Introducing...

As you can tell, there haven't been a lot of posts on here lately. I have a new endeavor in the works....a for reals cooking blog that I actually put time and effort into.

 [gasp]

 Introducing:

http://stay-at-home-chef.blogspot.com/

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.

Strawberry Lemonade

It is the beginning of strawberry season and the end of lemon season. What better time to make strawberry lemonade? I made enough concentrate for 3 gallons of strawberry lemonade and I'm sure it is not nearly enough to get me through the summer! Seriously, I'm a sucker for strawberry lemonade. And it is so deliciously tasty made fresh. Addictingly delicious. No joke.



Ingredients
3 cups lemon juice (About 8 lemons)
3 lbs strawberries
1 cup sugar
Water (about 9 cups)



1. In a small saucepan over medium heat create a simple syrup by dissolving 1 cup sugar in 1 cup water. Remove from heat as soon as it turns clear.

2. In a blender combine lemon juice, strawberries and syrup. At this point it is strawberry lemonade concentrate. You can freeze it for later use or use it immediately.

3. Put strawberry lemonade concentrate mixture in a large pitcher. Add water to taste. About 8 cups.

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!

The Spicy Scrambled Breakfast Grilled Cheese

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 the Spicy Scrambled Breakfast Grilled Cheese. It takes all of the components of a delicious breakfast and combines it into one drool-worthy sandwich. I will warn you that it takes some effort, but the it is well worth it. I knew it would be good, but I didn't realize HOW good. One bite and my jaw dropped.

Picture it: Scrambled eggs with onion, jalapeno, and mushroom topped with crumbled bacon sandwiched between two slices of brioche french toast and pepper jack cheese oozing from every crevice.

Are you drooling? I am!


To make 4 delicious sandwiches you will need:

French Toast
8 slices brioche
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
2 T brown sugar
Butter (for coating the outside during sandwich assembly)

Bacon
4 slices of bacon cooked nice and crispy

Scrambled Eggs
4 eggs
1 jalapeno, diced
1/2 onion, diced
6 mushrooms, sliced
2 tsp olive oil

8 thin slices Pepper Jack Cheese

Directions:
1. Cook your bacon. Just toss it in a pan over medium to medium-high heat and cook until it reaches your desired doneness. I like mine crispy, almost burnt.

2. Make the French Toast. In a small bowl scramble together the eggs, milk and brown sugar. Dip the sliced brioche into the bowl to coat both sides. Brush away the excess. Cook in a skillet over medium-high heat. Each side should take 2-3 minutes, until browned.

3. Make your scrambled eggs. Heat some olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Toss the jalapeno, onion, and mushrooms and saute for 3-4 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium-low. Add in the eggs and scramble. Cook until the eggs begin to set. DO NOT overcook your eggs here. They will continue to cook a little bit inside the sandwich.

4. Assemble your sandwiches. Butter one side of each french toast slice. Stack in twos with the buttered sides facing each other. Place 1 slice of cheese onto each stack. Spoon scrambled eggs onto each stack. Crumble bacon onto each stack. Top with another slice of cheese.

5. Cook your sandwiches. In a skillet over medium heat grill your sandwiches. Just take your stacks leaving the bottom slice of bread and place in the pan. Take the remaining slice and put it on top. Cook until each side is browned and the cheese is melted.

6. Enjoy your grilled cheese breakfast goodness!