White Pesto Pizza

WARNING! This pizza is so tasty that you might never order another pizza over the phone again. 


I meant it. Don't touch that phone.


White Pesto Pizza. Made similarly to the veggie pizza I have posted previously...but I think this tastes even better. 

Ingredients:


Whole Wheat Pizza Crust (You can use thin crust or thick...doesn't matter-just bake the thick crust more)


Home-made or store bought Basil Pesto


Sharp White Vermont Cheddar


Mozzarella Cheese


Feta Cheese


Italian Seasonings, salt and pepper, olive oil


You can add: turkey sausage, chicken, turkey pepperoni, or any other meat or veggies to this. I kept mine plain this time because it's what I was hankerin' for ;)






How To:


Preheat oven to 425 degrees.


Prepare the crust first. Mix Italian Seasoning with EVOO and brush it on both sides of the crust. 


Spread the Pesto sauce onto the top of the crust. Sprinkle with as much cheese as you'd like! If it's low fat, add a little extra ;)

This is where you'd add any other seasonings, meat, veggies, etc. 


Bake pizza on 425 degrees for 15-17 minutes (for an extra crispy crust, leave it in there longer)


This pizza tastes great with a Greek salad (and dessert, of course)














The Result:


I cut this pizza into pieces and dug right in without letting it cool...burned my mouth on the first bite. Dang it. 


But it was TOTALLY WORTH IT. 

There are so many things you can put on a pizza crust!! I get so excited thinking about this! You can make an entire meal on a crust. YUM!

Buffalo pizza, Vegetable Pizza, Dessert Pizza, Sweet and Sour Chicken Pizza...oh, man! 

I'm going to go finish my pizza now. You should hop to it too.

Hoppy Easter! :)

Black Eyed Susan Cookies

In honor of my Mama on this Easter, I've made these specially for her! 


My Grandmommy called this morning and asked if I wanted to bring something sweet to our Easter picnic..."Besides me?" I asked...she laughed but didn't reply. Guess that answers that question. 


I told her I would bring something to the party and then began wracking my brain to think of something clever. I dug through several cookbooks until I spotted one that fit the bill. 


A few months ago, my hubby bought one of my favorite cookbooks-1001 Ways to Cook Southern! Sweet Heavens! This was right up my alley!


So, as I'm looking through this book, and feeling very Southern indeed, I land on the recipe for Black Eyed Susans. Since my sweet mama's name is Susan, I am instantly intrigued. After reading the recipe and noticing that it has some of her favorite things in it (chocolate, butter, sugar) I knew that this would be my contribution. 


As usual, I did a few things differently than the original recipe-you can find that one in the 1001 Ways To Cook Southern cookbook. 


Ingredients:


1/2 C softened butter


1/2 C granulated sugar


1/2 C packed brown sugar


1 C creamy peanut butter


1 large egg


1 1/2 Tbsp. warm water


1 tsp. Vanilla extract


1 1/2 C all-purpose flour


1/2 tsp. salt


1/2 tsp. baking soda


1/2 C semi sweet chocolate chips




How To:


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 


Beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together with a hand mixer until light and fluffy. 


Add peanut butter, egg, and warm water. Beat them well.


In separate bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking soda. SLOWLY add this to the butter mixture, beating until blended. 


The cookbook calls for the use of a cookie gun, and because I don't own one of those, I poured the batter into a zip lock, cut a corner off and squeezed the dough onto a greased cookie sheet. Worked just as well I think!

Place a chocolate chip (or KISS) in the center of each cookie. 


Bake at 350 degrees for about 8 minutes or less. Move them to a wire rack to cool. 


Chill about 30 minutes. These also freeze well for up to 1 month! SWEEEET!




The Results:


These were so simple that I really thought they wouldn't be anything special...HOWEVER, they are quite delicious! I should have known that anything named after my mother would be...(my birthday's coming up y'all, give me a break!)


The cookies were crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and the perfect combination of salty and sweet. The chocolate on top seems like it wouldn't add very much, but it was just the right amount of chocolate so it didn't overpower the rest of the cookie. 


I ate 3 before they cooled. Not that it means anything, since I usually devour any cookies that are visible.

Vegetable Salad

Salad for dinner? Yes, please! 


If you're looking for a healthy and filling, yet easy dinner option, look no further!


This is the salad that my friend and I shared at The Cheesecake Factory. The two of us couldn't even finish it...we did however inhale a giant cheeseburger and fries...but that's beside the point.


I was in the process of making this when Robert came home from the gym starving, of course. 


I didn't tell him that I was making a salad, because there's a good chance he would make a face and ask what else we were having. 


Not that he's opposed to salads...he just likes salad on the SIDE of something else...like steak. 


