Pizza: Who Wants Boring Pepperoni?

My daughter had her first slumber party this weekend. She had only one little friend visit, and it wore me out more than I thought it would. I don't think the girls were even bothered by running around all day, watching movies, making dinner, and staying up late. Of course, we made pizza for dinner. It was so much fun letting the girls knead the pizza dough, add the sauces, cheeses, meats, and veggies, and letting the girls compliment each other on a job well done.

Of course, the girls just wanted pepperoni pizza. They're children and kids like to eat things they trust. I, however, am a little more adventurous when it comes to food. As I've said before, we've got a couple of tomato plants at our house, and my in-laws have a gorgeous vegetable garden. I made a "white" pizza with garlic crust, olive oil, and cream cheese in lieu of normal tomato sauce. Topped with fresh onion, bell pepper, tomato, and basil, the girls looked at my pizza with obvious envy and asked if they could try it themselves. The evening ended with all of us complimenting each others' pizza prowess.

Here is what you'll need for the white pizza:

Ingredients

White Sauce:
8 ounces cream cheese
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp minced garlic

Pizza toppings:
1 package of instant pizza crust (the "just add water" kind)
12 ounces Mozzarella cheese
1/2 medium red onion
1 large green bell pepper
4-6 Roma tomatoes
16 leaves of basil

Directions:

1. Follow instructions to prep pizza crust, and preheat oven to 425-degrees.

2. Prep white sauce:
- Warm up cream cheese in microwave.
- Add, and mix in the garlic and olive oil

3. Spread white sauce on pizza crust.

4. Sprinkle half of Mozzarella cheese on pizza.

5. Put veggies and basil on top, and top with remaining cheese.

6. Bake pizza in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Let cool for about five minutes.

As you can see, not only this pizza is so easy to make, it is incredibly healthy, and even two nine-year-olds loved a veggie pizza!

I hope you try this recipe soon, and I hope you enjoy it as much as my family enjoyed it.

Happy eating!
~Summer

Trifecta of Delicious: Cheese, Tomato, & Basil

We started a tomato garden this year. My daughter has been so excited to watch these little seeds sprout, bloom, and grow into full-on tomato plants. Not only do we have tomatoes at our home, but my mother-in-law and father-in-law have a garden at their home. Full of tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, and several other vegetables, our meals are never without fresh vegetables during the spring and summer seasons.

In my previous post, I spoke about how chicken doesn't have to be boring. There are so many ways to take chicken out of its boring, bland state. With fresh Gouda, from-the-garden tomatoes, and fresh basil leaves, this little dish is so delicious that my daughter asked me to make it AGAIN the next night! It's quick and easy to make, and it make chicken taste so much richer.

Here's what you'll need:

Chicken topped with Gouda, Tomato, and Basil
Yields 4 servings

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
7 oz Gouda cheese
2 medium tomatoes (the fresher, the better)
16 leaves fresh basil
Rosemary, to taste
Pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Spray a oven-safe dish and place chicken in dish.

2. Cut Gouda into small, one-inch squares. Lay on top of chicken.

3. Cut up tomato, and place on top of cheese. Top with two leaves of fresh basil. sprinkle with rosemary and pepper, to taste.

4. Bake chicken at 350-degrees for 30 minutes, or until chicken is completely done.

5. Top each piece of chicken with two more leaves of basil.


I optioned to pair this with a variation of a Greek Salad. I used cucumber, tomato, red onion, and olive oil and vinegar, and topped with the remaining Gouda instead of the normal feta cheese. The meal is quick, fast, and fresh.

I hope you enjoy this meal as much as my family did.

Happy eating!
~Summer

Taco Tuesday - On a Wednesday

We have tacos weekly in our home. It's one of the easiest meals because I let the meat cook in the crock pot all day, and then make a condiment bar for everyone to choose their favorite toppings. Using corn and flour tortillas, as well as hard and soft shells, it's such a fun dinner to make because everyone gets to help! What's more, I make such a large serving, there is more than enough for lunches and leftovers for the rest of the week.

My recipe today shows you how a lot of good prep-work goes a long way. This is what you'll need:

Crock Pot Chicken Tacos
Yields 8 3-taco servings

2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thawed
1 jar (8-12oz) sala (any kind you like, folks)
2 packages of taco seasoning
24 soft flour tortillas
24 soft corn tortillas
24 hard-shell corn tortillas

1. Put chicken, salsa, and taco seasoning into crock pot
2. Cook on low for 6-8 hours
3. Shred chicken when complete

For your fixings, use what you like! This is what I like putting out:

-Spanish rice
-Black beans
-Shredded lettuce
-Diced tomatoes
-Diced onions
-Sliced avocado
-Shredded cheese
-Sour cream
-Hot sauce
-Salsa
-Pico de Gallo

I've got all of this prepped this morning since placing the chicken, salsa, and taco seasoning in the crock pot took (maybe) two minutes. I've got them in storage containers ready for tonight. All I'll have to do is sit back, relax, and let dinner make itself.

Fast, easy, and, above all, interesting.

Happy eating!
~Summer

Chicken, Anyone?

Ah, chicken.... The one meal that makes my family cringe. Don't get me wrong; we like chicken in our house, we just tend to eat so much of it that it gets boring rather quickly.

Last week, one of my coworkers mentioned that she was going to make "marinated chicken sandwiches" for dinner. I asked her how she prepares these, and she responded, "Oh, you know, I just marinate them in spaghetti sauce and bake it, then put in on Italian bread."

Brilliant!

I, honestly, had never tried this before! However, being me, I had to add my own interesting to it. Marinated in stewed tomatoes, tomato paste, onions, and Italian seasonings (see recipe below), I topped it with Provolone cheese baked into the bread. It was amazing.

My daughter wanted French fries, and I wanted asparagus, so we had both, making quite the meal.

Here's the recipe:

Marinated Chicken Sandwiches
Yields 4 sandwiches

Ingredients:
4 thin cut chicken breasts (or 2 regular chicken breasts, butterfly cut)
1 can of stewed tomatoes
1 small can of tomato paste
4 small French loaves
4 slices Provolone cheese
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
1 pkg Crock Pot Italian Chicken seasoning

1. Put chicken, tomatoes (with juice), tomato paste, onion, and seasoning in a covered dish. Marinate all together for at least 4 hours (I marinated mine overnight)

2. Bake chicken and its marinated vegetables at 350-degrees for 25-30 minutes in an oven-safe dish. Put aside for later.

3. Split French loaves and top with sliced Provolone. Bake in 350-degree oven for five minutes.

4. Top loaves with one piece of chicken, tomatoes, and onion.


For me, I had to eat my sandwich open-faced (no bread on top), because it is such a huge sandwich. Added with seasoned fires and steamed asparagus, it made for a delicious and filling dinner.

I hope everyone enjoyed their weekend, and I hope you try this recipe out soon.

Enjoy!
~Summer

A Perfect Sandwich: Take Two

When I was finished preparing this sandwich that I was so proud of (and preparing to photograph), my husband walks through the door. He's supposed to be heading to work, but he left his badge and cell phone here. He looks at my sandwich (I am hungry, mind you), and says, "Thanks so much, babe. I didn't have time to eat before taking Chloe to the babysitter."

The only reason he lived is because he's my husband (and I knew I could easily make another sandwich).

With that said, this is my "take two" for my lunch.

A sandwich doesn't have to be just your run-of-the-mill meat, cheese, mayo, and bread. The sandwich is the most versatile meal I have in my kitchen. From egg, ham, and cheese on an English muffin to a great stuffed blue cheese burger with baked beans and a crisp, light beer (think Modelo Especial), the sandwich easily goes from breakfast to lunch to dinner... and beyond!

This little gem I made for lunch has so many vegetables on it that I'll be surprised if I need a snack break before I'm done with work this evening. I've also included my "something interesting" in this sandwich: green mango chutney.

What is chutney? you ask. Chutney is a spread that uses a mix of spices, fruits, and vegetables- in my case, mangoes, dates, and vinegar, amongst other ingredients- that adds something special to any sandwich.

