cooking. Cool slightly.

Place the vegetables in a food processor fitted with a steel blade, add the lemon juice and tahini, and pulse 3 or 4 times to blend. Taste for salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and add the chopped parsley. Garnish with extra parsley.

Spelt & Vegetable Salad

•                7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

•                2 cloves garlic, crushed

•                14 ounces farro/spelt (or sub pearl barley)

•                6 cups vvegetable broth, plus extra for sauteing vegetables

•                1 red onion, coarsely chopped

•                2 zucchini, sliced

•                1 red pepper, seeded and chopped

•                1 eggplant, chopped

•                10 cherry tomatoes, halved

•                Salt

•                Bunch fresh parsley, leaves picked and finely chopped

•                Small bunch fresh mint leaves, finely chopped

•                Walnuts, toasted, for sprinkling

In a saucepan, heat up 3 tablespoons olive oil; then add the garlic and farro. Cook the garlic until golden, allowing the farro to get toasted as well. Stir to prevent sticking. Add vegetable broth, a few ladles at a time as you would preparing risotto. Continue stirring and add more broth, a little at a time, as it evaporates. Cook until the farro is soft.

In another saucepan, heat up 4 tablespoons olive oil. Add the onion, zucchini, red pepper, eggplant, and then the tomatoes. Add the salt and cook until tender. If the pan is drying out, avoid adding more oil, just add some vegetable broth to help cook the vegetables. Once the vegetables are soft, remove from the heat and add to the farro. Then add the parsley and mint and mix well. Plate the dish, top with walnuts and drizzle with olive oil.

It's Pizza Friday! Asian Pizza YUM!

This week's Green Grocer CSA Bag has been fun to make dinners with—and I still love being surprised.  I don't mind some items have repeated, because as I've searched for new recipes I've found more recipes than I had enough produce to make, so I'm glad to get "second" chances. 

This week's bag included grits....the coarse cornmeal is perfect for my favorite pizza crust (which will follow the Green Grocer's list). We have homemade pizza every Friday night (well most) and you'll find it is so easy, you'll stop ordering take out and make these versions that are more delicious and much healthier!  Once summer gets into full swing, we'll start making pizza on the charcoal grill.....more on this to come! But for this week, we are making pizza in the oven to get your started! We also had a really easy pasta dish for one of our busier nights....my version of a carbonara pasta but a bit lighter and a meatless option, and a great greek salad with the spinach! I plan to make mashed garlic cauliflower with the head of green cauliflower tomorrow!

Medium

Grits ORG 

from Stutzman Farm in Millersburg, OH

French Breakfast Radishes PF

from Becky and Greg at Dangling Carrot Farm in Williamsport, OH

Half-Dozen Eggs PF

from Jenny at Manchester Hill Farm in Circleville, OH

Rhubarb PF

from Farmer Tom in Chillicothe, OH

Asparagus
from Schacht Farm in Canal Winchester, OH

Baby Spinach ORG

from the US

Yellow or Green Cauliflower

from the US

Peaches

from Georgia

Amy's Favorite Pizza Dough

(makes 2 approx 12 inch pizzas)

1 1/4 C warm water

2 T Olive Oil

1 tsp sugar

2 tsp salt

1/4 C cornmeal

3 T whole wheat flour

3 C unbleached white flour

1 T yeast

• Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water (about 105 to 110 degrees F), add the rest of the ingredients and beat using the dough hook of a stand mixer until a nice dough ball is formed. If it is still sticky place flour on the counter and turn out the dough and knead until smooth.  Be careful not to knead in too much flour and make the dough too heavy. Let rise for 60-90 minutes, until doubled in size. Punch down and turn out and divide into two dough balls to roll out for pizzas.

• Option—Do you have a bread machine? Place the ingredients into your bread machine in the order the machine suggests, set for the dough cycle, when complete, turn out and divide into two balls which you will roll out for the pizzas.

--If you don't have one, you should look at investing in a Zojirushi bread machine...it is my second machine and I just love this machine. I make most of our bread and it is so nice to place ingredients in, go to work and come home to dough ready to go, or even a baked loaf!  www.zojirushi.com  They also make great rice cookers....this is a necessity in my kitchen too!

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.  Place pizza stones in the oven if you have them. If not place your pizza pans into the oven.  When hot, roll out the dough into your circle to fit your pan (doesn't have to be perfect). Take stone/pan from the oven and place dough on stone/pan.  Place back into the oven for approx. 4 minutes, then take it out of the oven, it's time to top it!

Amy's Quick Pizza Sauce

1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes

1 8 oz can of tomato paste

1 T sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp dried oregano

optional pinch of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes

•Combine all ingredients well. Yep, no cooking needed!

