Caprese Pizza

I am a pizza lover and I am not ashamed to admit it. One of our favorite pizzas to enjoy is based on one of our favorite appetizers: caprese. Just tomato, mozzarella, and basil. Can't be beat!

Ingredients:

1 pizza crust, uncooked

3 tablespoons marinara sauce

4 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced

1 tomato, sliced

1 handful basil

1. Preheat your oven as hot as it will go (mine is 550 degrees).

2. Top pizza crust with sauce, mozzarella slices, and tomato slices.

3. Bake for 5-8 minutes, watching closely, until the cheese starts to brown and bubble. 

4. Remove from oven and toss basil on top. Enjoy!

Serving suggestion: Drizzle a little quality balsamic vinegar over the top. You won't regret it!

Strawberry Grilled Cheese

Should this be breakfast? No. Could it be breakfast? Yes. Shoot, we had it for dinner. It should probably fall into the dessert category, but everyone needs a treat for dinner now and then. It feels so sinful. It is decadent and a real treat. Who needs pancakes and waffles when you can have a strawberry grilled cheese!

1 lb strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 tablespoon sugar
4 oz cream cheese
4 oz marshmallow cream
8 slices prepared French Toast
butter

1. In a small mixing bowl mix together strawberries and sugar. Set aside.

2. In another small fixing bowl, beat together cream cheese and marshmallow cream until well combined. Set aside.

3. Spread butter on one side of each prepared French Toast slice. Flip over half of the bread slices. Layer cream cheese mixture, strawberries, and top with more cream cheese mixture. Top with the remaining French Toast slices, buttered-side up.

4. Working in batches, cook the sandwiches until the cheese and strawberries warm and the bread is golden, about 5 minutes.

Rib and Mac Grilled Cheese

This is one of those grilled cheese that everyone should have at least once. We had a leftover rack of baby back ribs so I figured, what the heck, we might as well go for it. It isn't the best grilled cheese I've ever had, but dangit all it is pretty darn good. Heart killer, mouth pleaser.

Ingredients:

Butter
About 2 cups prepared macaroni and cheese, warm
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1 cup prepared baby back ribs (removed form bones)
8 slices bread
8 slices sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Mix together rib meat and barbecue sauce.

2. Spread butter on one side of each bread slice. Flip over half of the bread slices. Layer 1 slice of cheddar, about 1/2 cup prepared macaroni and cheese. Top with rib meat and another slice of cheddar. Top with the remaining bread slices, buttered-side up.

2. Working in batches, cook the sandwiches until the cheese melts and the bread is golden, about 5 minutes.

Mozzarella and Provolone Grilled Cheese with Roasted Tomatoes, Kalamata Olives and Grilled Onions

It's National Grilled Cheese month! And I am a grilled cheese lover. This month I'm going all out and making amazing, innovative, and down-right tasty grilled cheese sandwiches.

Today I bring you a pizza inspired grilled cheese. Yet, this sandwich tasted like so much more than a pizza. It was delicious, gooey, and definitely restaurant worthy.

To make 4 sandwiches you will need:

8 slices country artisan bread
4 slices mozzarella cheese
4 big slices of tomato
Salt and Pepper
1 onion, sliced
20 kalamata olives, butterflied
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried basil
4 slices provolone cheese
Olive Oil


1. Place tomato slices on a foil lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil for about 5-7 minutes.

2. Saute onions in a little bit of olive oil over medium-high heat until translucent. About 5 minutes.

3. Assemble sandwiches. Drizzle olive oil on one side of each slice of bread. Stack in pairs with the oiled sides facing each other. Top each stack with mozzarella, then tomato, then onion, then olives. Sprinkle with oregano and basil. Top each stack with provolone. When you are ready to cook them just take the stack, leaving the bottom slice) and place it in the pan. Take the remaining slice and put it on top.

