Panzanella (Bread Salad)

I came up with this little recipe years ago and I haven’t changed a thing over time.  If I recall correctly, it was a combination of a few different recipes for Panzanella that I found online.  I love the texture and flavor of the toasted rosemary bread coated lightly in the balsamic dressing, along with the light sweet pop of the tomatoes and smoothness of the fresh mozzarella.  This salad tastes like Summer and it’s one of the recipes that always comes to my mind as I am planting my basil in the Spring.  The colors are vibrant, and the earthy aroma of the basil and rosemary are out of this world.

Making this salad can be a bit of a challenge if there is a man around the house because for some reason, men are attracted to cubed cheese like bees love their honey.  I intentionally wait to cut the Mozzarella until the last minute, or my salad will be short quite a bit of the soft creamy cheese that makes it what it is.  I don't know what I will do when my son is big enough to join his father in the cheese thievery. I guess I might have to buy two balls of Mozzarella instead of one.

Ingredients & Instructions:

Salad

1 ½ C Fresh Mozzarella (diced)
6-10 Fresh Basil Leaves (julienned)
3 Roma Tomatoes (diced) or Heirlooms if you have them
10 Orange Grape Tomatoes (halved)
3-4 C Rosemary Olive Loaf (cubed) *

Dressing

6 Tbsp. Quality Balsamic Vinegar
2 Cloves Garlic (minced)
½ Tsp Grey Poupon
2-3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
Pinch Sugar
Salt & Pepper

Preheat Oven to 200 degrees.  Place cubed bread on a baking sheet and place in oven to toast for 20-30 minutes.  Bread should be toasty, but still soft.

Whisk together all ingredients for the dressing and set aside.  I like to let the dressing sit for at least an hour so that the flavors meld.

Place tomatoes, bread, Mozzarella, and basil leaves in a large salad bowl and lightly coat with the dressing by pouring small amounts of dressing in at a time, mixing, and repeating a few times.  You don’t want the bread to become completely coated or it will make for a soggy panzanella.  Serve Immediately.

* Rosemary Olive Bread is found in most grocery stores in the bakery section

Mom’s Easy Enchiladas

My hubby and I love Mexican food and usually have it at least once every week or two.  Now that my little man is big enough to enjoy “real” food, we have it even more often because he seems to really like it.  I have to be careful not to make these too spicy for my little boy, but they have become a staple in our house. 

I found this recipe in my mom's collection years ago after she passed away.  I still have tons of her recipe cards that I haven’t knocked the dust off of yet, but this one gets major usage.  She apparently got the recipe from a friend at work, but I have changed a few things here and there to make it my own.  For one, I DO NOT make my own enchilada sauce.  I could, it’s not hard to do, but during the week, I do not have the time and besides, why should I when there are tons of great canned sauces out there?   I try to find one with pretty basic ingredients like the La Victoria brand that do not contain a lot of added sugar or preservatives.  I also DO NOT make my own corn tortillas, but I do prefer the refrigerated corn shells that are available at the store. They usually contain less ingredients and let me tell you, they make a world of difference in taste and texture from the tortillas that are laying on shelves in the store.  One day I would like to try making my own, but being a busy working mom doesn’t allow me much time for that right now.

 

Ingredients & Instructions

1 28 Oz. Can of Red Enchilada Sauce
3 Chicken Breasts
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
Pinch Chili Powder
Pinch Cayenne Powder
Salt & Pepper
1 Yellow Onion (diced)
2 Jalapenos (small dice)
2 C. Cheddar or Pepper Jack Cheese + Extra to Top
1 Bag Corn Tortillas
½ - 1 C. Vegetable Oil (depending on the pan size that you want to fry tortillas in)
2-3 Green Onions sliced
Sour Cream  (optional)

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Coat chicken breasts in olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, cayenne, and chili powder. Bake for 30 minutes.  Once chicken breasts are cool enough to handle, pull them with two forks and place meat into a medium sized mixing bowl.