Below is what I put on my sandwich for lunch. It may sound like a lot of different things, but trust me, they all blend together beautifully to make a sandwich more than just a quick meal when you are out of ideas.

Mango Chutney and Applewood Smoked Turkey Sandwich:
(Yields one sandwich)

2 slices of bread (I love Sara Lee's 45 Calories and Delightful Whole Grain Wheat)
1 slice of cheddar cheese
5 thin slices of Applewood Smoked Turkey
Miracle Whip
Mustard
Mango Chutney (another delightful product of Marie Sharp's http://www.mariesharps-bz.com)
Tomato
Red Onion
Romaine Lettuce
1/4 avocado

The sandwich will be big, and will probably fall apart, but that's okay. The different tastes combined together make for a great meal. I always try to incorporate fruit into breakfast and lunch. I love apples because they are crisp like chips, but have far less calories, far more flavor, and have more health benefits than a fried (or even baked) slice of potato.

Enjoy!
~Summer

Breakfast: The Most Important Meal of the Day?

I always read that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I wonder where and how all of this data was collected. I am a firm believer in only eating when you're hungry, and to always have a 10-12 hour gap between your evening dinner and your breakfast. This gives you body time to put to use what you've eaten, and you're not adding food to an already full stomach.

I usually always have dinner around seven or eight o'clock in the evening, so by the time I wake up at six in the morning and work out, I am definitely ready for breakfast!

Keep it simple, but add something interesting. My favorite breakfast is egg whites with a delicious Sweet Habanero Sauce by a little Belizean company called Marie Sharp's (www.mariesharps-bz.com). It adds a sweet and spicy kick to my eggs, and, topped with some salsa, it adds that bit of interesting I crave with every meal.

Keeping it simple, yet healthy, I always have a whole wheat bagel and at least one piece of fruit.

Keep your breakfasts quick, easy, and well-balanced, and you will have enough energy to get you through even the longest early-morning conference call!

Enjoy!
~Summer

Try Something New!

I've two confessions to make: First, I truly love food. I love eating it, preparing it for my family, and trying new things. I love wine or a great, crisp beer to go with my meals. Second, there are only two things about food I dislike: bacon and cilantro. Now, that doesn't mean I won't experiement with it! My husband and daughter are avid bacon fanatics, and cilantro, when used in moderation, really enhances the taste of a dish.

With that said, I will always try to post things that are very easy to make, and I am always open to suggestions to enhance a meal.

For dinner tonight, I found a delicous dish that I added on to. I found a "5 Ingredient Meal" that was just missing something. My nine-year-old daughter helped me prepare everything; it's that easy to make!

Below is the recipe. I hope you try it soon, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Spinach with Steak and Ravioli

Ingredients:
3 tbsp Olive Oil
4 tbsp Minced Garlic
Crushed Red Pepper- to taste
1/4C fresh Parmesan Cheese
18 oz fresh or frozen chopped spinach
20 oz frozen cheese ravioli
1/2 lb Flat Steak

Instructions:
1. In one pot, bring 4 quarts of water to a rolling boil. Add the ravioli and prepare to instruction (on frozen ravioli, it usually only needs to be boiled for five minutes. You'll know it's ready when the raviolis float to the top).

2. In a skillet, add 2 tbsp Olive Oil (if you are out, that's fine. Canola oil or Vegetable oil will do just fine). Heat oil and add garlic. Cook garlic until fragrant (about 30 seconds. Your entire house will smell delicious). Add in the crushed red pepper to taste. When all is incorporated, finally add the spinach with 1/4C of water, and cook until spinach is nice and wilted.

3. In a third pan, use the remaining Olive Oil and pan-cook the steak to your liking. I prefer medium rare myself.

4. Chop up the steak and add to spinach.

5. Lay spinach and steak on plate, top with ravioli and Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

I hope your family will enjoy this as much as my family did. Questions and suggestions are always welcome. I look forward to sharing my kitchen with you!

~Summer