White Pizza with Clams

I have over 60 recipes waiting to try, some have been waiting for over 6 months. Not this one though. When I clipped it from a magazine I knew it had to be made right away. After all, I grew up on linguine with white clam sauce & love it to this day!

This was amazing ! I modified it quite a bit to make it even easier & healthier so please look at my notes for my modified version. This has definitely become my go to dish for when I am in the mood for a gourmet type of pizza. You prep it all in the time it takes for the oven to heat up & it’s done in 12 minutes. If you don't like clams I can totally see it with shrimp as well.

WHITE PIZZA WITH CLAMS

{Printable Recipe}

2 tblsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cans (6.5oz) chopped clams, drained
1 prepared 10 oz pizza crust
1 cup reduced fat shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup shredded Asiago cheese
½ cup ricotta cheese
1 tblsp parlsey

Heat oven to 400. Heat oil in skillet over medium high. Add garlic; cook for 30 seconds. Stir in clams & cook for 2 minutes.

Place pizza crust on a baking sheet. Spoon clams over top. Scatter mozzarella & Asiago cheese evenly over clams. Dollop heaping teaspoonfuls of ricotta cheese over top.

Bake pizza for 12 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and crust is golden brown. Cool slightly, sprinkle with parsley.

{Food for Thought}

I modified this recipe quite a bit. Instead of using mozzarella & Asiago which I don’t always have on hand I just used freshly grated parmesan cheese. I also added basil, oregano & crushed red pepper to my ricotta. Instead of Boboli I used Naan which is a whole grain flatbread.

I halved this recipe to make a personal pizza on one piece of Naan. I only used 1 tsp of oil, 2 garlic cloves & one can of clams along with 1/3 cup of parmesan & ¼ cup ricotta mixed with the basil, oregano & crushed red pepper. Instead of garnishing with parsley, I used a little extra crushed red pepper.

{ This is what my dinner looked like last night as I was solo. Right on a cutting board with a glass of wine in front of the TV watching episodes of Criminal Minds }

{{ Linking deliciously to Friday Food with MomTrends }}

Penne with Sausage & Escarole

Blogging breaks are necessary but then I get to a point, usually after 5 days, when I feel disconnected from the people who have become a part of my life. So, here I am, I've missed you. And I bring you this dish I made recently which I found in the Today's Show recipe book, a gift for my  birthday in October.

I loved this dish! The ingredients just work so well together. The original recipe called for broccoli rabe which is slightly bitter. I opted for escarole since it pairs beautifully with sausage in a popular Italian soup. It was perfect so I'm sticking with it!!!!!

PENNE WITH SAUSAGE & ESCAROLE

{Printable Recipe Here}

1 lb hot or sweet Italian sausage links
1 tblsp olive oil
8 oz Escarole, chopped (about 6 cups)
1 large leek, cut into ¼” slices (about ½ cup)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2/3 cup chicken broth
½ cup purchased roasted red sweet peppers, drained & cut into strips
6 oz dried penne pasta
¼ cup snipped fresh basil
½ tsp pepper
1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Fill a skillet with ½” water. Bring to boiling. Add sausage. Cook covered for 15 minutes. Drain. Remove to a cutting board & cut into ½” slices. Return slices to a skillet & cook in oil for 2-3 minutes or until brown. Set aside.

Add escarole, leek & garlic to skillet. Cook, stirring until escarole is wilted & leek is tender.

Stir in sausage, broth & peppers. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat. Cover & simmer gently for 2-3 minutes until escarole is crisp tender.

Meanwhile cook pasta. Add cooked pasta, basil & black pepper to sausage mixture. Toss gently to combine.

Top with parmesan cheese. Serve additional parmesan cheese at table.

A little tip on parmesan: Fresh is best!!!!!!!!!!! I highly recommend buying a fresh block & shredding/grating as you need it. It lasts for a while & is perfect for pasta dishes that require only just a few but very fresh ingredients.

Since I find it to be such a pain to grate on the smallest hole (not shown above) I grate on the hole you see above, then I just do a rough chop to get it just a bit smaller that what you see.

{Food for Thought}

The recipe didn't mention taking the casing off the sausage but I did anyway. After it boils & you remove it to a cutting board, let it rest for a few minutes. Then just take a knife & make a slit the long way, removing the casing like a jacket with your hands. Since the sausage & escarole are perfect together I wouldn't recommend substituting chicken but if you're not a meat eater I think turkey sausage would be fine too.