Meanwhile, saute onions and jalapenos until softened and then place into mixing bowl with the chicken.  Add 2 C. of cheese to the bowl and mix ingredients together.

At this point set up an assembly line for fashioning the enchiladas.  Place a small sauté pan on the stone on medium high heat and add just enough vegetable oil to come up the sides of the pan about ½ inch.  From left to right of the stovetop sauté pan, place a bowl filled with enchilada sauce for dipping the fried tortillas, an empty plate for assembly, and a 12x9 inch casserole dish with just enough enchilada sauce to cover the bottom lightly.  Behind the assembly plate, place the bowl of filling mixture.

Now that your assembly line is ready to go, the frying begins.  Once the oil is hot, fry the corn tortillas one at a time for a few seconds per side.  The tortillas will become hard if you leave them in the oil for too long so be sure to only fry for a few second per side.  You can do your whole batch of corn tortillas at once if you like and lay them on a baking sheet before beginning the rest of the assembly process, but because I am OCD I like to do each enchilada one at a time to completion. 

Once your tortilla is fried, dip it to coat in the enchilada sauce, and then place on the empty plate and fill with a couple of tablespoons of the chicken filling.  Roll the tortilla gently and place in the casserole dish seam side down so the filling stays in the shell and the shell stays in place.  Once all of your tortillas are stuffed and in your casserole dish, top with the remainder of the enchilada sauce, and sprinkle with cheese.  Bake until cheese and sauce is melty and bubbly.  Top with green onions and serve with sour cream if you like.

Chimichurri

Chimichurri is a beautifully pungent sauce originally from Argentina.  It is perfect for marinating steaks, lamb, pork, you name it.  Those Argentinians knew what they were up to because although Chimichurri calls for A LOT of garlic, it is perfectly balanced with parsley, which naturally eliminates bad breath.

My favorite method for utilizing Chimichurri is in marinating sirloin for shish kabob.  The acid in the vinegar aids in breaking down tougher cuts of meat, so once the sirloin is marinated and grilled, it is perfectly tender. The flavors are amazing and the color is gorgeous, so hats off to Argentina!

 

Ingredients and Instructions

1 Large Bunch Flat Leaf Parsley (washed, stemmed, and dry)
8 Cloves of Garlic
2 Shallots
1/2 C. Red Wine Vinegar
1/3 C. Water
1 Tbsp. Coarse Sea Salt
1/2 tsp. Dried Oregano
1/2 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes *
1 tsp. Black Pepper
1 C. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Throw the parsley and garlic into a food processor and finely chop.  Add all other ingredients besides the olive oil and process until blended.  Add the olive oil in a thin stream and mix until blended being careful not to overprocess.  Chimichurri should still hold a coarse texture.

*I have used a seeded and ribbed habanero in the past in place of the red pepper flakes. It gives a great kick and a bit of a fruity flavor.  It just depends on your taste and heat tolerance.

Eve's Spicy BBQ Sauce

This recipe was first shared in my BBQ Chicken Pizza post, but I wanted it to have it's own post.  I love BBQ sauce, and the fact that it's so quick and easy to throw together makes it a double whammy winner in my house.  Like other sauces, it's much healthier to make your own even though you still will have the sugars from the ketchup and molasses.  Everything in moderation I always say.  This ketchup based sauce is smoky, sweet, and perfect for chicken, pulled pork, shrimp, or whatever you like to slather in sauce.

Ingredients & Instructions

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil½ C. Grated Onion (Red or Yellow is fine)3 C. Ketchup1/3 C. Apple Cider Vinegar (It must be Apple Cider Vinegar.  No other vinegar will do)
1/3 C. Molasses
3 tsp. Liquid Smoke3 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tbsp. Hot Sauce
2 tsp. Cumin
1 tsp. Cayenne
2 tsp. Chili Powder
1 Tbsp. Black Pepper
2 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
2 tsp. Paprika

Add olive oil to a small saucepan and throw in the grated onion.  Sweat the onions for just a couple of minutes and add all other ingredients.  Cook on low for 20-30 minutes, and VOILA, BBQ Sauce!