I planned ahead for this meal (hint, hint) by taking my weekly trip to Sam's and Kroger. This is a great thing to do on the same day. You are already out and you don't have to do it again later in the week. If you've never been to Sam's, you cannot understand why people would not want to repeat this activity more than you need to. 


Ingredients:


3-4 large stalks of Asparagus


2 handfuls of Green Beans (frozen or fresh)


2 handfuls or more of edemame beans (shelled)


1 small Tomato (I always take the seeds out, but that's up to you)


1/2 small Cucumber


1 small apple (your choice-I used Fiji and the sweetness worked well with the rest of the ingredients)


1/2 block of Sharp White Cheddar, cut into small cubes


Romaine lettuce (as much or as little as you want)


Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette (Cheesecake Factory used a Pomegranate Vinaigrette, but I couldn't find it)


4 small chicken breasts


1 handful of Walnuts (optional)




How To:


I started by washing the Romaine and setting it aside (if you do not have a salad spinner, I suggest you purchase one...IKEA has them for $10.00)


I then boiled the chicken (if your chicken is frozen, this is a TIME SAVING option). If it is not frozen, you can put it in a saute pan and turn it a few times until cooked through. Season with salt and pepper and a little olive oil. 


In a large pan, cook the asparagus and green beans together. Cook the edemame separately. I only seasoned these veggies with pepper. 


While the veggies are cooking, chop the cheddar, apples, tomatoes, and cucumbers into small, bite-sized pieces. Set aside. 


When all veggies are complete, set them aside to cool. You do not want to toss them with the cheese until they are cool-NO MELTED CHEESE in this dish!


Chop the chicken into small pieces as well. Once everything has cooled you may serve your salad. This is the time where you'd add the dressing and walnuts. 


HINT: For this salad to keep, store the ingredients separately. I put the lettuce in a zip lock, the veggies in a tupperware, and the chicken in another tupperware dish. 




The Results:


The results are unanimous. This salad recipe is a keeper! Once again, it was challenging for either of us to clear our plates-and we're usually CHAMPS!! 


When I first served the salad, Robert looked at it for a while. I left the room and went to fix mine. I didn't hear anything from the other room....


"How is it?" I asked again...crickets...


Then..."It's REALLY GOOD!" He had been so busy chewing that he hadn't had time to answer. 


Another point for me. YAY!


The ingredients in this dish work so well together to give you a satisfying meal without feeling heavy and sleepy afterwards. 


The chicken and the beans give an excellent source of protein which would work well for pre or post workouts. 


And it's so healthy that you don't feel guilty when the plate is piled high and you eat everything on it! SCORE!!!! 


Let me know if you have any questions about this one! Hope you enjoy it!

MAKE AHEAD Southwest Pork

One of my favorite inventions is the CROCK POT!


It not only saves me time and effort, but cooks delicious meals for which I can take full credit!


On Sunday when I was planning my meals for the week, I knew that I had a CAbi Party to attend on Tuesday night, but also knew that Robert would be home and need dinner :)


Since I planned ahead, I had all of the ingredients for my Southwest pork on Sunday afternoon. Woohoo!


TIME SAVER TIP: I have to wake up and leave for school at the CRACK of dawn every morning, and ususually don't feel like doing much of anything except curling up on the couch in my fluffy blue robe. Since I already know this about myself, I made the decision to prepare most of the meal the night before so that I could just grab and dump the next morning.


Night before-I mixed all of the ingredients and put them in a zip loc bag. Squeeze it and smush it so that you don't have to get a spoon dirty (time saver!)


Next, I took the pork tenderloin out of its packaging and put it in its own zip loc bag. This may seem like an extra step, but if I had tried to do this in the morning, it would have taken me twice as long to get out of that stupid bag, and I would have probably slammed something down in anger...don't judge.


You know what I'm talking about.


The next thing I did was to pull out the crock pot and set it on the counter. PLAN AHEAD PEOPLE!!


In the morning, while it was still pitch black outside, I crept into the kitchen, dumped all of the ingredients into the crock pot and turned it on. It was that easy. It took me about 3 minutes from start to finish. Now tell me that isn't AWESOME!!


If you want to save time and energy during the week, this is a great recipe and it is a crowd pleaser!!


Recipe:


pork tenderloin (you can also use chops)


1 can of cream of chicken soup


1 Can cream of mushroom soup


1 can or corn (or frozen)


1 can of water


2 T cumin


1 T chili powder (I didn't have cumin at the time, so just added extra chili powder)


2 C grated cheddar cheese


1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)


cilantro and scallions (add to taste)




How To:


For this, you literally mix everything together except the pork, dump it in your crock pot, put the pork on top and turn the crock pot on. 