 { Deliciously Linking to Friday Food with MomTrends }

Mini Cheesecakes with Fruit & a Winner!

Thanks to everyone who entered my Gourmet Cheese Tasting Party Giveaway last week. I enjoyed reading all the ways you slow down & savor the moments in your life. Hopefully, I will put a few of them into play. I am happy to say that Reeni from Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice is the winner!!!

But no one loses today. Not with these adorable desserts. I've been making these mini cheesecake tarts for a long time now & everyone loves them. They're so quick & simple to make & delicious to boot! I like to make a variety of blueberry, cherry & either strawberry or apple.

MINI CHEESECAKES WITH FRUIT from Paula Deen

{Printable Recipe}

(2) 8oz pkgs 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
(1) cup sugar
(1) tsp vanilla extract
(2) eggs
(12) vanilla wafers
Pie filling or fresh fruit - blueberry, cherry, apple
(1) pkg cupcake holders

Preheat over to 350. Line each cup of a 12 muffin pan with a cupcake liner & lay a wafer flat side down in each.

Beat cream cheese with mixer until fluffy. Add sugar & vanilla. Beat well. Add eggs one at a time beating after each addition. Spoon cream cheese mixture over wafers. It should almost come up to the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Check with toothpick after 20. Allow to cool completely on a rack.

The middle will collapse a bit & this is perfect to hold the fruit. Fill each tart with fruit. Cool in fridge until ready to serve. I like to take them out 10 minutes prior to serving just to get some of the chill out.

{Food for Thought}

I like to make these a day ahead of time so I'll put the cheesecakes in the fridge & fill them with fruit the day of serving.

I have found that pie filling does not freeze well so if you're not going to use it up I recommend using fresh fruit. For strawberries & blueberries just chop up your fruit, mashing just a few of the pieces, add some lemon juice & sugar & let sit at room temp for 30 min.  This process is called "to macerate." You will have a syrupy fruit. If using fresh apples, just saute in some butter & cinnamon.

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{ Happily linking to Friday Food with Mom Trends }

Have a great weekend everyone! I have some Italian specials coming up next week.

Slow Down & Savour....

The holidays are upon us & soon we'll all be rushing around preparing for family, friends & celebrations. Now is a good time to talk about how you slow down & savour the right moments. If you do, you’re going to win something delicious right here! But first…

I try to slow down & savour life as much as I can. I’m not always successful but when I am, you can find me sitting outside on a Saturday morning enjoying a cup of coffee under the palm trees. Or bench side, watching my little guy make friends at the park. And of course, in the kitchen perusing recipes & cooking with not only every last utensil but with all of my heart. Cooking something like this….

{Cheese & Apple Gallette}

~ Printable Recipe Here ~

Apples & cheese, tossed with brown sugar & pecans & a bit of butter, baked in a pie crust….oh my…you must make this now -

I received this recipe from Alouette along with an amazing giveaway package. The gallette was absolutely incredible & easy to make. I enjoyed it last Sunday with my best friend over a glass of white wine as we were savoring the last bit of our birthday celebrations from October. I love to drag out savor a celebration.

I have been cooking with Alouette cheese products for a long time & just love them. This Cheesy Zucchini & Red Onion & Flatbread is amazing & one of my favorite appetizers. I don't do many giveaways & will only giveaway what I would want myself...

That's why I was so excited to give away this, courtesy of http://www.alouettecheese.com/:

Gourmet Fall Cheese Tasting Party Giveaway
(Valued at $150)

• Two toned wooden cheese board with accessories tucked away in 2 swing out drawers. Stainless steel accessories include fork, knife & spreader as well as a corkscrew, bottle stopper & drip ring.

{ I love the shape of this cheese board }

•  Cheese markers (not shown but really cute)
•  Customized Cheese Rating Cards with Pens for a Party of 10

{ How cool is that? They will say whatever you want them to. }

•  Alouette recipe cards for entertaining
•  Alouette coupons
•  Slow Down & Savour Tips

All you have to do is comment & tell me how you slow down & savour life. For an extra entry, just post about this on your blog & tell me that you did. Giveaway ends on Monday at 12 noon.

In the meantime, go ahead - slow down & savour something good this weekend! 

{ Then Go See Mom Trends Friday Food }

C-C-C-hristmas is Coming.....