Marinara Sauce With Meat

I mentioned in my Baked Ziti post that I believe knowing how to make your own Marinara sauce is an absolutely necessary skill to have in life. It makes your cooking healthier due to the high sugar and preservative content of store-bought marinara, it's more cost effective because you can make large batches with moderately priced ingredients and freeze for later use, and it makes the house smell great as well!

I really enjoy this time of year because my basil is taking off like crazy.  I love having an herb garden, not only because herbs are so pricey at the grocery store, but  also because it allows me a few moments to reflect during my busy week.  I often take the time to go outside for a few minutes and run my hands across my basil, rosemary, or sage, and just enjoy the sweet and savory scents of Spring/Summer.   It calms the soul a bit to watch things grow and to know that your fruits will nourish those that you love the most.

Ingredients & Instructions;

 

Marinara Sauce with Meat

 

2 12 Oz. Can of San Marzano Crushed Tomatoes
2 Tbsp. Tomato Paste
3 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
(2) Yellow Onions (diced)
6-7 Cloves of Garlic (diced or very thinly sliced)
1 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
1 Tbsp. Dried Thyme Leaves
1 Tbsp. Dried Oregano
1 LB Sweet Italian Sausage
½ C Red or White Wine *
10 Fresh Basil Leaves (julienned)
2 Roasted Red Bell Peppers (diced)
 2 Bay Leaves
1 tsp. Sugar
Salt & Pepper

Melt butter in deep sauce or sauté pan.  Add onion, red pepper flakes, thyme, oregano, and salt.  Sweat the onions for about 5 minutes.  Add the sausage and cook until it is no longer pink.  Add the garlic and tomato paste, stir for 1-2 minutes,  and then deglaze the pan with the wine.  Add in the whole tomatoes (crushing with your hands as they are added), sugar, red bell pepper, and bay leaves and simmer for about 30 minutes.  Just before serving, add in the basil and if you want, add another splash of wine.  Salt and Pepper to taste.

 

* When marinara is being served with or over a red meat I prefer a red wine, but for marinara served with shrimp or chicken I prefer using a white wine to deglaze.

Orange-Almond Biscotti

I know I mentioned in another post that lemon and blueberry is one of my favorite flavor combinations, but orange and almond is probably on my "Top 3" list of favorites.  When these biscotti are baking, I can almost hear the angels singing.  I love that these cookies are “twice baked” because it gives me the opportunity of getting hit twice with the waft of the warm orange almond scent as I open the oven door.

These biscotti are fabulous all year round, although I do tend to make a double-batch at Christmas time to include in my cookie tins.  There’s nothing better in the morning than one of these Orange-Almond Biscotti with a warm cup of coffee for dipping. 

 

Ingredients & Instructions

2 C. King Arthur’s All-Purpose Flour
1 ½ tsp. Baking Powder
¾ C. Sugar
1 Stick Unsalted Butter (softened)
2 Tbsp. Orange Zest (2 large oranges)
2 Eggs
¾ C. Sliced Almonds (toasted)
½ tsp. Almond Extract
½ tsp. Salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Prepare a baking sheet (lightly coat with shortening and dust with flour). 

Place the sliced almonds in a dry shallow pan on medium-high heat to toast.  Once you start to smell the almonds, they are done.  Be careful not to burn.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  In separate bowl, beat butter, sugar, orange zest, and almond extract until smooth.  Add in eggs, one at a time.  Slowly add the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and beat until just combined.  Fold in the toasted almonds.

