I know I've been super lazy lately with keeping my blog up to date. I promise I've been cooking and baking! I just hate the writing part, and now I have a huge backlog of items to post on the blog. So, back in the 2nd trimester of my pregnancy, when I had spurts of random energy, I made this brunch for my cousins visiting from NY. It was also the first time we got to use our new kitchen table, and it worked out beautifully. Everyone fit comfortably for a change, and while we are by no means "civilized", it was still much nicer than having people hover over a small space, elbowing each other to get food :) I believe that with the new table, people even passed items to each other. Brunch was a hit and it was a wonderful way to break in the table and start to a gorgeous Spring day. One of the items I made are these hashbrown crusted quiches. I got the idea from food network, but made my own variation for the quiche fillings. While I love all things "homemade", If you're making several brunch items, a "from scratch" crust isn't always practical. Using this hashbrown crust is a major time saver and so delicious. Who doesn't like a crispy potato crust? Quiche 1 was made with roasted red peppers, spinach, caramelized onions, mushrooms, chives and montery jack cheddar. Quiche 2 was made with chorizo, roasted red pepper, scallions, and a fun cilantro/jalapeno pesto to dollop on top. Have fun with this one and try your own variation. A simple asparagus and leek quiche would be a perfect compliment to the potato crust. I'm now on week 35, and luckily still feeling great...not too much longer to go! See Recipe!
I've only had "pearl pasta" at DC's Central restaurant. They make a creamy mushroom pearl pasta "risotto" that's just divine. But, what I loved most about the dish is the tiny little pearls. It looked so unique, elegant, and had a wonderful bite...very different from any other pasta I've ever had. Ever since then, I've been keeping an eye out for this cute pasta, with no luck. Recently, I came across a box of "Israeli Couscous" at Trader Joes that appeared to look very similar. I was thrilled to discover that it's exactly what I was looking for! It definitely tastes more like a pasta than couscous, but call it whatever you want. Neil calls it "addictive", and I think that's the best description. Israeli couscous will be yet another staple in my home. I didn't make Central's version of it because I wanted something more summery and light. So, I made it with cremini/shitake mushrooms, lemon, dill, thyme, and chives. It's delicious, refreshing, and light. And unlike "risotto", it doesn't need to be served right away. This tastes fantastic at room temperature, so I suggest you take this dish to a friend's bbq this summer. That's what I made it for. Oh, and this also fits my "need for ease" right now :) I'm going to try the "risotto" version of it soon.
I'm nearing the "home stretch" of my pregnancy and as many of you have noticed, my cooking/baking has slowed down quite a bit...although eating hasn't :) Most everything I make now has to be fast and easy. This cake definitely fits the bill. You don't need to have any baking ability whatsoever for this one, yet your guests will see you as quite the expert. This is my go to cake whenever I have a last minute guest or making an elaborate dinner which requires a super quick dessert. And it definitely doesn't look or taste "quick". It's incredibly light and moist with the perfect sweetness and tartness from the berries. Look at how pretty this will look on your kitchen table for the sunny, warm months ahead! And you have the satisfaction of it coming freshly baked from your oven in the same time it would take you to go out and buy one. It's best served as soon as it's cooled to take advantage of the sugary crisp topping. The cake stands on it's own, but serving it with freshly whipped cream or ice cream is how I like it. Make it with whatever berries look good that day. You're really missing out if you don't try this one!
