Giada's Positano Pizzas {Dreaming of the Amalfi Coast}

In my dreams, I'm walking under a canopy of lemon trees overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea on the Amalfi Coast. Breathtaking terrain, dramatic coastline, terraced vineyards, orchards, and enchanting views of vibrant water, all things I long to see one day.

In another dream, Italian music plays in the background as I sit on a terrace surrounded by flowers, limoncello in one hand and pizza in the other, looking out at the sea as the ships come and go. Paradise.

Good things come to those who wait, so in the meantime, I will enjoy Giada's cute little Positano Pizzas at home in Georgetown, KY (a very far cry from Positano).

Pizza dough cut into hearts and briefly baked before being sliced in half horizontally, stuffed with roasted tomatoes tossed with pesto, and smothered between fresh mozzarella and Parmigiano-Reggiano. These pizzas are delightfully cute, very light, and quite delicious.

The heart shape wins me over, but I have to say I'm quite fond of cutting the pizza dough into various shapes and think this would be a great activity to do with kids while we're all being safe at home. Choose any shape, any cookie cutter, bake up the shapes briefly, slice in half horizontally, then fill with your favorite pizza toppings, brush the tops with oil and herbs and bake up for a few, then enjoy! A little happiness for everyone!

Positano Pizzas

Adapted from Giada In Italy

by Giada De Laurentiis

Serves 6

1 (16-ounce) ball of store-bought pizza dough

 pint cherry tomatoes

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

2 fresh basil sprigs

all-purpose flour, for dusting

1/2 cup freshly grated mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup fresh grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Place the pizza dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a towel, and allow it to rest in a warm place for at least 1 hour. Preheat oven to 375F. (I placed the dough in a covered bowl on top of the oven).

Pierce each tomato with the tip of a paring knife. On a small rimmed baking sheet, combine the tomatoes, olive oil, salt, garlic, and basil. Toss to coat and roast for 30 minutes, or until the tomatoes are beginning to blister. Set aside to cool. (I had leftover basil pesto so instead of tossing my tomatoes in the mixture here I used a couple tablespoons of pesto). 

Raise the oven temperature to 425F.

On a lightly floured board, use a rolling pin to roll out the pizza dough to a 1/4" thickness. Using a cookie cutter or the tip of a sharp knife, cut out six 5-inch hearts and place them on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake the hearts for about 12 minutes, or until lightly puffed and beginning to brown. Remove from the oven and cool slightly. Split the hearts in half horizontally, as if you were making a sandwich. Divide the mozzarella and tomatoes over the bottom halves and sprinkle evenly with the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Replace the tops and brush with extra-virgin olive oil. Sprinkle each heart with oregano. 

Bake for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the tops are golden. Serve warm, drizzled with more extra-virgin olive oil, if desired.

Curtis Stone's Pesto

I grew up in the 80's and early 90's in small blue-collar town called Elyria, Ohio (just about 20 or so miles south of Cleveland). It sounds cliche, but life was simpler then. It really truly was.

When you got to be a junior or senior in high school, and it was time for Homecoming or Prom, you went to the Spitzer Plaza Hotel for dinner beforehand. Back then the Spitzer was about the ONLY fine dining establishment around, and you had to drive out to the lake which was about a half hour to get there. Now this is a BIG DEAL because as I mentioned, life was simpler and NO ONE drove half an hour to eat anywhere in those days.

My friends and I would get real dressed up for our big date. Again, times were simpler. We didn't get our nails done. We didn't get our hair done. We didn't get our makeup done. But, we did do it ourselves and we were happy with that. We didn't know any different. We'd wear our fancy gowns, we always had fancy gloves up to our elbows, gaudy rhinestone jewelry, shoes dyed some neon color to match our dresses, and we were SET. Let me tell ya...we thought we were something else. We were like movie stars going to eat at a fancy restaurant.

I can still remember the first time I walked into the restaurant. I'll never forget all the blue velvet and  also never forget that this was the first time I ever heard of pesto. None of us knew what the Pasta Pesto was, but we figured pasta was the safest bet so we ALL ordered it!

When the pasta came out and it was green we were surprised and interested. What was this dish sitting before us so different than anything else we'd had before? It felt so exclusive and fancy with the freshly grated Parmesan on top. Funny enough, I don't remember if any of us really liked it, but I DO remember that we all had a blast living it up drinking our Shirley Temples and eating our Pasta Pesto. Those were the days. No worries. No responsibilities.
 

Fast forward about 30 years and I'm making pesto in my own kitchen with ingredients that I always have on hand and basil that I grew in my bourbon barrel out back.

Pesto is no longer a specialty ingredient and times, well....they are certainly no longer simple. 

I have tried lots of different pesto recipes over the years and this one is my all-time favorite. The pesto turned out perfectly balanced. THIS IS THE PESTO RECIPE!

Pesto

Adapted from Parade Magazine

by Curtis Stone

Makes about 1 cup

2 garlic cloves

salt, to taste

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 cups fresh basil leaves, lightly packed

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/3 to 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more to cover the pesto

Note: I had SO MUCH fresh basil so I used 2 cups basil in place of 1-1/2 cups like the recipe was written. Because I used more basil I also used more oil, 1/2 cups per batch. Traditional basil pesto is made in a mortar and pestle and that is how Curtis makes his. Directions for both the mortar and pestle and food processor are below.

To make the pesto in a mortar and pestle: Mash the garlic, salt and red pepper flakes into a coarse paste. Ad 1 cup of the basil and pound until it is coarsely ground. Add the remaining 1/2 cup basil and pound until a coarse puree forms. Add the pine nuts and pound just to break them up. Add the Parmesan cheese and olive oil and mash until the nuts are coarsely ground and the mixture is well blended.

To make the pesto in a food processor: Pulse the pine nuts, garlic, sald and red pepper flakes together until the nuts and garlic are finely chopped. Add the basil and Parmesan cheese and pulse about 10 times to chop the basil. With the machine running, gradually pour in the olive oil.

Transfer the pesto to a container and float a thin layer of olive oil on top. Cover and keep refrigerated, but bring to room temperature before using.

Pickled @ IHCC

Rick Bayless' "Emergency" Black Bean Tacos {Perfect for Busy Weeknights}

I have been feeling very overwhelmed lately thinking about the upcoming school year and the fact that we are having "in-person" classes. I am so worried about my co-workers and the kids and I'm trying my best to be optimistic, but I know the odds are that someone will end up with the virus. Don't get me wrong, I want to go back to school. I want to see the kids. I want to have class, but it keeps me up at night. I am really hoping that someone calls it soon and we end up doing 100% virtual. With cases spiking it is really the safest option.

In addition to worrying about going back "in-person" we lost a few people to budget cuts which means a new position for me. I will no longer be teaching reading intervention, which is my passion. Instead, I will now be teach math intervention, which is going to be a challenge for me as math is not my favorite. I know it will all work out okay, but everything is going to be so new and different.

I'm not embarrassed to say that I'm struggling. In fact, I think we should admit these things more often. Everyone struggles and no one should feel alone in their struggle. I allowed myself to take a break last week, but I forced myself to get it together this week for a post. I bought myself some cute little taco stands (the link is here and there are wonderful, two-sided with options to hold either two or three tacos, depending on the side you chose- not afilliated) and searched high and low for the simplest of taco recipes. Let me tell you, I found the very simplest of taco recipes and you should give it a try.

 Rick Bayless' "Emergency" Black Bean Tacos are perfect for a weeknight when you are feeling tired and overwhelmed with everything. Simply saute some black beans in bacon grease, or oil, with a little garlic, warm up some corn tortillas, and whip up a super Avocado-Tomatillo Salsa in the blender. You've got a really quick and delicious dinner that would pair very well with a frosty margarita.