On the prepared baking sheet, form the dough into a long rectangle (13 inches long, 4 inches wide, and a ½ inch thick).  Bake 25 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove the biscotti from the oven and allow to cool for about 10-15 minutes.  Once slightly cooled, transfer the biscotti from the baking sheet to a cutting board.  Cut the cookies on the diagonal using a back and forth motion with a serrated bread knife just to break the surface of the cookie, and then push down quickly to cut through (I have found that the bread knife method of cutting the biscotti aids in avoiding crumbling).  The cookies should be about ½ inch thick.  Place the cookies cut-side down back onto the baking sheet and bake for an additional 15 minutes, turning once at the halfway mark.  Allow to cool and enjoy!

Chicken & Corn Chowder

I must start off by admitting that I totally stole this recipe from the Neely’s (Spicy Corn Chowder) and put my little twist on it.  

My goal was to re-create a yummy "Chicken & Corn Chowder" reminiscent of the chowder I had when I was waiting tables at a small restaurant called Tams Tavern in South Carolina.  The kitchen manager at Tams always made THE BEST soups (among other things), and Chicken & Corn Chowder was one of them.  The wait-staff was forever sneaking bowls of soup (much to the dismay of the owner), but it was so good, how could we resist?  I have such fond memories of working there, and not only did the experience spark my love for food, but many of the friendships I made there have long-lasted over the years.

I like my chowder to be a bit spicier than the Neely's version, so along with the addition of the chicken, I also added a touch more heat.  My 18-month old loves this stuff as well, and he’s been eating it since he was less than a year old.  I would just process a few scoops up for him back when he was younger and he would chow down.  Nowadays, he has chompers so the food processor is out, but we eat this stuff in our household at least once a month no matter the season.

Lastly, I have made a few adjustments to the flour, stock, and bacon quantities.  The addition of more flour and stock is mainly to make room for the chicken, and also, because we like A LOT of this soup (and I foresee it only getting worse as my son grows).  The extra bacon is added not only for the larger quantity of soup servings, but also just because, well, it's bacon. 

Ingredients & Instructions

 

2 Large Chicken Breasts
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Lb. Thick Sliced Bacon (chopped)
1 Large Onion (chopped)
1 Large Red Bell Pepper (chopped)
4 Cloves of Garlic (minced)
2-3 Jalapenos (seeds and ribs removed/chopped)
2 Russet Potatoes (cubed)
¾ C All-Purpose Flour
8 C. Organic Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
1 C. Heavy Cream
16 Oz Bag Frozen Corn (or you can use fresh of course if it’s on hand)
Bay Leaf
Cayenne Pepper
Cumin
Chili Powder
Salt & Pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Coat chicken breasts in olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, cumin, cayenne, and chili powder.  Bake for 30 Minutes.  Once chicken is cooked and cooled enough to handle, pull the breasts using two forks and set aside.

Meanwhile, add bacon to a large stockpot and cook until crisp.  Remove from stockpot and set aside in a paper-towel lined bowl.  Add onions and bell peppers to the bacon grease and sweat until translucent.  FYI, the scent of the peppers and onions added to the bacon grease may just make you think you have died and gone to heaven.  Add in the garlic and jalapeno a cook for another 2 minutes until fragrant.  Sprinkle in the flour and mix with the vegetables for a couple of minutes until the mixture turns blonde and then add in the chicken stock, potatoes, and bay leaf.  At this point I will also add in quite a bit of salt and pepper so that the potatoes will season as they soften.  Simmer for 10 minutes, add in heavy cream, corn, pulled chicken and cayenne (optional).  Simmer a few more minutes and serve topped with bacon pieces with a side of crusty bread.