I've never been a salad person, but to balance out my increased consumption of pepperoni pizza, I've been trying to incorporate it into my diet for my little peanut. This is not at all easy for me given that my idea of a salad has always been potato or macaroni salad :) So, obviously not any salad will do. Luckily the traditional salad that I usually dodge can be easily reinvented into exotic goodness. The word "salad" doesn't do this yummy dish justice. Loaded with balsamic onions, figs, nuts, and cheese, not only is it healthy, but it's absolutely delicious. Customize this to your own liking by switching out different types of nuts, cheese, fruit, etc. Adding some roasted chicken or even sliced steak makes this into a fabulous meal as well. I'm still not a "salad person", but I've come a long way :)
Anytime we have Italian food at home which is quite often, I always make homemade focaccia. I love making my own breads, and this one is my favorite one. It's so worth the effort and far better than any store boughtfocaccia. It's pretty much identical to making pizza dough, consisting of the basics: high gluten flour, yeast, water, olive oil, and salt. The main difference is that it's baked in a super thick layer, and you make multiple dimples/indentations in the dough to create "rustic" look. Don't spend time trying to make it look pretty...the messier it looks, the better! Also, it usually doesn't have all the toppings a pizza would. In it's simplest form, a brush of olive oil along with a sprinkle of herbs and kosher salt is all you need. But, add away as you wish. You don't have to worry about over-topping this since it's thick enough to sustain any toppings. Pictured, I have one with tomatoes, basil, parmesan, and another with balsamic caramelized onions, parmesan, and gruyere. If Neil would give goat cheese a chance, I'd make one with roasted cherry tomatoes, goat cheese, and basil. Oh well....
I'm 26 weeks now and counting. Still no major cravings, although swedish fish have been appearing on my kitchen counter lately :)
This is your basic pad thai technique that everyone should have if they ever attempt to make this at home. My cousin has been bugging me to post the recipe, and honestly I never got around to it, b/c I was being too lazy about writing it up. It's more so a technique than a recipe. If you follow it, I guarantee you'll be happy with the results. Plus, you'll feel so much better eating this knowing exactly what went in, versus your local takeout Thai. Customize the ingredients to make your own personal pad thai. I loathe bean sprouts, so I keep them out of mine :) The key to pad thai is using a wok, not over crowding your wok, and working very quickly. The biggest mistake people make with pad thai is trying to make a gazillion servings worth at one time. You'll just end up w/ a big mush of unflavorful noodles. I know it's annoying, but the best results are achieved by cooking only 2-4 servings at a time. So, I agree this is probably not the best dish to entertain with, but it's great for a night home w/ a few friends.
On a completely different topic, I know I've been a little slow with my updates lately. But, I have a decent excuse! Turns out that back in October, '09 when my kitchen oven crapped out on me, my "God-given" oven was pre-heating, and now I'm 5 1/2 months along with a baby girl on the way in July :) I was completely lethargic the first trimester, so my cooking slowed down, but, the 2nd trimester has been wonderful to me so far. Oh, and I haven't had any food aversions or weird cravings. Well, Neil thinks my nightly strawberry milk craving is a little bizarre and that it looks like I'm chugging PeptoBesmol. I guess it is weird, considering I haven't drank that stuff since I was 5 years old! I also crave a lot of pepperoni pizza, burgers, and meatballs (hence my recent meatball post). So far I've been blessed, and things are moving along beautifully. I don't know about the future life of this blog, as I prepare for the life of our 'peanut', but, I'll try my best!
This recipe doesn't make many appearances in my house, so it's a real treat for us. I rarely make these meatballs because, besides the tomato sauce and protein, this isn't exactly a "healthy" meal. Sure, you can make them healthy by using leaner meats like ground turkey, but what's the fun in that? I don't like substitutes, and have always been one to just stick with the real thing. These traditional meatballs were a blast to make. Sitting down to eat this comfort filled meal transported me to an italian home complete with "grandma's meatballs"...even though I made the meatballs :) You must try these meatballs. If you follow the directions, you are guaranteed the most fabulous, tender, mouth watering meatball. The secret lies in not overmixing or overpacking your meat. Also, I added milk-soaked bread to make them extra moist. I didn't add too many spices/herbs to the meatball mixture itself, because I wanted the natural flavors of the meat to shine, but play around with it as you wish. However, I can't stress enough, be very gentle with the meat. Overworking it will result in tough/dry meatballs. These freeze well too. I froze them and Neil ate very well during our massive snowstorms, chowing down on hearty meatball subs. I told him to make the most of them now because it'll be another year before he sees these again :)
So after all my complaining of seeing no snow in No. Va for the last few years, we get slammed! This most recent snowstorm brought down two trees in my backyard, and Neil measured about 25 inches on our deck! But we got really lucky, because several people we know were out of power for the weekend, which is horrible. Despite our cabin fever, I must admit that the snow was a pleasant experience for us. Our neighborhood looked absolutely gorgeous, and being stuck inside with fully functional power, heat, water, and food was a blessing. That said, I won't run my mouth anymore, and I'm finally ready for an end to winter snow. However, mother nature has other ideas and we have more snow headed our way on Tuesday that could be an additional 10-20 inches!!!
Going back to the wkd storm...Neil even got us out of our neighborhood to make it to our friend's superbowl party on Sunday. The "party" turned out to be only 4 people, but hey, I was just happy to be out and about. We bought groceries early last week, so I had everything I needed to make this decadent cake. My last cake was strawberry, so I wanted to make chocolate this time...ALL chocolate. Hands down, my favorite chocolate cake recipe is an adaptation of Hershey's. This recipe yields the most incredible chocolate flavor with a wonderful moist, fluffy texture. To ice it, I found a luscious chocolate buttercream that has a unique taste due to the secret addition of ovaltine. I know it sounds weird, especially for me, because my memory of ovaltine is my mom forcing it down my throat and me refusing it. I hated anything deemed "healthy" when I was little. But don't knock this creamy, dreamy perfection till you've tried it! It's definitely the only chocolate buttercream recipe I'll use from now on, and the sole reason I have ovaltine in my pantry. I also threw in some homemade chocolate pastry cream and mini chocolate chips to fill/ice the cake. Is that enough chocolate in a cake? I thought it was sinfully perfect :)
At least I have leftovers to dig into as we anticipate the next big snow!
It's snowing outside as I write this, and I'm craving something warm and hearty. This stew is calling to me. I've never been into the typical beef or chicken stews. They never hit the spot for me. But, I'm always satisfied by this exotic, deceivingly rich, flavorful stew, this time of year. Actually, Neil introduced me to this stew years ago. He slaved away all day to make this for me for my birthday. This was the only time he cooked for me where I didn't help at all :) In fact I left the house for the day. I was a little nervous on what to expect, especially since I'm a little overly critical of food (SAYS HE), but I was blown away. The stew base is a puree of coconut milk and pungent flavors of fresh peppers and herbs. Don't be scared off by the number of ingredients. The only reason it took Neil so long is because he didn't have the proper tools. It's really fast if you use an immersion blender, and if you don't have one yet, buy it! They are really affordable on amazon.com. This handy tool has made cooking so much faster for me, so much so, that this stew can even be made on a weeknight. This tastes even better the next day. I usually make a huge potful so I can warm my tummy all week long :) I like serving it over creamy polenta, but traditionally, it's served with rice. Hope those in VA are enjoying the snow!
I checked the weather and planned ahead this past weekend. They were calling for a slow, steady cold rain on Sunday, so I knew I'd be in need for some comfort. Comfort came in the form of homemade buttermilk biscuits, gravy, and bacon for breakfast. I bought the few ingredients I needed on Friday after work. Starting the day off with these lifted my spirits and kept them going all day long. And to top it off, I was blessed with the most gorgeous sunny day on this holiday Monday :) These biscuits are unbelievably easy and fast to make, so try making them for your rainy day! Turn them into a dinner biscuit by adding cheddar and chives to the recipe.
I had a bacon, egg and cheese biscuit which I dipped in country gravy. Talk about comfort!! Neil stuck w/ the original biscuit n' gravy :) Btw, making a country gravy is essentially a simple bechamel recipe that you can find anywhere. The only difference is that the base roux is made with meat drippings (in this case, bacon) and flour, instead of butter and flour.
Happy New Year! I can't believe the holidays are over and we're back to reality so soon. Jan/Feb/March are the hardest months for me b/c it's frigid cold without the holiday spirit. I'm just counting down the days till Spring! We did have a wonderful holiday season though. Christmas in San Fran was a treat. My sister in law made some delicious Indian food from scratch. I was sure to get all the recipes, so look out for that in 2010.