This is another economical meat-free option for your pandemic pantry. Food prices continue to be astronomical where I am, with meat prices absolutely sky-rocketing. While I have been cooking a number of things, I don't feel right sharing the bacon-wrapped pork loin I made a couple nights ago, so I'm trying to share things that anyone and everyone could make right now. These tacos are a perfect example of that.

Emergency Black Bean Tacos

Adapted from Rick Bayless Website

by Rick Bayless

Serves 4

 

2 tablespoons bacon grease

2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

1 can black beans

2 tablespoons crumbled feta or Mexican cheese

1 cup Avocado-Tomatillo Salsa (see below)

cilantro, for garnish

corn tortillas, in a warmer

 

For the Tacos: Place the bacon grease in the bottom of a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, then add in the black beans. Using a potato masher, mash the beans into a coarse texture and cook for 5-7 minutes. 

 Meanwhile make the avocado-tomatillo salsa. Scoop the beans into a warm corn tortilla and garnish with cheese, salsa, and cilantro.

To make the salsa: Blend 3 chopped tomatillos, 1 chopped jalapeno, 2 cloves garlic, 1 handful cilantro, and one half of an avocado until smooth.

Ina Garten's Plum Clafouti

A clafoutis is a pancake-like batter poured over fruit and baked. It is THE PERFECT thing for you to be baking right now! Times are tough and the cost of groceries is through the roof, so I'm bringing you a clafoutis that is very frugal, very easy, and very delicious. Probably the best clafouti I've ever tried.


I am pretty sure you have all the ingredients on hand to make a version of clafoutis. I chose plums because I had them on hand and they're a favorite. I love their sweet and sour nature in baked goods. Feel free to use cherries, peaches, and any kind of berry. Beyond a little bit of fruit, all you need are: eggs, sugar, a scant amount of flour, cream, baking powder, salt, vanilla, and lemon zest.

I love how the top of the clafouti gets perfectly golden brown and crisp, especially with a sprinkling of sugar while the inside of the clafoutis is soft and fluffy. This batter is especially delicious because you can really taste the vanilla and the lemon zest. The plums begin to melt away and leave their sweet and sour juices, mingling with the fluffy batter and crispy golden brown bits... it is pure heaven! Top this off with a little bit of yogurt, whipped cream, and or vanilla ice cream. Anyone would be pleased to enjoy this delicious dessert and they'd never know you whipped it up for just a few dollars!

Plum Clafloutis

Adapted from Cooking for Jeffrey

by Ina Garten

Serves 8

1 tablespoon butter, at room temp

granulated sugar

1 cup plums, 1/2" diced

good Armagnac

3 eggs, at room temp

1/3 cup granulated sugar

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour 

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 cups heavy cream

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

granulated sugar, for dusting

Notes: I adapted this recipe from Ina's Prune Armagnac Clafouti. I wanted to use up my plums so I subbed them in place of the prunes. I also did not have Armagnac and I'm not sure I ever will, so I wanted to try my hand at this recipe without it. The results were heavenly. The vanilla and lemon zest gives such great flavor I really didn't miss the Armagnac (even though I'm sure it's even lovelier with it). In addition, I never have extra-large eggs and Ina is always calling for them in her baking recipes. I used 3 regular large eggs with perfect results. The original recipe calls for 1 cup prunes, diced 1/2".

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 10" round baking dish (I used a square pan) with the butter and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar.

In a small bowl, combine the prunes with 2 tablespoons of Armagnac and microwave on high for 1 minute. Set aside. (I skipped this step. Instead, I chopped two plums into 1/2" pieces. They were juicy so I didn't add any liquid).

In the bowl of an electric mixer (I used a hand mixer) fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and 1/3 cup granulated sugar on medium-high speed for 3 minutes, until light and thick. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Combine the cream, vanilla, lemon zest, and 1 tablespoon Armagnac in a glass measuring cup. On low speeds, slowly add the dry ingredients to the batter and then add the liquid ingredients, mixing well. Set aside for 10 minutes.

Distribute the prunes/plums in the prepared pan and carefully pour on the batter. Sprinkle evenly with 1 teaspoon granulated sugar. Bake for 35 - 40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly, sprinkle with granulated sugar, and serve warm.

Curtis Stone's Spicy Sausage Breakfast Burritos...or Chimichangas

Who doesn't love a breakfast burrito or chimichanga for breakfast? We certainly never get our fill of them in my house. I find myself making them using up bits of meat, cheese, and veggies and changing them up each week, depending on what we have in the fridge.

The burrito or chimi is the perfect recipe for times such as these when you need to use what you have on hand because you DARE NOT go into the grocery since NO ONE can wear a mask. Seriously people, how hard is it? I don't want to hear the madness about being sheep. Just wear the mask.

Rant over. I love a breakfast burrito, but have you had a breakfast chimichanga? This is my new favorite thing. Not just for breakfast, but for lunch and even dinner. Take whatever filling you have on hand: beans, rice, and cheese; meat, veggies, and rice; eggs, veggies, and cheese; and stuff it into a big flour tortilla. Fold it up or roll it up. Place it in a good nonstick saute pan. You really don't need any oil or butter, maybe just a splash or a touch if you feel like it. Using tongs, turn the burrito every which way until the tortilla becomes golden brown and crispy all over. There you have it....a chimi with a crispy exterior and a toasted flavor that is sure to be a tastier version of any burrito around, and with very little to no added calories!

A chimi like this has been our new go to staple during the pandemic. Leftover taco meat and rice? Throw in some cheese and make a chimi. Leftover scrambled eggs and veggies? Turn it into a chimi. Only have beans and rice on hand? Add a touch of cheese and/or some veggies and turn it into a chimi. See the pattern here? It's easy and oh so delicious. There is only one rule: make the filling fresh or gently reheat whatever you stuff in your chimi (you don't want a cold filling). Either way, I haven't met a chimi I didn't like and it has been a very practical solution for the times we're in.

Now, I would be remiss if I didn't mention how delicious Curtis' filling is for these breakfast burritos/chimis. IT IS SO GOOD! I did change up the method a bit, but I kept the ingredients the same so I know the flavor combination is the same. Spicy from the hot sausage and jalapeno, flavorful from the sausage, green onions and peppers, and fresh from the cilantro. This is a winning combination for a breakfast burrito! Try it and see.

And whatever you do, start making chimis! 

Breakfast Burritos

Adapted from Relaxed Cooking with Curtis Stone/randomhouse.com

by Curtis Stone

Makes 4

2 spicy Italian or Spanish style sausages*

6 large eggs*

2/3 cup heavy cream*

salt and pepper, to taste

drizzle of oil

2 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced

1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

1 red jalapeno, finely chopped*

1/4 to 1/2 cup finely grated cheese*

4 10-inch flour tortillas

hot sauce 

Note: I am going to deviate from Curtis' recipe quite a bit, but I feel as though the end result is the same. See deviations in parenthesis below. Curtis' directions are in regular font. Mine are in bold and in parentheses. I used half a pound of hot breakfast sausage, a touch of cream (certainly not 2/3 cup), an orange bell pepper in place of a jalapeno, and I added in about 1/4 -1/2 cup grated pepper jack cheese). I also used 4 eggs instead of 6 eggs for two reasons, to conserve eggs and also to have a meatier burrito since we haven't been eating as much meat lately.

Preheat the broiler. Place the sausages on a heavy rimmed baking sheet and broil for 3 minutes on each side until they are cooked through and golden brown. Set the sausages aside until they are cool enough to handle, then cut them diagonally into thin slices. (I much prefer to have the sausage crumbled into my mixture so I used one half pound spicy breakfast sausage and cooked it in the skillet until it was golden brown, adding the jalapeno, cilantro, and green onions towards the end to incorporate).

