Puff Pastry Pepperoni Pizza {So Good It's Scary}!

Did you know that you could make pizza with puff pastry? If not, you've been missing out. It is SCARY good how delicious a puff pastry pizza crust is: puffy, flaky, crunchy and oh so easy! 

All you need to do is thaw the puff pastry and then slather it with toppings: pizza sauce, cheese, pepperoni, seasoning, and then some Parmesan! It couldn't be easier! Throw it in the oven at 425 for about 20 minutes and you have a quick and delicious meal that everyone will love. 

 

Jessica Merchant's blog, How Sweet Eats, is full of different versions of her puff pastry pizzas. There is a breakfast version, a pesto version, one for pickle lovers and my favorite -her Zucchini, Lemon and Goat Cheese Puff Pastry Pizza that I made several times this summer. They are all delicious and quick - perfect for busy weeknights!

Puff Pastry Pepperoni Pizza

Adapted from How Sweet Eats 

by Jessica Merchant

Serves 4-6

2 sheets puff pastry, thawed

1 cup tomato or marinara sauce, your favorite

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

1 cup freshly grated mozzarella cheese

a bunch of pepperoni, to your liking

1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 425F. Place the thawed puff pastry on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.

 Spread the tomato sauce evenly over top, leaving a small border at the edges. Sprinkle on the herbs and garlic, evenly between both sheets. Cover with the cheese and pepperoni. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until super puffed and the cheese is golden. The pastry will look crazy puffed up, but then it will deflate once it is out of the oven. Cover with Parmesan and cut each pastry into 6 slices. Serve! 

 

Spooky Soiree @ I Heart Cooking Clubs!

Quick and Easy Maple Turkey Chili

 Have you ever put maple syrup in your chili? I hadn't and guess what? Turns out I had been missing out because the maple syrup adds a depth of sweetness that pairs very well with the savory smokiness of chili! 

Trust me, we loved it! Plus, this is the perfect chili to top your baked sweet potatoes with because the sweetness of the sweet potatoes pair perfectly with the sweetness of the chili!

If you're in the mood for a quick weeknight chili with a touch of sweetness, give this a try! I would definitely make it again!

Quick and Easy Maple Turkey Chili

Recipe adapted from How Sweet Eats

by Jessica Merchant

Makes 4

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt and  pepper

1 pound lean ground turkey

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 (14-ounce) can fire roasted tomatoes

1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 to 3/4 cups chicken stock

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions, peppers and garlic with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add in the ground turkey and another pinch of salt and pepper. Break it apart with wooden spoon and brown it, about 6 to 8 minutes. Once the meat is browned, add in the chili powder, paprika, oregano, cumin and red pepper flakes. Stir and cook for 2 minutes.

Add in the tomatoes, beans, stock, and maple syrup. Bring the mixture to a b oil then reduce it to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips, avocado, sour cream or whatever you love on your chili! 

Chili Cook Off @ I Heart Cooking Clubs+

Ina Garten's Maple Roasted Honeynut Squash {The Best Autumn Side Dish}!

 

It turns out my new love is these precious baby honeynut squash. Wowza! They are so delicious...sweet and creamy and just so savory and comforting! I've been eyeing these little honeynut squash in cookbooks for awhile now, but I just saw them at Costco yesterday and I might've squealed. They're so little they fit in your hand and well, I knew instantly that I was making Ina's Maple Roasted Honeynut Squash!

Be careful cutting them in half lengthwise, because it is quite difficult and we don't want any accidents. That would just get in the the way of your complete and total enjoyment of these little precious gems!

 I've seen recipes where you can top these beauties with toasted nuts and/or seeds, cheeses, and all things spicy like chipotle or red pepper flakes. HOWEVER, I would urge you to try Ina's recipe, made simply with: the squash, butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, and salt and pepper. It simply can't be beat. These are just so dang good. They're like addictive good. Sweet and savory, creamy, and just oh so comforting. The little squash cavity holds all the buttery brown sugar goodness and you can just spoon bites and dunk it away. It is insanely delicious. Trust me, because I was meant to eat one half and I ended up eating two halves, or one whole baby squash. If you're a squash lover, please get your hands on these babies and try this recipe. It's heavenly!

Maple Roasted Honeynut Squash

Adapted from Food Network

by Ina Garten

Serves 6

3 honeynut squash (2-1/2 to 3 pounds total)

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, small diced

4 tablespoons light brown sugar

salt and freshly ground black pepper

pure maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 400F. Cut the squash in half lengthwise through the stems. Scoop out and discard the seeds. Place the squash halves on a sheet pan, cut-sides up, distribute the butter and brown sugar evenly among the cavities of each and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, until tender. Drizzle with maple syrup and serve hot. 