Blueberry Scones with Lemon Glaze

Scones are interesting and infuriating matters of subject in my kitchen.  They are considered a type of pastry due to the usage of flour, fat, and a leavening agent, but they differ from a pastry (or at least my thoughts on pastry) in that they can be sweet or savory.  I plan to delve into the land of savory scones at some point, but for the matter of this post, we are talking sweet.  I use the term “sweet” very loosely because scones are just barely sweet.  Most recipes I have made (including this one) call for only 2 or 3 tablespoons of sugar.  The rest of the sweetening comes from the fruit and/or glaze that is added.  The dough is very dry and crumbly, and honestly, a real pain to work with (which is why I mention my negative feelings above).  I often make the mistake of overworking the dough (which is a big no, no). 

Last weekend, I decided to try using whole wheat flour in the place of regular all-purpose, and the dough was even more unmanageable.  In the end, I added more heavy cream than the original recipe calls for and they turned out quite good, albeit a bit more dry which I tend to expect when using whole wheat flour.  Maybe one day I will perfect the whole-wheat scone, but for now, I will share the original recipe with my notes to utilizing whole wheat if that is your preference.

One last note:  I have noticed the use of buttermilk in some recipes (in the place of heavy cream).  I have not tried it yet, but I wonder if it would make for a more manageable dough and/or less dry texture.

Whole Wheat Blueberry Scones with Lemon Glaze

 

Ingredients & Instructions

 

Pastry

2 C. King Arthur’s All-Purpose Flour (or 2 C. King Arthur’s Whole Wheat Flour)
1 Tbsp. Baking Powder
½ Tsp. Salt
2 ½ Tbsp. Sugar
6 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter (Cold – Cubed)
1 C. Fresh Blueberries
1 ¼ C. Heavy Cream (If using Whole Wheat flour, you will need another ¼ C.)

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

 

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar.  With a pastry blender, cut the cold butter cubes into the flour mixture until the dough looks like moist or coarse sand.  Add in the blueberries and then make a hole in the center of the dough, and pour in the heavy cream.   Fold until just blended.  Place dough onto a floured surface and form into a rectangle that is approximately an inch thick.  Usually this recipe will give you a rectangle that is about a foot long, and a few inches wide.  Cut the rectangle in half, then cut the two rectangles in half again and then cut all of your rectangles on the diagonal to create your classic triangle shaped scone (note, I have also seen a method of shaping the dough into a circle and cutting like a pizza to get the triangular shaped pieces of dough).  Brush the tops of the scones with heavy cream and bake on a non-stick or parchment lined baking sheet for 20 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove and let cool a few minutes before topping with the glaze.

 

Lemon Glaze:

Juice and zest from two lemons
1 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter (melted)
1 ¼ C. Confectioners Sugar

 

Combine all ingredients and whisk until smooth.  You may need more or less sugar depending on what consistency you would like for your glaze.  I have a sweet tooth, so I like a pretty thick glaze.



Cucumber-Dill Tea Sandwiches

I made these not long ago for my dear friend’s baby shower.  I was very excited about making them not only because they are delicious, but also because they are so beautiful.  I love baby showers and the light beautiful faire that is normally served.  Not to mention, all of the girl talk about babies, motherhood, and oh the precious gifts!   I always end up getting a bit teary-eyed over the baby-talk, or sometimes just from getting to see old friends on such joyous occasions.

Anyways, back to the sandwiches.  I have had tea at the Ritz in NY City and at the Ritz here in Charlotte and both times were amazing.  I’m quite sure these little beauties would have fit right in to that arena.  I tried to keep these pretty simple, but I did use a variety of breads and added smoked salmon to half of them for a little extra flair.

 

Ingredients and Instructions:

1-2 Hothouse Cucumbers
White, Wheat, and Pumpernickel Breads
8 Oz. Container of Philadelphia Whipped Cream Cheese
2 Tbsp. Mayonnaise
Juice and Zest from 1 Lemon
2-3 Tbsp. Dill (chopped) plus extra sprigs un-chopped for decorating
1 tsp. garlic salt
Pepper
Smoked Salmon

With a hand mixer, blend cream cheese, mayonnaise, garlic salt, pinch of pepper, lemon juice, and lemon zest until smooth.  Fold in the dill and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to allow flavors to blend.

Run a fork down each side of the cucumber creating think peeled strips and then use a potato peeler to make 4 wide stripes down the sides (doing this will give make your cucumbers the “frilly” edged look).  Cut cucumbers into slices about ¼ inch thick.  Remove the crust from the bread and cut into 2 x 2 inch squares (or slightly larger than your cucumber rounds).  Spread the cream cheese mixture on each piece of bread, top with a cucumber slice and small pinch of the smoked salmon.  Put the remainder of the cream cheese mixture into a piping bag and pipe small dollops of the mixture on top of each sandwich.   Decorate with sprigs of dill and enjoy like you are a Queen Bee at the Ritz!

Spicy Chicken Pasta "SCP"

I came up with this recipe a few years ago when my husband and I were living in the city (we now refer to this time period of our life as B.N or Before Noah).  We used to frequent this quaint, hip, little joint that served a spicy pasta dish that was coined the “What it Is”.  My hubs ordered it every time we went, so I thought, well, let’s see if I can make this one at home.

My husband has recently named my version of the dish “SCP” and it’s another easy go-to weeknight meal.  Every time I ask him what he wants for dinner, he replies with “SCP”! 

I guess I don’t blame him because it is pretty darn good.  I have cut down on making it as often though lately, because IT IS FATTENING!  It has all the makings for a big butt!  Lately, I’ve started to cook it with whole wheat pasta or brown rice pasta for my own mental well-being, but there is so much cream in this dish, that it’s really a moot point.  Maybe one of these days I will try it with a little chicken broth and less cream, but I am sure my hubs would look at me with dismay for even thinking of altering the recipe.

Oh well, all things in moderation.  Just might want to skip the dessert after this one.

 

Ingredients & Instructions:

2-3 Chicken Breasts
¼ C. Blackening Seasoning (I often use a store bought blackening seasoning, but if you don’t have one on hand, you can make your own using cayenne, chili powder, black pepper, garlic salt, paprika, and cumin)
3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
3 Tbsp. Garlic (minced)
½ C. Sun-Dried Tomatoes in oil (chopped)
2-3 Shallots (chopped)
¼ C. White Wine
3 C. Heavy Cream
½ C. Parmesan Cheese
Salt & Pepper
1 LB Rotini Pasta

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Coat chicken breasts in 1 Tbsp. olive oil and then dredge with the blackening seasoning making sure chicken breasts are completely coated.  Sear chicken breasts on high heat in a deep sauté pan for approximately 2 minutes per side and then place onto a small jelly roll sheet and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes. 

Once the chicken breasts are cooked, pull them from the oven and chop into bite size pieces. 

Cook pasta in boiling salted water until el dente.

Meanwhile, add 2 Tbsp. olive oil to the same pan that the chicken was seared in.  Add shallots, and sun-dried tomatoes to pan and sweat for just a few minutes.  Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant and then deglaze the pan with the wine.  Add in the chicken and cream and simmer until reduced by half.  Pour in the rotini pasta and the parmesan cheese.  Serve immediately, topped with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.
 

Lemon & Almond Pound Cake

The flavor combination of Lemon with Almond is one of my absolute favorites.  Whenever I think of making a Pound Cake, these are the flavors that I long for, that I imagine swirled together with the light sweetness of a soft pillowy bite of cake.  I love a nice piece of Pound Cake in the morning with a hot cup of coffee, just as much as having a large hunky piece after dinner.  Pound Cake is classic, simple, and seriously perfect for any occasion.

I cannot lay claim to this recipe because I adapted it from the Better Crocker Pound Cake recipe (did I mention that Pound Cake is a classic dessert), but I have done plenty of research.  I have tried a ton of other recipes from all over the internet, some with less butter, some with less eggs, some with more flour, or less sugar.  You get the picture, but none of them ever came out as perfectly as this one.  I have made this recipe many times now, and it is perfect EVERY single time.  I love a recipe like that and honestly, I think they are rather elusive.  I guess that’s why old “Betty” is still putting out cookbooks en masse even after almost 100 years.

 

Ingredients & Instructions:

3 C. King Arthur's All Purpose Flour
1 tsp. Baking Powder
¼ tsp. Salt
2 ½ C. Sugar
1 C. (2 Sticks) Unsalted Butter (at room temp)
5 Large Eggs
1 C. Milk
1 tsp. Almond Extract
Zest of 2 Lemons
Powdered Sugar (if desired)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare a fluted tube pan (lightly coat with shortening and dust with flour).  In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  In a standing mixer, beat the butter, sugar, extract, zest, and eggs on low until blended, and then on high for an additional 5 minutes.  Alternately add flour mixture and milk to mixer beating until just smooth after each addition.  Pour mixture into the tube pan and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool for 20 minutes and remove from the pan to a cooling rack for another 2 hours.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar and enjoy (morning or night).

Baked Ziti

There are some things in life that are worth knowing how to do;  How to drive a stick shift, how to “cork” a bottle of wine, how to change a tire. The same could be said about the kitchen.  There are a few things that EVERYONE should know how to do; Make a roux, make whipped cream, AND make one’s own Marinara Sauce.  No matter who you are or where you come from, it can’t be denied that thoughts of big plates of spaghetti, lasagna, or baked ziti conjure up the warm and fuzzies.  Well, you can’t get the warm and fuzzies out of a jar!  Most of the store bought brands have tons of preservatives and sugars in them and a lot of them cost a pretty-penny as well.  Besides, it’s EASY to make your own sauce!

The first few times I made marinara sauce, I was thrilled at how easy it was. I think we all picture our grandmothers or mothers stewing over hot sauce all day long, waiting and waiting for the freshly picked tomatoes to cook down and the flavors to blend (or whatever it was that they were supposedly doing), but honestly, it takes a little chopping and a few minutes of simmering to make yummy sauce.  

I believe the keys to a great sauce are the use of two key ingredients; San Marzano tomatoes, and fresh basil.  I use some dried spices in my marinara, but when it comes to the basil, only fresh basil will do. 

Making your own sauce is healthier, it tastes better, and if you make a large batch it freezes quite well.

 

 

Ingredients & Instructions;

 

Marinara Sauce with Meat

 

2 12 Oz. Can of San Marzano Whole Tomatoes
2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
3 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
(2) Yellow Onions (diced)
1 Red Bell Pepper (diced) – I only put bell pepper in my marinara when making ziti, but we’ll leave that one up to individual taste.
6-7 Cloves of Garlic (diced or very thinly sliced)
1 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
1 Tbsp. Dried Thyme Leaves
1 Tbsp. Dried Oregano
1 LB Sweet Italian Sausage
½ C Red or White Wine *
10 Fresh Basil Leaves (julienned)
2 Bay Leaves
1 tsp. Sugar
Salt & Pepper

Melt butter in deep sauce or saute pan.  Add onion, red pepper flakes, thyme, oregano, and salt.  Sweat the onions for about 5 minutes.  Add in the bell pepper and sausage and cook until sausage is no longer pink.  Add the garlic, tomato paste, stir for 1-2 minutes and then deglaze the pan with the wine.  Add in the tomatoes (crushing them down with your hands as you add), sugar, and bay leaves and simmer for about 30 minutes.  Just before serving (or using in your ziti) add in the basil and if you want, add another splash of wine.  Salt and Pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, for the rest of the Casserole;

1Lb Whole Wheat Ziti - Of course regular semolina pasta can be used, or *gasp* another type of pasta such as Rigatoni could also be substituted.
15 Oz. Whole Milk Ricotta
2 C. Shredded Mozzarella (plus more for topping)
½ C Parmesan Cheese
2 Large Eggs
2 tsp. dried Oregano
Salt & Pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook pasta in salted water until el dente

Mix all other “casserole” ingredients in a large bowl and set aside. 

In a large glass baking dish add the pasta and top with PLENTY of the marinara sauce so that the sauce really gets down into that pasta.  Top this with your ricotta mixture and then top that with more mozzarella.  I have been known to go all out and buy fresh ball mozzarella for the topping, but it is not necessary.

* When marinara is being served with red meat such as this ziti recipe I prefer a red, but for marinara served with shrimp or chicken I prefer using a white wine to deglaze. 

BBQ Chicken Pizza

I love everything BBQ!  I’m kind of like the “Bubba Gump” of BBQ in that I will pretty much make/eat anything coated in BBQ sauce.  I usually prep a pretty good sized batch of BBQ sauce to keep in the fridge because it lasts a long time, and goes great on almost any type of meat.  Also, it’s a little difficult to make a tiny batch of BBQ sauce.

 

BBQ Chicken Pizza is one of my easy, go-to weeknight dinners, and it is DELISH!  I mean, BBQ, Pizza, what could be better?

Now, I admittedly use store-bought pizza dough because yeast and I normally do not get along too well.  Besides, it takes forever to make dough, and as I mentioned, this is an easy, go-to weeknight meal.  Now, If you would like to make your own dough for the pizza, I will not criticize you, so please don’t judge me for taking this short-cut.

As I said, I usually have some BBQ sauce premade, but if I don’t, it really only takes a few minutes to make GREAT BBQ sauce.  This recipe makes a pretty spicy ketchup based BBQ, but you can control the heat by backing off of the spicy ingredients if you like a more mild sauce.

 

Ingredients & Instructions: 



For the BBQ Sauce:

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1/3 C. Grated Onion (Red or Yellow is fine)
3 C. Ketchup
1/3 C. Apple Cider Vinegar (It must be Apple Cider Vinegar.  No other vinegar will do)
1/3 C. Molasses
1-2 tsp Liquid Smoke
3 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tbsp. Hot Sauce
1 tsp. Cumin
1/2 tsp. Cayenne
2 tsp. Chili Powder
1 Tbsp. Black Pepper
2 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes

Add olive oil to a small saucepan and throw in the grated onion.  Sweat the onions for just a couple of minutes and add all other ingredients.  Cook on low for 20-30 minutes, and VOILA, BBQ Sauce!

 

For the Pizza:

1 Store Bought Pizza Dough
1-2 C. BBQ Sauce (depending on how much sauce you like and how big your dough is)
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil to coat chicken
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil for the onions
1 Tbsp. Butter for the onions
Pinch of Sugar
1 Chicken Breast
Pinch of Chili Powder
Pinch of Cumin
Salt and Pepper
1 Red Onion (very thinly sliced)
¾ C. Sun-Dried Tomatoes (drained of the oil and chopped)
Fresh Mozzarella (you can use grated mozzarella if you like (approximately 2 Cups should do it), but I like to use fresh mozzarella and just cut off small strips.
2 C. Arugula

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees. 

Coat chicken breast with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, chili powder, cumin, and pepper.  Bake for 30-35 minutes and allow to cool.  After the chicken has cooled enough to handle, pull or shred the breast of chicken.

Meanwhile, in a small sauté pan, add the olive oil, butter, thinly sliced onions and a pinch of sugar, salt, and pepper.  Cook the onions for 20 minutes until they are starting to brown and are, well, caramelized.

 

Turn the oven up to 400 Degrees and pre-bake dough (usually calls for a pre-bake time of 8-10 minutes).  Once dough has been prebaked, spread a layer of the BBQ sauce and top with pulled chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, caramelized onions, and mozzarella.  Sprinkle the arugula liberally on top of the mozzarella and bake the pizza for about 8-10 more minutes until the crust starts to turn golden brown.

ENJOY!!!