I know....it's not even Thanksgiving & I'm busting out Christmas on you. But you know how fast time flies & it will be here before we know it. I also don't host Thanksgiving at my house & go very big on Christmas so it's time for me to get myself thinking & planning.

Last year I got a lot of "I wish I had thought of thats" so I thought I'd give you a review of last year/preview of this year. Just click on the links for details of my past Christmas ghosts, uh, posts.

Delicious edible gifts:

Chocolate Hazelnut Sauce

Chocolate Dipped Pretzels

Amaretto Truffle Bars

Pecan Toffee Fudge

Tuscan Spice Rub

Cakes in Jars

Candy Bars

Decorating Ideas:

Wrapping Wall Pictures for a Special Effect

Great Place to Put Christmas Cards

Napkin Folding Tutorial

Homemade Candle Light

And just to get you in the mood:

Finding the Spirit

This was probably weirder for me to post than some of you to read because I still can't seem to get my head around Fall with 85 degree weather here in FL still. But it's coming!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Go see {Friday with Momtrends}!!!

Coffee Braised Pot Roast

I never loved pot roast so I don't make it much. Or ever. But when I saw the coffee braised twist I knew I had to try it. It turned out to be one of the best pot roasts I ever tried. One that has now turned me into a pot roast fan. Everyone truly enjoyed it, including Tristan.

Don't worry, it didn't have a coffee taste but I imagine the coffee magic comes from how these simple ingredients just complement & enhance one another. This went perfectly with some mashed potatoes and this To Die For Salad.

COFFEE BRAISED POT ROAST from Eating Well

1 4-pound beef chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 large onions, halved & thinly sliced (4 cups)
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried thyme
3/4 cup strong brewed coffee
2 tblsp balsamic vinegar
2 tblsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tblsp water

Preheat oven to 300°F. Season beef with salt & pepper.

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add beef & cook, turning from time to time, until well browned on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil to the pot. Add onions, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until softened & golden, 5 to 7 minutes.

Add garlic & thyme; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. If someone asked me what my favorite kitchen tool is, this would be it. My mini chopster.



Stir in coffee & vinegar; bring to a simmer. Return the beef to the pot & spoon some onions over it. Cover & transfer to the oven.

Braise the beef in the oven until fork-tender but not falling apart, 2 1/2 to 3 hours (I did 2 1/2). Transfer beef to a cutting board, tent with foil & let rest for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, skim fat from the braising liquid; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the cornstarch mixture & cook, whisking, until the gravy thickens slightly, about 1 minute. Add a pat or two of butter for a nice finish. Season with pepper.

Carve the beef & serve with gravy.




{Food for Thought}

Definitely go for the chuck roast. Even though it has more fat it will not dry out during the braising period. My cut didn't even have much fat & I just cut out the fatty deposits after it was done cooking.

By the time I was done making the gravy, the onions were so broken down that I may strain the liquid next time, leaving the onions aside, then adding them back in once the gravy has thickened. This is more for presentation or if you like to see the onion slices draped over the meat rather than lost in the gravy. I would also not cut my onions so thin next time.

{Slow-Cooker Variation: In Step 2, transfer the browned beef to a slow cooker. In Step 3, use just 1/2 cup coffee. Add the onion mixture to the slow cooker. In Step 4, cover & cook until beef is tender, 4 1/2 to 5 hours on High or 7 to 8 hours on Low. In Step 5, pour the liquid into a medium saucepan & continue as directed.}

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And for dessert.......

It's been too hot here to even think about apple pickin' or anything Halloween related but what are you doin' with all those extra apples? How 'bout some of these?

All American Mini Apple Pies. Click Here to Print Recipe.

Then go to Friday Food at MomTrends & Foodie Friday with Designs by Gollum

Have a great weekend everyone. Come back next week for some good stuff because things are really heating up in my kitchen!!

Chocolate Hazelnut-Banana Stuffed Wontons

This is just about one of the yummiest desserts I’ve ever made!!!!

I was inspired to create this by a recipe I saw from Bobby Flay where he spreads Nutella on bread & adds banana, then grills it like a grilled cheese before dusting it with powdered sugar. You can see it here. Interesting thought but I had extra wontons I wanted to use instead.

It was after making this & looking around for Nutella recipes that I saw I was not the only one with such a great idea. While disappointed it’s not a total original I was still pleased to be in good company with Giada. However, she does not add bananas or ice cream.

