Homemade pizza can be a beautiful thing. A great pizza is impressive without being fussy. It's hard to go wrong with seasonal produce, seasoned meats, and rich cheeses on fresh bread. Here are some recipes I'm drooling over right now.
Four Cheese White Broccoli Pizza
Prosciutto & Arugula Pizza with Lemon Vinaigrette
Pear Pizza with Stilton & Walnuts
Peach, Basil, Mozzarella, & Balsamic Pizza
Roasted Butternut Squash Pizza with Sage Pesto
If I had to choose a food to marry it would be a sandwich. Sandwiches are practical, rugged, and always there for you in a pinch. That said it is important to bring a little sexiness to the sandwich from time to time. Plain ol' turkey and mustard is too bland for the long hall. You need to keep things fresh and interesting. Since people aren't allowed to marry sandwiches in this country, here are a few recipes to enjoy without a long term commitment.
Ham, Cheddar, and Caramelized Apple Sandwich
Roasted Red Pepper & Provolone Sandwiches
Sausage, Broccoli & Brie Sandwich
Prosciutto, Arugula, & Sundried Tomato Sandwiches
White Bean, Avocado, Cherry Tomato, Wasabi Sandwich
I found this recipe from The Little Things. I made this last night with a salad to cancel out the fact that I was eatting butter pastry and onions for dinner. My conscience is clear. I made on big tart instead of little ones with was easier, but less cute. Next time I'll add some prosciutto, maple glazed bacon crumbles, or thin sliced roast beef.
Caramelized Onion Tarts with Goat Cheese
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb onions, sliced finely
1/2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
sea salt and pepper, to taste
1 sheet puff pastry
1/4 cup parmesan, grated
1/2 cup goat cheese, crumbled (original recipe: feta)
1 tbsp rosemary (original recipe: oregano)
Place olive oil and onions in a heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the sugar, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Cook for another 5 minutes, or until the onion is soft and caramelized. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 F (220°C.
Roll out pastry to a 10 x 12 inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Place on a lined baking sheet. Score a 0.5 inch (1 cm) border around the edge of the pastry, taking care not to cut all the way through to the bottom. Prick pastry with a fork and sprinkle parmesan within scored edges.
Place onion on top of pastry base. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until pastry is puffed and golden brown. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with goat cheese (or feta) and rosemary (or oregano).
I found this amazing salad on Foodie Crush. I think Chinese Chicken Salad is making a comeback this year and the fusilli and homemade wonton strips in this one are genius. I added some extra chicken, almonds, sesame oil and soy sauce to make it even more exciting. Enjoy!
Chinese Chicken Salad with Fusilli and Sesame Dressing
12 3-inch wonton skins, sliced into 1/4″ strips
1/2 cup canola or corn oil for frying
4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
2 chicken breast, shredded
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted lightly
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
2 cups cooked fusilli pasta noodles, cooled
Sesame Dressing:
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable or grapeseed oil
6 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
3 teaspoon sesame oil
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
3 teaspoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoon sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
Heat canola or corn oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When oil starts to shimmer, fry wonton skins in batches of 5-7 strips for 30 seconds each side or until lightly browned, working quickly so they don’t burn. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels until cooled.
In a large bowl, combine lettuce, chicken breast, green onion, almonds and pasta.
Combine dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk well until sugar dissolves. Dress lettuce mixture with 2-3 tablespoons of sesame dressing and top with sesame seeds and wonton strips and serve.
I have a tourtured relationship with chicken recipes. Most recipe writers have a crippling fear of undercooked chicken and instruct home cooks to cook all the tender juciness from their chicken. I hate dry chicken. There are two ways to foil the cardboard chicken conspiracy. First, find recipes that pound or cut chicken into even-sized pieces that cook evenly. Second, choose recipes that cut or shread cooked chicken and bathe it in a sauces or dressings. Lastly, make sure to rest your meat about 5-10 minutes before cutting to make sure the juices stay in the meat instead of all over your cutting board. Together we can win the battle for moist chicken. Good Luck!
Grilled Barbecued Chicken Kebabs
Spicy Soba Noodles w/ Chicken in Peanut Sauce
Chicken with Heavenly Paprika and Cream Sauce
Chicken Alfredo Pizza with Spinach and Red Onions
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