Let it sit on Low for 6-8 hours, or on high 4-6 hours. Take the pork out, shred it, put it back in, mix it together with the other ingredients, and serve it! WAY EASY!!




The result:


Well, there is no picture because we ate it all before I was able to take a snapshot...yeah, it was that good!


It was filling enough that I could eat only a small bowlful (my bathing suit is thanking me), but not so heavy that I felt like I needed a nap afterwards! YAY!


I served the pork over rice for Robert, who promptly mixed it all together...I'm sure it would go well by itself, with mashed potatoes, or a plateful of veggies! (Mom, CALM DOWN! I know you're super excited about that last option)

Zippy Corn Side Dish

I was given this recipe years ago from a sweet friend of mine, and although I haven't made it or eaten it in a while, it still makes an impression on my memory...for food, that's an incredible feat! It has to be REALLY good for me to remember it :)


This dish would go so well with quesadillas, enchiladas, tacos...but I've also paired it with American food too (ha! no other way to put that...)


If you haven't noticed, when I'm cooking, I very rarely follow a recipe exactly. I usually just dump a whole bunch of stuff together and taste along the way until it is delicious. Baking, on the other hand, I follow to a T. You should too. 


Cooking is all about your senses. And "they" always say that the more colorful your plate is, the healthier it is...this does not include Skittles and M&Ms...which I do occasionally eat as a full meal. 


Remember that cooking is all about your own tastes...so feel free to tweak any of these recipes to your liking. I always do, and I don't THINK I've offended anyone so far. 


Don't care if I have. Food is more awesome if I make it my way anyway ;)


Ingredients:


corn (you can use fresh or frozen; I have found that either work really well)


jalapenos (the amount depends on how much of a kick you like)


feta cheese


lime juice


cilantro


purple onion (I added this once and it was a delightful addition)




How To:


Start off by cooking the corn (obviously). Chop the jalapenos to any size that you'd like. You can keep the seeds or discard them. Seriously, this is all about taste. I have done it both ways, but be sure to warn the person who's eating it if you leave the seeds in ;)


Toss the peppers in with the (drained) corn, add the juice of one lime, and the onions (if you choose to add them). 


Take the corn off the heat and add as much feta cheese as your little heart desires right before you serve this. Cilantro is a pretty, but tasty addition for the very end. 


You can serve this warm or cold...


Easiest recipe so far, right?! 




The result:


When this dish was first popped down in front of me I thought "oh, goodness...what am I going to do? I don't eat peppers...and I don't eat onions, or feta. And I don't think that I like that green stuff on top..."


My tastes have certainly changed over the years, and I eat pretty much anything-REALLY! But I can say that the moment I tried this dish, I absolutely loved it! It has the perfect amount of kick and spice to compliment the tartness of the lime, and the creaminess of the feta. 


So, what I'm saying is...Don't knock it 'til you try it. Trust me. It's worth it. 

Veggie Pizza

After my indulgent trip up North, the first thing I did when I came home was make this veggie pizza to knock me back on track. Literally, the first thing. I walked in the house, dropped my bags, kissed my husband, and yanked out ingredients to make pizza. I was starving!!

To save time, I bought the whole wheat pizza crust from Kroger, and Emeril's All Natural marinara sauce. This pizza recipe takes about 5 minutes to assemble and about 15 minutes to bake-depending on how crispy you want your crust. I like mine crunchy, so I let it stay in a little longer.


Ingredients:


Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

All Natural or Organic Pizza Sauce

Organic Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Italian Seasoning

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Mushrooms, Zucchini, Peppers (any color), Onion, Spinach

Add in any other vegetable that is in season-anything is tasty!



How To:


Season the EVOO with Italian Seasoning, mix together, and brush it on both sides of the pizza crust

Season the crust with salt and pepper on both sides

Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees

Spread sauce on the crust and add as many veggies as your little heart desires and top with cheese. You can do this in reverse too if you want...cheese first, veggies second

Put the pizza in the oven and let it bake for 15-20 minutes depending on how you want your pizza to turn out!

I use a pizza baking pan, but you could potentially put it right on the rack. I would put something on the rack below to catch anything that drips.




The results:

Even Robert will eat this delightful pizza! If you can't stand it without the meat, feel free to add chicken or turkey sausage. They're both delicious on this pizza.

I have also made a pesto pizza in this same way. Pesto sauce on the crust, mozzarella cheese, spinach, and turkey sausage. Same baking time and crust preparation. Enjoy! :)

Spring Break!!

Well, it's Spring Break and I've been doing a lot of...eating. out.

Don't hate. You wish you had winter break, mid winter break, spring break, and summer break...but I won't rub that in your face too much~

On to the food!! That's why you're here, right?