After ringing in the New Year at Zaytinya, we celebrated my mom's bday on New Years Day. Luckily it was a holiday, and I got to spend the day baking a fabulous cake. I haven't baked a cake in a while, so to ease back into it, I made a simple strawberry cake with none of the fancy, laborious fillers that I normally do. This cake just personifies "fun", and it's made for a lady, having been coined the "Pink Lady" cake. The name of the cake hooked me, and strawberries in the cake batter sealed the deal. This cake makes you want to have a slumber party with your girlfriends, dance to Madonna, and of course stuff your face with cake. No, I did not entertain that, but the daydream was ever present. But, no worries, the boys enjoyed the pink as well. I found the recipe on the Smittenkitchen blog (which is becoming my favorite food blog out there). The recipe originates from the Sky High cook book, and when you look at this cake you'll see that it really is "sky high". In fact I had to take it to my parents without a cover. My cake top was too small, and even my largest cake box couldn't fit it. So, if you plan to travel with this cake, prepare your compartment ahead of time. I did make some alterations to the recipe as noted below. Feel free to follow my changes, or just stick with the original. Happy eating in 2010 :)
- I used 2 cups strawberries (versus 1 1/2 cup). - I thawed the strawberries before I pureed them. The frozen strawberries will solidify you softened butter. - I followed the cream cheese frosting recipe but then folded in 1 1/2 cup of freshly whipped heavy cream. Only reason for this, is that my mom likes a "lighter" tasting frosting, although this obviously add more fat :) - The recipe calls to mix 8 egg whites just to blend. I did this with 4 of the egg whites. With the remaining 4, I whipped them to somewhat stiff peaks, and gently folded them into the batter at the end. I did this for a fluffier cake. - The cake itself is not very sweet, but the frosting is. If you are eating the cake alone, add about 1/2 cup more sugar. - I added about 4-5 drops of red food coloring (versus 2) to the batter. It's suppose to be pink!! - I used frozen strawberries, which is what the recipe calls for. If you use fresh, and they aren't very sweet, do compensate with additional sugar. I recommend sticking with the frozen for consistency.
Being snowed in last weekend was a real treat! I haven't seen such beautiful snow in the NoVa region in years. I opened up all of my shades, and spent the time making more holiday cookies while watching the snow fall. It was so peaceful and it was actually nice to be "stuck" at home, and not deal with the typical holiday madness. I also took out my homemade brioche from the freezer and made this comforting french toast for breakfast. Brioche makes the best french toast because of it's dense, yet fluffy nature. It soaks up all the yummy custard without becoming soggy like a typical bread would. The french toast recipe is as simple as it gets. This would be a fabulous brunch item if you have overnight guests for the holidays. Happy Holidays everyone!!!
Do you have the daunting task of hosting a holiday party? If so, you'll need some quick, easy apps that pleases a crowd. This one never fails, and it's my savior everytime my head's about to explode. These brie puffs, made with simple ingredients of pepper jelly and brie, make a fun, fancy, and festive canape. And take a look at the same ingredients stuffed into a pastry, transforming it into a gourmet"brie en croute". Personalize it for the holidays by topping it with a cut out like I did :) When you cut into it, the luscious cheese and jelly literally oozes out. It's insanely good! Either one is guaranteed to be gone before you know it. Play it safe and make both! Lucky for me, I'm pretty stress free this year since my sister-in-law is hosting in San Fran :) I've never spent the holidays on the west coast, and am looking forward to it. Perhaps I'll do a cookie day this weekend to take some treats with me. Happy Holidays!
It's that time of year again! Although the frigid temperatures make me feel like hibernating, I welcome the snow :) This past weekend's snowfall was a beautiful tease, and it got me craving these snowball cookies. I started making them last year and they are now a staple in my holiday cookie assortment. What I love about these is the touch of spice that sets it apart from the typical snowball cookie. It's the perfect holiday treat, curled up on your sofa with a hot cup of tea, and not a single care in the world...that is until you finish the cookie :)
I'm a little late posting this week, but wanted to make sure I got this one out before Thanksgiving. The last couple of years we've been trying to make more eclectic Thanksgiving items. The typical mashed potatoes and green bean casserole can be a bore. I came across this seasonal butternut squash/chickpeas salad on the smitten kitchen blog archives. I tested it out on friends last weekend, and it's definitely a winner. Neil is asking me to make this for him on weeknights now. It's so easy to make, and would be a great addition to Thanksgiving as a precursor to the meal or a side. What makes this so good is the tahinidresing. I would put that dressing on any salad. I hope everyone has a happy and safe Thanksgiving. Eat well!!!