Amy's Favorite Seasoned Olive Oil

(takes about 2 weeks)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

8-10 garlic cloves

2 T whole peppercorns (or mix of colored peppercorns)

1 T dried basil

1 T dried thyme

1/2 T dried oregano

1/2 tsp red pepper chili flakes

Quart Mason Jar

wooden skewer

•Place the dried ingredients in the jar, peel the garlic cloves and thread onto the wooden skewer, place in the jar...pour in extra virgin olive oil to cover (if you need to trim the skewer, use pruning shears or wire cutters and clip it so the lid can be placed on the jar. Set the jar aside and let it sit for 1-2 weeks, then remove the garlic and discard. The flavored oil is ready to use.

Some of Our Favorite Pizza Combinations--but I have more....probably will see them later, here is a good starting point to hopefully inspire your creativity for toppings.....remember, use your leftover meats and vegetables to make really interesting pizza topping combinations...pepperoni and sausage is always great, but try adding more vegetables and various combinations!

--Bake all of the following for another 13-15 minutes in a 450 degree F oven.

• Chicken & Peppers: Top with Amy's pizza sauce, shredded roasted chicken or leftover chicken breast chopped, thinly sliced red bell pepper and green bell pepper, thinly sliced red onion, shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese. Have red chili flakes to sprinkle on to taste.

• BBQ Chicken: Top pizza with your favorite BBQ sauce in a thin layer, top with shredded roasted chicken (rotisserie chickens are perfect from the grocery), thinly sliced red onion, thinly sliced red bell pepper, crumbled feta cheese, shredded part-skim mozzarella (or smoked mozzarella if you have it). 

• Wild Mushroom: Wild dried mushrooms soaked in hot water for approx 20-30 minutes. Drain but reserve about 1/2 C of liquid. Rough chop mushrooms and saute in butter for a few minutes, add fresh chopped garlic 1-2 cloves, then add 1/2 cup of mushroom soaking liquid.  Cook until evaporated. Remove from heat.  Top pizza crust with olive oil or a flavored olive oil.  Then add wild mushrooms, crumbled blue cheese, crumbled bacon, and shredded part-skim mozzarella.

• Asian Pizza: Top with Hoisin sauce (from the asian aisle of most grocery stores), then add shredded carrots, thinly sliced red bell pepper, Sliced green onion whites on the pizza and the green tops to sprinkle on right out of the oven (OR thinly sliced red onion), and if you have any leftover pork loin from earlier in the week, this is excellent, or shredded rotisserie chicken from the grocery is good. Top with shredded part-skim mozzarella. Optional, toss chopped cilantro on top when it comes out of the oven.

 

Amy's Easy Pasta "Carbonara"

3 eggs

1/2 C of grated parmesan

8 oz of dry pasta

asparagus or broccoli or both!

1/2 C of Italian seasoned bread crumbs

• Boil your favorite dry pasta shape (penne or any short shape) per the package directions. Steam asparagus (or broccoli) over the boiling pasta water while the pasta cooks-about 3-4 minutes.

• Beat 3 fresh eggs in a bowl and add about a 1/2 a cup of grated parmesan cheese, set aside.

• In a dry skillet toast about 1/2 C of Italian seasoned bread crumbs (or your own bread crumbs with Italian seasonings mixed in like garlic powder, basil, oregano, thyme). When toasted remove from heat.

• Add about a 1/2 of cup of the hot pasta water, while whisking, to the eggs and parmesan mixture. Then add the steamed vegetable, drained pasta and bread crumbs...toss and serve with a side salad.

• Optional: Add shredded left-over roasted chicken if you have any.

Amy's Greek Salad with Spinach and Asparagus

Spinach, fresh and cleaned and dried

Asparagus, fresh, uncooked, cut into 1 inch pieces

Red and Green Bell Peppers, 1 each, seeds removed and chopped

Red Onion (about 1/3 of a large onion) chopped

Radishes, sliced thinly (probably not Greek, but I used them!)

Feta cheese, a few Tablespoons of crumbles

Black Oil Cured Olives, a few Tablespoons, pitted, rough chop

• Combine in a large bowl...top with dressing that follows...

Creamy Greek Dressing

1/2 C Plain, non-fat yogurt

zest and juice of one to two lemons

1/4 to 1/3 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

2-3 T of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• Combine the ingredients, whisk, and pour over salad and toss.

Mashed Cauliflower

Cut a head of cauliflower into manageable size pieces.

Steam cauliflower until fork tender.

Place in a food processor with 2 garlic cloves, salt and white pepper to taste. Pulse a few times, add in room temperature reduced fat cream cheese (8oz.), pulse again.....then add a little vegetable stock or chicken stock to think it a little. Puree to the texture you like.

So far so yummy this week! I am sure the rhubarb would have been great in a pie with peaches, but those peaches smelled so darn good, they just got eaten! So, I'll be making some kind of pie (or the crisp again) with the rhubarb!

I hope as you read this from time to time that you see how easy it is to use leftover meats, or vegetables (roasted or raw) in salads, in pastas, or on pizzas.....to use everything you buy each week without waste, and to put together quick, easy, and healthy meals--eliminating more of the take out!

Enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend!