Grilled Pizza

This was my first time trying pizza on the grill and it was a hit!  Quick, easy and so yummy!

Base
Naan (Indian flat bread) I picked up on a trip to Whole Foods, but pita, foccacia or any other flat bread would also work.

Toppings
I chose grilled veggies as a topping - eggplant, crookneck squash, zucchini, onions and green bell pepper.  Any topping will work, be sure meats are pre-cooked and if you prefer softer veggies, grill/cook them a little before putting them on the pizza.

Grilling Veggies

• Gently warm a little olive oil, add some sliced garlic and your favorite herbs (I used oregano and fresh basil).  Once the oil is infused, you can baste your veggies before grilling.  (If you are in a hurry, you can just add a little garlic powder instead of fresh garlic and skip the warming or just use plain olive oil - it is still yummy.)
• Slice the veggies lengthways about 1/2 inch thick.  Keep the slices large to avoid dropping through the grill.
• Lightly drizzle infused olive oil over the veggies and rub to evenly coat surface.  This not only imparts flavor, it keeps the veggies from drying out and from sticking to the grill.
• Optional - sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
• Place veggies on grill, keep an eye on them zucchini and eggplant go from perfect to burnt very quickly.

Assemble the Pizza

• Cut your veggies to your preferred topping size - small dice to large slices.
• Apply sauce to bread base - tomato sauce, olive oil, alfredo
• Add toppings and cheese
• Place pizzas on grill

• Keep the fire low to avoid burning the bottom of the crust faster than you melt the cheese. 
• Place the pizzas on the grill and close the lid.
• Check the bottom of the crust after about 5 minutes, if you find a hot spot,  move that pizza to another spot on the grill.
• Once the cheese is melted and the crust is "grilled", it is time to eat!

Rice Pilaf

You never have to settle for plain rice again.  Use this recipe as a starting point and experiment with your own variations.

Rice Pilaf
Adapted from "The Language of Baklava" by Dianna Abu-Jaber

4 - 6 tablespoons butter (can substitute/blend with olive oil)
4 ounces spaghetti noodles, crumbled (can substitute any tiny pasta - orzo, pastina, etc.)
2 cups long-grain rice
4 cups water (or homemade/low-sodium chicken broth)
1 teaspoon salt (leave out if using broth)
1/2 cup pine nuts
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pepper to taste

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in bottom of large heavy saucepan with lid.  Crumble uncooked spaghetti into warmed butter, stir until spaghetti just begins to "toast".  Add rice, and if needed additional butter.  Continue to stir until rice is coated and spaghetti begins to smell nutty.  Add liquid and salt and turn up heat to bring to a boil.  Once water is boiling, cover with lid and lower fire to simmer, approx. 20 minutes.  Turn off heat and let stand 10 minutes.

Melt remaining butter in small sautee' pan and toast pine nuts until golden.

Sprinkle butter and pine nuts over rice and dust with cinnamon.  Add pepper to taste.

Variations: 

• Add or substitute almonds or pecans for the pine nuts and/or add dried cranberries, golden raisins, dried cherries.
• To make a rice dressing or to make this dish a main course, add cooked crumbled sausage or ground beef/turkey.

Pumpkin Spice Bread Pudding (edited)

In New Orleans, everyone has a favorite bread pudding recipe:  some with pineapple, some with raisins and apples, many with "hard" sauce (see below).  I tried a new variation on my mother's bread pudding recipe.  DS and I LOVE pumpkin, so as an alternative to Krispy Kreme's Pumpkin Spice Cake Donuts, I thought I would make a special Pumpkin Spice Bread Pudding.

(If you have never had bread pudding, it is like a big baked pan of french toast.)

Pumpkin Spice Bread Pudding

4 cups stale bread cubes (french bread and brioche are best, but any bread will work - even stale cake doughnuts, remember to adjust the sugar accordingly)
3 cups milk (I used 2 cups milk and 1 cup almond milk)
4 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 can pumpkin (approx. 1 cup)
1/2 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice (adjust to your taste)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar (you can adjust to your taste - you can also add sauce)
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 teaspoon orange zest (optional)
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
2 tablespoons Steen's Cane Syrup (optional)

If you do not have stale bread, place sliced/cubed bread on a sheet pan with sides and "toast" in a very low oven, just enough to dry out the bread.

Place bread cubes in a buttered baking dish.  In a separate bowl, mix together remaining ingredients, except pecans, making sure to fully beat eggs.  Slowly, pour custard mixture over the bread.  Allow bread to absorb the custard mixture.  Sprinkle pecans over the top, and gently stir into mixture.  Allow mixture to sit about 5 minutes to allow custard mixture to soak into bread.