The majority of my blogs are going to be about cooking. Me cooking food for you and my husband to enjoy. BUT sometimes, I'm going to share where I've eaten in different cities so that when you go traveling about, you'll have an idea of where to eat...and more specifically, what to eat. Here goes!

I went to visit my best friend in Maryland for the weekend, which meant that my usual eating habits went straight down the drain. On our first day we ate at The Cheesecake Factory and SHARED a fried Mac and Cheese Cheeseburger! WHAT??!

It was a cheeseburger with a heaping portion of fried mac and cheese on top. With fries on the side. It was gooey and decadent, and perfect. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Oh, and we had the most amazing vegetable salad too. That was ALMOST my favorite thing. The salad had a sweet pomegranate vinaigrette with crisp romaine lettuce, topped with edemame, asparagus, green beans, cucumbers, tomatoes,  radishes, apples, and chunks of white cheddar cheese! YUM! (Mom, again, try to control yourself!)

We then shared TWO pieces of cheesecake...because my theory on cheesecake is, don't share unless you still end up with a full piece. Don't judge.

So, my best friend and I shared a huge piece of Godiva chocolate cheesecake and a huge slice of blueberry awesomeness cheesecake. Honestly, the blueberry was our favorite. I think after that enormous, heavy meal, the chocolate was just too much. DO NOT take that for me saying that it was not good. It truly was. The blueberry was just better :)

After hanging out at Barnes and Noble on the waterfront in Baltimore for 2.5 hours (yes, we went on vacation to hang out in a bookstore!) we skipped on over to Little Italy. To give you a little insight into my preferences...I am not a "touristy" type person. I don't do the crowds and I don't do the sightseeing. I prefer to be where the locals hang out...because honestly, that's where the best food is going to be. And food is my priority. If I'm going to consume the calories, it better be worth it. Agree??

My friend and I walked down these beautiful little stone streets that were lined with Cherry Blossoms and cracked stucco and brick homes that were designed to look like buildings you would see in Italy. Swoon.

We took a detour to see Hunger Games (obsessed), then hiked back to little Italy for dinner...sort of.

We were still so stuffed from brunch that we didn't want to eat much.

HINT: If you want to find the best food in a place you're visiting, PLEASE don't ask the concierge at a hotel...they will tell you where the TOURISTS like to go. You are not one of those things.

ASK A LOCAL. We asked a local girl for the best place to get appetizers, and sure enough, she was dead on. We walked to a tiny little wine bar in Little Italy, where the owners were what I call "straight off the boat Italians" (sorry for the political incorrectness).

The owner is what you might call an Italian Santa Claus. Big, burly, jolly. He hand makes the canoli's and tiramasu (which we both enjoyed, but did not share).  I apologize that I cannot remember the name of the spot. I'll get back to you on that one. It was something Italian....duh.

The next morning, the two friends visited the most authentic little Irish pub (Fado Irish Pub) in China Town in DC. Again, find a place that's not packed with people wearing fanny packs and cameras. Geez. Are you catching on?

I had a mouth watering Smoked Salmon bagel with capers, cream cheese, and some other kind of something...I ate it so fast, I'm not sure what it included.

Then came the fried potatoes....Ok, Ok, I was on vacation! Lay off!!

They were completely huge chunks of fried, crispy potatoes on the outside. The insides were fluffy and soft. Oh, man! I'd drive to DC for those again. Today.

My favorite thing to do in DC was avoid the tourists. It's an evasive move I call...GET OUT OF THE AREA.

We asked a few people where we could go and just hang out in a scenic spot and get some grub. We were directed to the waterfront near Foggy Bottom in Georgetown. And might I say, it was the perfect end to a delightful weekend.

Foggy Bottom is a historic district in Washington, DC that houses quite a few college students and families of all ages. The homes there are breath taking, and the whole atmosphere is relaxed and casual. Trust me. RUN away from downtown DC and head towards Georgetown. You'll thank me later.

We ended up at a bar and restaurant on the water where we instantly felt like we had been transported to some tropic location. We sat outside on the waters edge, drinking mimosas, and eating peel and eat shrimp. Music floated through the air, reminding us that summer time is close at hand. Fortunately for me, I get several months to enjoy away from work and slimy nosed children :)

We went super casual for dinner that night, enjoying sushi on the couch while we watched our guilty obsession "Once Upon a Time"...as little ones, my best friend and I were the nerds that watched every Disney movie ever made, dressed up like the characters, and ran around in our backyards...until we were 15. Seriously.

So, this is like the grown up version of that. Right?

Anywho, the food was awesome and the company was even awesom-er. Please take my advice and avoid the tourist traps. You can eat in chain restaurants in your hometown. Don't do it on vacation. Yuck.

Happy Traveling!