4. Cook over medium heat until each side is browned and cheese is melted.

5. Enjoy!

Sweet Potato and Coconut Soup

1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 (2 inch) piece fresh ginger root, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon red curry paste
1 (15 ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
3 cups vegetable broth
3 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro


1. Peel the sweet potatoes and dice into 1 inch cubes. Boil in a large pot of water for about 15 minutes, till tender.

2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan or soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and ginger; cook and stir until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the curry paste and heat for 1 minute, then whisk in the coconut milk and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes.

3. Add sweet potatoes to the soup and cook for 5 more minutes so they can soak up the flavor. Either puree in a blender or food processor, or use a hand blending stick. Stir in lemon juice and season with salt. Ladle into bowls and garnish with a little bit of cilantro.

Spaghetti Squash Tacos and Fire Roasted Tomato Salsa

De-lish.

One time when I was a little girl my mom made spaghetti squash for the first time. I don't know what she did to it, but that meal lives to this day in infamy. It was disgusting. No one ate it, including my mom. I've had mixed feelings toward spaghetti squash ever since.

Fast forward to today. I made spaghetti squash tacos for dinner and loved it! Who needs meat when you can make delicious, crave-able tacos using fresh veggies. I served the tacos on oatmeal tortillas with a fresh fire-roasted tomato sauce and a little bit of queso fresco. Oh.....my!

SPAGHETTI SQUASH TACOS

1 Spaghetti Squash
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 Red Onion, sliced
1 jalapeno, diced
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 tablespoon cumin


1. Cut spaghetti squash in half. Scoop out the "guts." Put both halves face down in a 9x13 pan. Put enough water in the pan to cover the bottom of the pan twice over (this will keep your squash moist). Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes.

2. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium high heat. Saute onion and jalapeno for 5 minutes. Add in chili powder, cumin, and garlic. Saute for another couple of minutes until fragrant.

3. Scoop out the cooked squash and add it to the onionhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif mixture. Mix it all up.

4. Serve on tortillas (preferably whole wheat or oatmeal tortillas to keep it healthy!) and a little fresh salsa.




FIRE ROASTED TOMATO SALSA

3 tomatoes
1/2 red onion
1 bunch cilantro
1 lime, juiced
1/2 tsp salt


1. Roast the tomatoes and onion under your broiler until they begin to blacken.

2. Toss everything into a food processor (or blender).

Zucchini Fritter

Summer is coming upon us which means many gardeners out there will be overloaded with zucchinis. This is a delicious recipe to use up some of those zucchini.


3 cups grated zucchini (squeeze dry it with a paper towel)
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon basil
1 tsp minced garlic
salt to taste
olive oil


1. In a medium bowl, combine the zucchini, eggs, onion, flour, mozzarella cheese,cayenne pepper, basil, garlic, and salt. Stir well enough to distribute ingredients evenly.

2. Heat a small amount of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Drop zucchini mixture by heaping spoonfuls, press down on it a little to make a little cake, and cook for a few minutes on each side until golden.

*Great served with a little marinara sauce or sour cream.
**Can be served on a bun or roll as a sandwich/slider.

Quinoa and Black Beans

One of my new favorite ingredients: Quinoa. Seriously, where have you been all my life? Quinoa is one of those healthy ingredients that might scare a lot of people. If it is so healthy, how can it possibly be any good? Let me tell you, it is awesome. You could use it instead of rice in a lot of recipes. Let me tell you, it is a lot more palatable than brown rice. It is becoming more and more available. In fact, quinoa is probably better for you than brown rice. It is a complete protein and a good source of fiber among other things. You can pick it up for a good price at Trader Joes or Winco. Who knows, you may be lucky enough to find it in your local grocery store. This recipe is a great recipe to try it out. Trust me, it is delicious!


1 teaspoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and saute until lightly browned.

2. Mix quinoa into the saucepan and cover with chicken broth. Season with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes.

3. Stir frozen corn into the saucepan, and continue to simmer about 5 minutes until heated through. Mix in the black beans and cilantro.

***Serve with a small dollop of sour cream for added deliciousness.

Leek and Potato Soup II

I love Leek and Potato Soup, but I my body seriously can't afford to make the creamy deliciousness very often. I found a recipe that can still provide me with the delicious comfort that is Leek and Potato Soup without viciously attaching itself to my hips.