Set baking dish into a larger dish, filling the larger dish with water (bain-marie).  Bake in 350 degree oven for approx. 1 hour or until knife inserted in center comes out clean and custard is cooked.

Delicious warm, or at room temperature (I will even eat it straight from the fridge).  If desired, top with sauce (see below), or you may also use whipped cream, melted jelly, or dust with powdered sugar.

Pumpkin Spice Sauce
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Mix ingredients until sugar is dissolved.  Add more water or sugar to desired consistency.

For a "hard" sauce, add 1 jigger of bourbon, rum, Cointreau or your favorite liquour.

Slow-Cooked Lentils

This is a great quick and economical meal.  It is not the most beautiful dish (especially if you let the lentils become over-done), but it is delicious.  This makes about 7 one cup servings.

16 ounces lentils (approx. 2 heaping cups)
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup chopped carrots
1 can diced tomatoes (I like the fire roasted)
3 cups chicken broth (can substitute water or beef broth)
1 cup diced sausage (can substitute ham or leave out for vegetarian meal)
salt and pepper to taste (if using broth and sausage or ham, do not add additional salt)

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker, cover.
Cook on high for 4 - 5 hours.
At 4 hours check for doneness and, if necessary, add additional liquid if it has been absorbed by lentils.

Serving suggestions:

• Serve with a chunk of good quality bread.
• To make a complete protein, serve over rice (white or brown).

Variation:

• Add a few teaspoons of chili powder to make lentil chili.

Apple and Sage Pork Chops

My guys love pork chops and (since I can take them or leave them) I am always looking for new recipes.
DS actually suggested this recipe when he saw a McCormick's Recipe Inspirations spice mix at the grocery store.
 
Necessity is the Mother of Invention, so I made several changes from the original recipe:

• used a  thinner 1/2 -inch chop in place of 1-inch
• substituted chicken broth and teaspoon of honey for apple juice
• added pepper and Tabasco
• reduced the amount of sage and thyme
• increased the garlic (just a little)

While prepping my ingredients, I had pictures of Peter Brady saying "pork chops and applesauce" running through my head.   The sauce was wonderfully thick and rich with the right balance of sweet and savoryI hope you enjoy this fall-inspired dish as much as we did.

Apple and Sage Pork Chops

1 1/4 pounds boneless pork chops (1/2 - 1 inch thick - based on your preference)
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon rubbed sage
1 1/2 teaspoons dehydrated minced garlic (if you use fresh garlic, add it to the pan with the apples)
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 red apples, thinly sliced
1/2 cup apple juice (or chicken broth)
1 teaspoon Tabasco (or other hot sauce)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon honey

• Rinse and pat dry pork chops.
• Season flour with spices, salt and pepper.
• Sprinkle both sides of pork chops with seasoned flour.
• Heat olive oil in large skillet and brown pork chops on both sides over medium-high heat.
• Remove pork chops from skillet and put in warm oven.
• Add onion, cook and stir for 3 minutes.  Add extra olive oil or a little butter, if needed.
• Add apples, cook and stir for 2 minutes.  Add extra olive oil or a little butter, if needed.  Add fresh garlic, if using.
• Stir in juice, Tabasco, sugar, honey and any remaining seasoned flour until well mixed.
• Return pork chops to skillet, bring to boil and reduce heat to low.
• Cover and simmer 5 minutes or until desired doneness.

Serve with buttered egg noodles and steamed green beans.

Swordfish and Spaghetti with Citrus Pesto

Recipe from Giada DeLaurentis/Food Network

This was delicious, but I did not stop to take a photo.  This was the first time I have ever had swordfish and it is a wonderful firm flesh fish.  If you are in a hurry or don't have any fresh basil, you could use jarred pesto and add the lemon and orange zest and juice.
For the Citrus pesto:

1 pound spaghetti pasta (recommended: Barilla)
1 bunch fresh basil, about 3 cups leaves
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
1 clove garlic
1 lemon, zest grated and juiced
1 orange, zest grated and juiced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup grated Parmesan

For the Swordfish:
4 (6-ounce) swordfish steaks
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta and reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta liquid.

Blend the basil, pine nuts, garlic, zests, juices, salt, and pepper in a food processor until the mixture is finely chopped. With the machine running, gradually add the olive oil until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the Parmesan. Toss with the warm spaghetti and the reserved pasta water.

Meanwhile, place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Brush both sides of the swordfish fillets with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the swordfish 3 to 4 minutes a side for a 1-inch thick fillet.

Transfer the pasta to a serving platter and top with the grilled swordfish fillets and serve.

Mock Oyster Dip

I loved this dip as a child and it was the only food I craved while pregnant (guess it was the broccoli)

4 packages chopped broccoli, cooked and drained
1 8-ounce can mushroom pieces (to use fresh mushrooms see below)
Salt and red pepper
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 roll garlic cheese, sliced
1 bunch green onions
1 stick butter

Sauté green onions in butter.
Add soup; when hot, add cheese and melt.
Add broccoli and mushrooms.
Salt and red pepper to taste.

Best when hot. Serve with your favorite chips.  I also like dipping veggies in this dip.

If using fresh mushrooms - slice (and lightly chop for small pieces) fresh mushrooms, then saute' with the green onions until soft and cooked through.
 
Kraft garlic cheese roll is impossible to find.  You may substitute with Velveeta and some diced jalapenos or check the deli cheese case for a similar substitute.

Butternut Squash Risotto

This was the first time I ever cooked with butternut squash or made risotto, but it will not be the last.  This was really yummy and creamy and wonderful.

You will have several things going at once - squash roasting in the oven that needs to be stirred every 10 minutes, near constant stirring of the risotto on the stove and toasting of the walnuts - this will be much easier with another person to help (or at least keep kids occupied, phones answered, etc.) so you are not far from the stirring for long because the risotto will stick to the bottom of the pot if it goes unstirred too long.  The stirring would be a great job for an older child so you can focus on the squash and nuts (I burned over-toasted my first batch of walnuts).

I made a few alterations -

• dried herbs (use 1/2 of the recommended fresh quantity)
• vegetable broth
• no mushrooms (DS is anti-mushroom at the moment)
• it took more broth than stated in the recipe, so have some extra on hand

Recipe adapted from the September/October 2010 issue of Clean Eating magazine

Butternut Squash Risotto

Butternut Squash Risotto with Walnuts

INGREDIENTS

3 cups peeled, diced fresh butternut squash

EVOO or olive oil cooking spray

Sea salt and pepper to taste

4 cups low-sodium organic chicken broth

1/2 cup onion, diced

1 tablespoon EVOO

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced (2 cups)

1 tablespoons garlic, minced

1 cup arborio rice

1 tablespoon fresh thyme (I used dried)

1 tablespoon fresh sage, minced (I used dried)

1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas (thawed if frozen)

1/4 cup shredded fontina or Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons chopped walnuts, toasted

DIRECTIONS

1. Peel squash with vegetable peeler and dice.
2. Toss squash in EVOO, season with salt and pepper.
3. Roast squash rimmed baking sheet in a in 425 oven for 20 - 35 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
4. Bring broth to a simmer in saucepan and keep warm.
5. Saute onion in 1 tablespoon of EVOO over medium-high heat for 3 minutes.  Add mushrooms and saute until they start to soften, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and saute for 1 minute more.  Add rice and stir to coat with oil and vegetables.
6. Add 1/2 cup of warm broth; simmer ans stir until liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes.
7. Add another 1/2 cup of warm broth, simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid is almost all evaporated.
8. Continue adding broth 1/2 cup at a time, allow to simmer until liquid is evaporated.
9. Taste rice after 3/4 of the broth has been added.  Rice is done when it's tender but still slightly firm and white in the very center (not chalky).  Continue adding broth until only 1/2 cup remains.  (Add more broth to warm if necessary -- I needed an extra one cup of broth).
10. Add thyme, sage, peas and chees to pan with last 1/2 cup of broth; stir until cheese melts.
11. Remove pan from heat before all liquid is absorbed.  Gently fold in cooked squash and walnuts.
12. Season with salt and pepper and serve warm.

Banana Nut Bread

Recipe adapted from River Roads Recipes II

Ingredients

Banana Nut Bread

1/2 cup butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour, measured after sifting

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup vanilla almond milk

3 small or 2 large bananas, very ripe

1 cup chopped pecans

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cream butter and sugar.
3. Add eggs and vanilla, beat until fluffy.
4. Add sifted dry ingredients, alternating with milk, bananas and pecans.
5. Beat well after each addition.
6. Bake in well buttered baking dish (approx. 6 1/2 x10 1/2 or a little larger) for 50 minutes or until brown and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

This recipe got rave reviews from both DH and DS and they are both big banana bread fans.

The original recipe called for cake flour, which I did not have, so I substituted regular flour.  I may try partially substituting whole wheat flour the next time.

Kibbeh

One of my favorite Lebanese dishes is Kibbeh (also, Kibby, Kibbe).  It is usually shaped like a football-ish meatball.  It is a shell of meat and bulgar containing loose browned seasoned meat and deep fried.  It is a great introduction to Lebanese food.  There are several variations of kibbeh, including a Raw Kibbeh (the raw kibbeh is shaped into a flat meatloaf shape and topped with the cooked filling, hashwee, and drizzled with olive oil), and Baked Kibbeh (ingredients layered in a baking dish, cut into diamond shapes and baked).

Kibbeh

Ingredients:

2 lbs lean ground beef (or lamb)

4 cups #1 cracked wheat (bulgar)

2 medium onions

1/2 teaspoon each cinnamon and allspice

1 teaspoon dried mint (2 tablespoons fresh)
1 teaspoon dried parsley
salt and pepper to taste
Kibbeh stuffing (see recipe below)

Directions:

• Wash wheat and let soak about 20 minutes.
• In blender, put onions, mint, basil and 1/2 cup water, blend for a few seconds.
• Squeeze water out of wheat and place in large bowl.
• Season wheat with salt, pepper and spices, knead with hands.
• Add meat and blender mixture to wheat, knead.  Add a little water if necessary.
• Set aside and make stuffing.

Kibbeh Filling (Hashwee)

Ingredients

2 pounds ground chuck

3 onions, chopped

1/2 stick butter

1/4 cup pine nuts

1/2 teaspoon all spice

juice of one lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Brown meat until liquid is absorbed, stirring constantly.  Drain fat.
• Add onions and seasonings, simmer until onions are tender.
• Add lemon juice.

Take about 1/3 cup of the shell ingredients and make a small patty.  Hollow the patty, fill with hashwee mixture and seal the hole. 

Deep fry kibbeh until done.

Serve with pita bread, hummus and yogurt sauce.



Yogurt Sauce (make the day before)

6 - 8 ounces plain yogurt (preferable whole milk, greek style)
1/2 cucumber, seeded
1/2 teaspoon dried mint

• Strain the yogurt overnight in cheese cloth or a coffee filter.
• Seed cucumber, chop into small pieces and dry with paper towels.
• Mix cucumber, mint and a pinch of salt into yogurt.

Enjoy!

Grand Marnier Cranberry Muffins

After being so disappointed with the orange cranberry muffin mix earlier in the week, I thought I would try a homemade version.  This recipe is from one of my favorite culinary mysteries, Killer Pancake by Diane Mott Davidson.  I can highly recommend the recipe and the book.

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups orange juice
1/4 cup Grand Mariner liqueur
3/4 cup canola oil
2 cups chopped cranberries
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped orange zest
4 egg whites

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Combine the orange juice, Grand Marnier, and the oil; set aside while you prepare batter.
• In a large bowl combine the all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and orange zest.
• In another large bowl, beat the egg whites until frothy.
• Combine the juice mixture with the beaten egg whites.
• Add the egg mixture and the cranberries to the flour, stirring until just moist.
• Using a 1/4 cup measure divide the batter among 24 muffin cups that have been fitted with paper lines.  Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown and puffed.

Stuffed Crabs

Hearing that tar balls from the BP oil leak have been found in the waters nearby made me crave this dish.  It will be awhile before we will have any fresh crabs here, so I thought I might share it with you.

 

Ingredients:
2 large onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon butter
1 pound crabmeat
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Pinch of thyme
1 tablespoon celery, chopped
4 slices toast
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 tablespoon parsley, minced
2 tablespoons green onions, sliced in slender rings

 

Directions:

• Saute onions and garlic in butter until tender.
• Add crabmeat, bay leaves, salt, Worchestershire, thyme and celery.
• Simmer 10 to 15 minutes.
• Remove bay leaves.
• Wet toast, squeeze to remove excess water and add to crab mixture.
• Add parsley, egg and milk, mix thoroughly with crabmeat.
• Place mixture in real or tin crab shells or in small mounds on baking sheet.
• Sprinkle with bread crumbs and dot with butter.
• Bake 350 degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes until browned.

 

To make Crab Balls, use bread crumbs instead of toast and add a little water.  Make mixture into walnut sized balls, roll in bread crumbs, then place on buttered pan. Bake until edges start to brown.

"Quick" Shrimp Creole Pasta

Serves 2 to 4 (depending on your appetite)

Ingredients
Medium-sized shaped pasta (I used bow ties)
1 medium onion, diced
1 bell pepper (any color), diced
EVOO
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jar plain Marinara sauce
cayenne, to taste (or Tony Chacherere's, Tabasco, etc.)

Directions

• Boil pasta to 'al dente' in salted water.
• Saute' 1 medium diced onion and 1 diced bell pepper in EVOO, add garlic when onions are translucent.
• Add 1-2 pounds (depends on the size of your pan and your appetite) peeled shrimp, cook until just pink, do not over-cook since they will continue to cook in the heated sauce.
• Add one jar of your favorite MARINARA sauce and add a pinch of cayenne to taste
• Heat to a simmer.
• Serve shrimp and sauce over pasta.

Add a tossed salad and warm New Orleans French bread on the side