Using a fork, mix the eggs(using only 4 so the mixture was quite meaty), cream, salt and pepper in a large bowl to blend. Melt the butter in a large heavy nonstick saute pan over medium low heat. Add the egg mixture. Once the eggs are just set on the bottom of the pan, add the sausages, scallions, cilantro, and jalapeno. Stir the egg mixture very slowly with a silicone spatula, scraping from the bottom of the pan, for 3 to 5 minutes or until the eggs are no longer runny. (Since I cooked my sausage in the saute pan I went ahead and kept the sausage and oil from the sausage in my pan for more flavor. I whipped the eggs in a bowl with a touch of cream (certainly not 2/3 cup) and added the eggs to the pan with the sausage mixture, allowing it to set before sprinkling on some cheese and slowly incorporating the cheese until the eggs were done. I then removed the sausage and egg mixture to a bowl).

Meanwhile, heat a griddle pan over medium high heat. Cook each tortilla on the griddle for 1 minute on each side or until warmed and softened. Divide the egg mixture among the hot tortillas, and wrap the tortillas around the egg mixture to enclose it completely and form a burrito. Serve with your favorite hot sauce. (I used the same pan I cooked the sausage and egg mixture in, removing the mixture to a bowl. I laid my tortilla out, filled it with a substantial amount of filling, folded it up, and sauteed the burrito in my nonstick pan, until it was golden on all sides, using tongs to turn the burrito around. Then I placed the burrito (or maybe chimichanga) onto a plate and sliced it down the middle. Burrito, chimichanga? You decide!).

IHCC: Breakfast All Day!

Ottolenghi's Shallow-Fried Potatoes with Sumac and Garlic Scapes

Groceries, especially meats, have been at an all-time high the past month. I'm talking $40 for a choice cut roast, $35 for five mediocre pork chops, and $18 for three pounds of ground beef. That is phenomenally high when you consider those things used to cost me $12, $8, and $10, respectively. For this reason, we've been skipping the meat and eating more veg.

I've been venturing out to my local farmer's market lately as it's not crowded and I want to support the local farmers. Garlic scapes are in season right now. If you're not familiar with them, they are the flowers of the garlic plant and need to be harvested prior to harvesting the garlic bulbs. I've been wanting to work with them for a while now but wasn't sure what to do with them.

Turns out, you use them just as you would use garlic. They say the garlic scapes are not as garlicky, so you may need to use more of them if you're using them as a replacement for garlic. Start by cutting the flowery part off - it is full of seeds and you may not wish to eat it (I used mine as a garnish only). You can cut the stem however you choose. I chose to cut mine on a bias, but thin slices will also work. It felt good to try something new.

Let's talk sumac. The sumac bush is native to the Middle East and produces deep red berries that are dried and ground into a coarse powder. It can be described as tart/sour and can be used in place of lemon. It also adds a bright pop of color. I have enjoyed it as a rub, sprinkled on top of hummus, and over certain Middle Eastern salads. I love the flavor, but I don't have an opportunity to use it that much, so I'm always looking for ways to use up my jar.

So now we have potatoes, garlic, garlic scapes, sumac, and bacon fat. Yes, I save my bacon fat. Ottolenghi uses olive oil to fry his potatoes, but in my experience, bacon fat is much more flavorful and effective. First of all, you don't have to use as much bacon fat and best of all, the potatoes will never burn. Bacon fat is simply superior. Start saving it.

You now have 5 superstar ingredients and a recipe for success. You cannot go wrong here. It may seem scary to cook the garlic cloves on the stovetop for 30 minutes - I was skeptical that they would burn and become bitter. This is not the case. I cooked this dish over low heat for 30 minutes and the garlic cloves become golden brown and caramelized, little nuggets of bliss. When I realized how beautiful the garlic was I wish I had used an entire head of garlic and I most definitely will next time!

This is a DELICIOUS dish. Trust me and throw in an entire head of garlic cloves. I loved pairing a potato with an entire caramelized clove of garlic and eating them together. Total heaven! The garlic scapes contributed a subtle garlic flavor but were really much more of a garnish than anything. The generous sprinkling of sumac goes a long way in brightening the whole dish up and making your mouth do a little pucker.

This is a fabulous side dish and/or appetizer and one that I would happily make again! We loved it!

Shallow-Fried Potatoes with Sumac and Garlic Scapes

Adapted from Ottolenghi Simple

by Yotam Ottolenghi

Serves 4

10 tablespoons olive oil*

1 pound potatoes, quartered lengthwise

5 garlic cloves, peeled

salt and pepper, to taste

3 rosemary sprigs*

3 thyme sprigs*

2 teaspoons sumac

2 garlic scapes, flowers removed, cut on a bias*

*Note: I altered this recipe to suit what I had on hand. I like to fry my potatoes in bacon fat and I had some on hand, so I subbed bacon fat for olive oil. I also decided to sub the rosemary and thyme for some fresh organic garlic scapes. You can use garlic scapes as you would use garlic, but take note that they are not as garlicky as the cloves.

Get a really good nonstick fry pan or cast iron and place oil and or bacon fat over low-medium heat. Once hot, add potatoes, garlic, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Fry gently for 30 minutes, stirring frequently, until potatoes are golden brown and soft. Add rosemary and thyme and or garlic scapes and fry for another 5 minutes, until herbs or scapes are aromatic.

Use a slotted spoon - you want most of the oil to be drained off - to transfer the potatoes and herbs or scapes to a serving plate. Stir in the sumac and serve.

Farmer's Market/Local Feed Week @ IHCC

Nigella's Mozzarella Garlic Bread

I make garlic bread often as it is a family favorite. I usually slice my loaf in half lengthwise and top both sides of the loaf with butter, garlic, herbs, and Parmesan. Slicing the bread lengthwise gives lots of surface area for the garlic butter and we love the nutty saltiness of the Parmesan cheese.

I wanted to try Nigella's recipe because she slices the bread straight down and tucks the garlic butter mixture in between the slices. Plus, her recipe uses creamy mozzarella in place of Parmesan. I added finely chopped parsley because I have to have herbs in my garlic bread.

Nigella's recipe is delicious. Everyone loved the way the bread looked, with the butter, garlic, and cheese oozing out between the slices. It is definitely very inviting. We loved the flavor and the creaminess of the mozzarella. HOWEVER, we decided that we love the flavor of Parmesan cheese more, SO I will definitely try this recipe again replacing the mozzarella with Parmesan. Either way, you can't go wrong, no matter which way you slice it, garlic bread is sooo addictive!

Mozzarella Garlic Bread

by Nigella Lawson 

Adapted from people.com

7 tablespoons butter, softened

salt, to taste

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/4 cup chopped parsley

4 ounces mozzarella cheese, finely chopped

1 (16 oz) white sourdough loaf or other chewy bread

 Preheat oven to 425F. Beat butter, salt, red pepper, garlic, and parsley in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined. Beat in mozzarella. (Note: I don't like getting out extra gadgets and washing them so I did this step by hand).

Cut bread loaf into 1-inch thick diagonal slices, taking care not to cut through the bottom of the bread.

Gently spread the garlic mixture generously and evenly between the slices. Rub any remaining mixture on top of the loaf.

Wrap bread loaf in foil, crimping the foil together at the top to seal. Bake loaf in a preheated oven until the top of the bread is brown and crisp and cheese has melted about 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven. Lift bread out of foil and place it on a cutting board. Cut and separate the slices using a serrated knife. Serve immediately.