Pumpkin Party @ IHCC

Sheet Pan Suppers #1: How Sweet Eats Tomato Basil Gnocchi

 

Now that school has been back in session for about a month,  I'm looking for quick, easy, and yummy meals during the week. Sheet pan meals can be tricky since not everything cooks in the same amount of time, but this Tomato Basil Gnocchi from How Sweet Eats is an example of how a sheet pan supper can come together wonderfully!

This Tomato Basil Gnocchi is my formal goodbye to summer. As the temperatures take a big dip here on the east coast, we are harvesting the last of our tomatoes and herbs and getting ready for sweater weather. I gather the last of my basil to make some fresh homemade pesto. 

In ten minutes I can put together this Tomato Basil Gnocchi. All I need to do is toss my gnocchi with the cherry tomatoes and pesto and add some extra virgin olive oil, oregano, basil, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and Parmesan. Give it all a toss and roast it in the oven for 20-25 minutes.

I am always ready for autumn, but it is always hard to let summer go. This recipe has all the flavors of summer with the tomatoes and basil. It also manages to taste both fresh from the tomatoes and herbs but satisfying with the comforting gnocchi. A real winner! I could see myself making this again, maybe even before next summer!

Tomato Basil Gnocchi

Adapted from Everyday Dinners

by Jessica Merchant

Serves 2-4

 

1 (16-ounce) package uncooked potato gnocchi

nonstick cooking spray

1-1/2 cups grape tomatoes, some cut in half

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup pesto

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, plus extra for garnish

1/4 cup freshly shaved Parmesan cheese, for topping

 

Preheat your oven to 425F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray. Spread the gnocchi and tomatoes out on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Drizzle with the olive oil and toss. Spoon on the pesto and toss until everything is coated. Sprinkle with the garlic powder, salt, pepper, oregano, dried basil, and red pepper flakes and toss well to combine everything. Make sure everything, especially the gnocchi, is seasoned well.

 

Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, tossing once during cook time. Serve the gnocchi immediately. Sprinkle with the Parmesan, additional red pepper flakes, and fresh basil.

Welcome How Sweet Eats @ IHCC!

Ruth Reichl's Stuffed Pumpkin

 Tis the season for stuffing pumpkins! In the past few weeks I've seen pumpkins stuffed in all sorts of ways, this one is stuffed with bread, cheese, cream, chicken broth, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and baked in the oven for an hour! Some would liken it to a pumpkin soup, while others would think it was more like a gratin of sorts.

 

The is really more of a method than a true recipe. The amount of filling is truly based on the size of your pumpkin or the number of pumpkins you stuff. Honestly, the main idea is to clean out the pumpkin, stuff it with toasted bread, Gruyere cheese, more bread, more cheese (in layers), and then pour a mixture of chicken broth and cream over the bread and cheese. You need about half an inch of room left at the top for things to expand and you're ready to go in the oven.

 

This is a very fun and festive autumn project to enjoy on the weekend. Most of the time is is spent with the pumpkin baking away in the oven. 

The pumpkin, bread, and cheese compliment one another perfectly. This is very tasty and comforting, but extremely rich so one small pumpkin would serve 4-6 easily. I can see topping this with some toasted walnuts or maybe some cooked and crumbled sausage. A very pretty fall dish that is fun for the whole family!

Stuffed Pumpkin

RuthReichl.Com 

by Ruth Reichl

Serves 2-4, depending

1 pie pumpkin (about 4 pounds)

good loaf French bread

Gruyere or Swiss cheese

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup cream

salt and black pepper

*nutmeg, if desired

neutral oil, for coating pumpkin

Buy a fairly small pumpkin (a pie pumpkin is perfect - about 4 pounds) with a flat bottom. Cut off the top, as if you were going to carve a jack-o-lantern, and hollow it out. Spread the seeds out and dry them to eat later.

Now get a good loaf of French bread, cube it, put the cubes on a baking sheet and toast them lightly in a 350 degree oven for about 9 minutes. Leave the oven on.

 Grate a good amount of the one of the Swiss cheese - Emmenthaler, Gruyere or Apppenzeller (the amount you need depends upon the size of your pumpkin. Layer the bread and cheese inside the pumpkin until it's almost full (leave a half inch on the top because the filling will expand a bit).

Mix 1 cup of chicken stock into a cup of cream. Add a teaspoon of salt. Grind in some black pepper and grate in some nutmeg. Then fill the pumpkin almost to the top with as much of this mixture as you need, replace the top of the pumpkin, brush the outside with neutral oil, set it on a baking sheet, and bake for about 2 hours.

Bring the whole pumpkin to the table. When you serve it be sure to scoop out the pumpkin flesh with the cheese and the cream.

September Potluck @ I Heart Cooking Clubs

Ina Garten's Baked Sweet Potato Fries with The Best Sweet Potato Dipping Sauce

 

 Dear Ina,

Thank you for your excellent recipe for Baked Sweet Potato Fries. I will be eating them regularly from now until Kingdom Come. It is an excellent recipe that is seasoned well and I LOVE THEM big time!

The reason for my letter is to ask if you've ever dipped your sweet potato fries in this amazing sweet potato dipping sauce. The sauce is a creamy, smoky, and spicy combination of three simple ingredients: mayonnaise, paprika, and Sriracha. The sauce is simply heavenly and pairs perfectly well with your sweet potato fries. Your fries and this sauce = perfection!

Trust me, I should know because I ate the entire batch of sweet potatoes all by myself, dipping and dunking away in complete bliss. Then I turned around and made another batch! Yes, your sweet potato fries with the dipping sauce is that good!

If you don't like things too spicy Ina, then cut back a little on the Sriracha, but do try the sauce. It really is ALL THAT and more. Who knows...this sauce could be all the rage at your next party in the Hamptons! It certainly was a big hit here in Georgetown, Kentucky!

Love and Gratitude,

Kim

 

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Recipe via Food Network

by Ina Garten

 Serves 3-4

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled

2 tablespoons good olive oil

1 tablespoon light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for sprinkling

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 450F. Halve the sweet potatoes lengthwise and cut each half into 3 long spears. Place them on a sheet pan and toss with the olive oil. Spread the potatoes in one layer. Combine the brown sugar, salt, and pepper and sprinkle on the potatoes. Bake for 15 minutes and then turn with a spatula. Bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, until light browned. Sprinkle lightly with salt and serve  hot. Note: You may wish to bake these on a parchment as the sugar turns dark and sticky and is a little difficult to clean. 

THE BEST SWEET POTATO FRY DIPPING SAUCE:

1/2 CUP MAYONNAISE

2 TABLESPOONS SRIRACHA

1/2 TEASPOON SMOKED PAPRIKA

Add everything into a mixing bowl and whisk together until combined.

*Dipping sauce recipe courtesy of The Big Man's World

 Fall Flavors @ IHCC

 

Ina Garten's Ultimate Grilled Cheese Sandwich

 I have been wanting to make this Ina Garten Ultimate Grilled Cheese for ages. Problem is sometimes Ina makes you feel like you need everything to be the best of the best and with today's grocery prices that's hard to do!

About a week ago, I ordered a bread box called Wildgrain, filled with artisan breads that were direct shipped to my house. The bread comes already baked, but frozen, and you bake it to reheat it. This is their sourdough loaf and the quality is pretty good, so I decided to make Ina's Ultimate Grilled Cheese.

Then I procured the aged Gruyere, the extra-sharp cheddar, the Parmesan, the 1 cup of mayo (have you noticed the price of mayo lately?) and the applewood smoked bacon. I am now in the neighborhood of $30 to make some grilled cheese and I'm not even counting the artisan bread. Ina, you really know how to write some EXPENSIVE recipes.

This recipe seems a little fussy, but it's really not. We need fresh bread, cooked bacon, grated cheese, and a very tasty mayo-Dijon-Parmesan sauce. We butter the outside of the bread and then on both sides of the interior bread we dollop the mayo-Dijon-Parmesan sauce (that stuff is delicious so slather a good bit on). The we add the pieces of bacon and a good amount of the Gruyere and extra-sharp Cheddar. 

Ina uses a panini press, but I don't have one- and personally I don't want anymore kitchen appliances- so I make mine the old-fashioned way. Truth be told, this is a great grilled cheese. I love the mayo-Dijon-Parmesan spread. I love the combination of Gruyere and extra-sharp Cheddar and I love the addition of the bacon. I would recommend this if you're looking for a great grilled cheese recipe. We all loved it and You really can't go wrong here, but I just don't know if it is THE ULTIMATE. 

Ultimate Grilled Cheese

Recipe adapted from Food Network

by Ina Garten

Serves 6

12 slices thick-cut bacon, such as applewood smoked

1 cup good mayonnaise

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 white pullman loaf or sourdough bread, sliced 1/2" thick (12 slices)

6 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature

6 ounces aged Gruyere or Comte cheese

6 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar

Preheat the oven to 400F. Arrange the bacon on a baking rack set over a sheet pan in a single layer and roast for 10-20 minutes, checking regularly until crisp. Drain on a plate lined with paper twoels and cut in 1-inch pieces.

Meanwhile, combine the mayonnaise, mustard, Parmesan salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Lay 12 slices of bread on a board and spread each one lightly with butter. Flip the slices and spread each one generously withe mayonnaise mixture. Don't neglect the corners!

Grate the cheeses. Distribute the bacon evenly on half the slices of bread. Pile 1/3 cup grated cheese evenly on top of the bacon and top with the remaining bread slices, sauce side down.

Meanwhile, heat an electric panini press or a skillet. When the press is hot, cook the sandwiches for 3 to 5 minutes in batches until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted. If using a skillet, cook the sandwiches slowly over the lowest heat, allowing the cheese to melt. Cook until cheese is melted and bread is golden brown. Allow to cool for 2 minutes. Cut in half and serve warm.

Wine and Cheese @ IHCC