5 pounds potatoes, peeled and quartered
6 cups chicken broth
3 large leeks, bulb only
1/4 cup butter
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper



1. Cook potatoes in chicken stock until soft. Set aside, do not drain.
2. Put potatoes in the work bowl of a food processor in batches. Add 5 cups of chicken stock from the potato cooking pot. Puree until smooth.
3. Half the leeks lengthwise, and soak in water to clean. Finely slice. Saute in butter until transparent.
4. In a soup pot, combine remaining cup of chicken stock from the potato cooking pot and sauteed leeks. Stir in pureed potatoes, and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and white pepper. Cook to desired consistency, adding more stock if necessary.

Greek Salad

I don't have a picture for this salad because I was just too hungry to stop and take one! This salad just screams summer. Light, seasonal, delicious. It is super quick to make too.

2 cucumbers, diced-ish
1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 small red onion, diced
1 can whole olives
1 lemon, juiced
1 cup feta cheese (I used tomato basil seasoned feta)
1/4 c olive oil

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, toss.

Green Chili Burgers

(makes 4 burgers)

1 lb ground buffalo (alright, you can cheap out and go hamburger if you want)
salt and pepper
4 slices pepper jack cheese
1 onion, sliced
1 can whole green chilis
lettuce
4 whole wheat hamburger buns

Sauce/Spread
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp curry powder
1 pinch salt


1. Season ground buffalo with salt and pepper and form into patties. Cook on grill. When they are almost done, put cheese and green chili on top until cheese is melted and green chili is heated through.

2. Meanwhile, sautee onions until soft and semi-transparent.

3. To make the spread simply mix the spread ingredients together.

3. Put the hamburgers together layered bottom to top: bottom bun, meat, cheese, chili, grilled onions, letttuce, spread, top bun.

Quick Pasta

Sometimes I don't want to make dinner. I'll admit it. This is one of those dishes I throw together on those nights. It is quick and simple. 15 minutes from start to finish and healthy to boot! In fact, this pasta is so quick I failed to snap a picture of it.

1 package whole wheat thin spaghetti (I recommend Healthy Harvest, your kids will never know it is whole wheat)
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 zucchini, diced
1 package of mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tomato, diced (or a can of diced tomatoes)
2 lemons, juiced

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, in a large frying pan saute onion, zucchini, and mushrooms in olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add in crushed garlic and continue to saute for another 2 minutes.

3. Add in tomato, lemon juice, and cooked pasta. Stir up and cook another 2 minutes so that everything heats through. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.


***Other vegetable ideas: artichokes, sugar snap peas

Santa Fe Chicken Sandwiches

When I was 12 years old, my mother introduced me to the Carl's Jr. Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich. I feel in love and have been enjoying them ever since. This recipe is my twist on the fast food sandwich. I think it is even more delicious at home, and best of all it is absolutely simple to make.

Ingredients:
2 Chicken Breasts
1 can Whole Green Chilis
2 slices Pepper Jack Cheese
1 avocado, sliced
2 tablespoons Brianna's Cheddar Chipotle Dressing
2 Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns


Directions:
1. Grill chicken breasts on high over a gas grill until cooked all the way through, turning over half way through (5-7 minutes per side). You can rub some of the dressing on each side of the chicken if you want.

2. Slice open green chilis so they lay flat. After flipping chicken, lay green chilis on top. Continue cooking until chicken is done.

3. Add pepper jack cheese on top of chicken and green chili, let melt and immediately remove from grill.

4. Serve on a whole wheat hamburger bun with avocado slices and cheddar chipotle dressing.

Indian Frybread

 

This recipe comes from my dear Aunt Bonnie who learned how to make frybread from her friend Beverly, (Goshute). I have fond memories of devouring her frybread. You can put a little honey and powdered sugar on them for a dessert frybread, or you can make delicious Indian tacos.