Either way, you will be missing out terribly if you don’t try this!! Don’t even be nervous that you need to fry these because it’s not a deep fry at all. There’s only enough oil to cover the bottom of a pan. I even took extra time for more pictures so you could see exactly how easy this is. It takes just minutes & is truly restaurant quality, especially served with ice cream & a sprig of mint.

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT-BANANA STUFFED WONTONS

{Printable Recipe}

Wonton skins
Nutella chocolate hazelnut spread
1 banana
Small bowl of water
Vegetable Oil
Confectioner’s Sugar
Ice cream (optional)
Sprigs of Mint (optional)

Cut banana into round slices. Then cut those rounds in half. Set aside.

Lay your wonton skin down flat. Using your fingers, moisten all sides with water. Place about 1 teaspoon of Nutella in the middle of wonton. Do not overstuff. Place 1-2 pieces of banana on top, depending on the size of your banana.

Then fold over wonton skin, diagonally. Press with your fingers to seal. You can then lay it on its side & gently press on it so the filling spreads just a tiny bit inside. You don't have to but it made me happy. Repeat with remaining. See how it's not totally perfect. That's ok, the wontons are very forgiving & look cool if they are not flat. The only requirement is that they are sealed well.

Pour just enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom of a pan. Heat on medium high. Spritz a tiny bit of water into the oil. If it crackles then it’s hot enough.

Place wontons in oil & fry on each side for about 1 ½ minutes or until golden brown.

Set aside on a paper towel to let oil drain off.

For dessert shown in picture, I used a mini container of ice cream & placed it upside down in the middle of bowl or serving dish. I let it sit for 2 minutes to soften so it can come out nicely. Place wontons around, then sprinkle with powdered sugar. Garnish with fresh mint.

{Food for Thought}

The only reason I do not suggest mashing your bananas into the Nutella to combine is because the 1st time I did that it made the filling too thin where it seeped out of the wonton. As an alternative, you could chop up the banana & fold it gently into the Nutella. For me, it was just as easy placing 1 or 2 tiny pieces on top of the Nutella before folding up the wonton.

These were delicious & if I could wrap 'em up & send them to you I would!

{Now go see MomTrends Food Friday!}

Roasted Vegetable & Mozzarella Panini

Tis the season I get energized & motivated, invigorated by the cooler weather. With Autumn comes the desire to be my best self so that I can truly enjoy everything around me, all the goodness that happens these last 3 months of the year.

Turning another year older & wanting to embrace it rather than regret ~ Brisk mornings in the park with a cup of coffee ~ Reading in the sun while feeling a cool breeze ~ And of course, the sights & smells of the holidays!!!!!!

So with all that goodness, here's some more.

ROASTED VEGETAGLE & MOZZARELLA PANINI

Bread of your choice
1 tblsp Balsamic vinegar
2 tblsp Olive oil
Salt & Pepper
Garlic powder
1 red pepper, quartered
½ Onion, sliced thick
1 zucchini, cut in half then lengthwise into 1/4" slices
Pesto purchased (optional)
Fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
8 Fresh basil leaves

Pre-heat oven to 400. Combine balsamic, oil, salt, pepper & garlic powder. Brush over vegetables & roast for 10-15 minutes, turning over halfway through cooking time.


Meanwhile, prepare your sandwich. Spread slices of bread with a little prepared pesto. Layer with mozzarella, 3-4 basil leaves, roasted veggies & then a little more cheese. Top with bread.




Using either a pan on stovetop, a George Foreman grill or panini maker, grill sandwich until golden brown on both sides & cheese is melted & slightly oozing out.


I used a dry pan & heated the sandwich over medium heat for about 3 minutes on one side, carefully flipping using a plate, then heating on the second side for about 1 1/2 minutes. Makes 2 sandwiches.


{Food for Thought}

I used a multi grain bread fresh from the bakery but any bread cut into thick slices will work, especially sourdough. If you have leftover oil/vinegar mixture you can brush some on the bread, just don't use too much as you don't want the bread to become soggy. Eggplant & tomatoes would work wonderfully too in a combo of veggies.

Click Here to Print Recipe

And because it's Fall & that means apple picking, take a look at these sweet & savory beauties I posted last year:

Visit here for some Grilled Apples with Cheddar & Bacon
& Apple Thyme Martinis.

This post is my Not So Fat Friday & links to Momtrends Friday Food.

Have a great weekend everyone!