4 cups flour
1 teaspoons salt
1 ½ tablespoons baking powder
1 ½ or more cups HOT tap water
½ cup vegetable oil
frying vegetable oil or shortening

Mix flour, salt, and baking powder. Add water gradually; mixing with your hands until very sticky. It will turn slimy like snot when it relaxes. Let sit for a couple of hours. Pour vegetable oil over top. DO NOT MIX. Cover hands in oil to keep the dough from sticking to your hands, then carefully stretch out a ball of dough to paper-thin. The thinner, the better. In a large fry pan, heat more oil or shortening until almost smoking. Cook stretched fry bread in VERY HOT oil, turning once. Transfer plate covered with paper towels to drain oils. Serve warm.

Fried bread can be kept warm in the oven until there is enough to serve.

**For those that get tough dough or crackers, you've kneaded or worked the dough too long or added too much flour. As for cooking frybread, I always try to use an old black cooking skillet. It keeps the oil or shortening temperature more consistent. 

Dang Hippie Soup

As a tribute to my brother Spencer, I am calling this recipe Dang Hippie Soup. Apparently anything that is healthy is hippie food to him.

It has finally gotten cold around here so I made a hearty, brothy soup last night and loved it. It really hit the spot. It is really healthy for you: lots of vegetables, low fat, low calories. Can it get any better?

4 T olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 medium size sweet potato, diced
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp basil
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp mustard
1 bay leaf
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 1/2 T soy sauce
1 medium sized tomato, diced
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed


1. Saute onion, celery, sweet potato, and garlic in olive oil over medium-high heat. 5-7 minutes.
2. Add in paprika, basil, salt, cinnamon, cayenne, mustard, bay leaf, chicken broth, and soy sauce. Bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat. Simmer on low heat 15 minutes
4. Add black beans and tomato. Simmer until sweet potatoes are tender (about 5 more minutes).

Leek and Potato Soup

I love leek and potato soup. Not only is it a rich, creamy, delicious souP, it also uses leeks which makes it sound sort of fancy. It is super easy too. Makes great leftovers.


Ingredients:
1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
2 leeks, sliced (you eat the stem, not the leafs)
1 quart chicken broth
2 T cornstarch
4 cups diced potatoes (I like yukon gold for this soup)
2 cups heavy whipping cream
salt and pepper

1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat.
2. Cook leeks in butter and 1 tsp salt about 10 minutes. Stir frequently.
3. Stir cornstarch into leek mixture. Add broth and mix it all together.
4. Add potatoes and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat and add cream and 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper.
6. Simmer 30 minutes.

Buffalo Chicken Grilled Sub

I love anything that involves buffalo chicken. I love the spice! This sandwich is sure to please any buffalo lover.



1 Chicken Breast
1 Onion, sliced
Frank's Hot Sauce, to taste
4 Slices Provolone
4 Hoagie Sandwich Buns
Ranch Dressing, to taste
Lettuce
Tomato, sliced


1. Slice chicken into 4 thin strips. Pound out to make them even thinner.
2. Coat metal skillet with non stick cooking spray. Cook chicken over medium high heat. Chicken should cook quickly.
3. Turn chicken over and continue cooking. Add sliced onions in.
4. When chicken is finished cooking use spatula to cut up the chicken into small pieces. Add in hot sauce to taste.
5. Melt cheese over grilled onion and chicken mixture.
6. Serve on hoagie bun with ranch dressing, lettuce, and tomato.

Meatball Subs

The key to a good meatball sub is all in the meatballs. I have found this mixture to be tasty.

1 pound ground beef
3/4 c bread crumbs
2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T chopped fresh parsley
2 T Parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten

4 Sandwich/Hoagie Buns
Sliced Provolone Cheese
1 C Spaghetti/Marinara Sauce

Kneed all meatball ingredients together in a medium sized bowl. Roll into 16 meatballs. Place in shallow, lightly greased pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes until cooked through.

While meatballs are cooking, warm spaghetti/marinara sauce in saucepan. Add cooked meatballs and stir carefully to cover meatballs in sauce.

Prepare subs by slicing open (don't cut all the way through, make it into a pocket) and placing Provolone Cheese inside each "pocket." Add 4 meatballs to each sub. Broil until cheese is melted and sub is toasted.


***Meatballs can be frozen and reheated.