Btw, my oven is finally working! Although, I was secretly hoping for new appliances, I suppose I can wait.
I can't believe Thanksgiving is 2 weeks away! I love this holiday because I get to eat the most delicious homemade food made by the fabulous chefs in my fam. Not to mention, there's no stress of gifts. As I posted last year, I typically spend my Thanksgiving in NY. We (the cousins) are actively trying to come up with a Thanksgiving menu, slowly but surely. Since I'm traveling there, I take something small that keeps well. Year after year, my job has been Pecan Pies and Baklava. Not sure how I got stuck with Baklava, considering that it's not really a Thanksgiving staple. I made it one year, and it became a requirement thereafter. I didn't even like baklava all that much in the beginning, but over the years I've developed a taste for it. My previous aversion to baklava can be blamed on the awful baklava at most bakeries/restaurants around here. They tend to be overkill...way too sweet, soggy, and sticky. Homemade is far superior because you have control over those elements. For Thanksgiving, I make pecan/chocolate chip baklava. However, after having delectable pistachio baklava in Turkey (which is nothing like the stuff they call "baklava" here), I made it with pistachios, as pictured. I like both versions, and doing a mixture of nuts also turns out great. I agreed to take up my usual items this year. But, now that I posted the recipe, perhaps someone else will take it over in the future ;)
As I previously mentioned, I'm currently without oven :( We had a guy come and take a look at it on Sat. morning. He ended up fixing the oven, so I put it to the test with with these "eggs in a basket" for breakfast. I've timed this recipe to exactly 8 minutes and 30 seconds, which consistently produced the perfect yolk center....not too runny, but just very slightly cooked. Well, the test failed. The yolk was completely runny even after 12 minutes, and I ended up sticking them in the toaster oven. I put a meat thermometer in the oven, and as I suspected, it didn't come to the display temperature. Neil thought that maybe we just needed to clean the oven, so he used the oven cleaner function. Well half way thru the "cleaning", the oven died again. So, now I have a dead oven, which btw is also locked due to the oven clean function! Neil's still determined to get it fixed though and the handy man's coming back this week.
Anyways, these eggs in a basket are awesome in a working oven. I got the recipe from my cousin, and have been making them almost every other weekend. They are insanely simple, and so festive for a brunch party. You can make endless variations for a crowd. I like to make them with jack cheese and scallions. But, you can do basil/tomato/mozzarella, tarragon/brie, thyme/gruyere, bacon/cheddar/chives. etc. The basket is made of two wonton wrappers. You can alternately make the basket with slices of prosciutto, which is also delish. Baking times will depend on how you like your yolks, so just play around with the timings. I pull it out when it jiggles with some consistency.
This past Saturday, I got to visit my friend's family farm out in Shenandoah. It was a mini reunion of sorts, since she invited some of my best girls from VT. We were all thrown together at Shanks Hall freshman year, and have remained best buds ever since. We've come a long way from the awkward, overly eager freshman girls we once were...priceless memories. The farm was the perfect setting for our gathering. This isn't your typical farm. It's the wonderland of farms complete with fun farm animals, pumpkin patch, fire pits, an absolutely gorgeous house (w/ my DREAM kitchen), and random nooks/crannies throughout the land. The addition of fall foliage to the inherent beauty, made it all surreal. My description doesn't do it justice. We had a wonderful lunch out there, and walked over to the firepit for smores, petting the goats and donkeys along the way. I told Neil I want to retire on a farm until he reminded this "city girl" of farm duties. I suppose I'm better suited as a guest :)
To thank them for being invited, I made my holiday tart that I posted last year. Consisting of butternut squash, turnips, and parsnips, I thought it was perfect for this event and time of year. Well, making this tart turned into a bit of a fiasco. My oven died on me!!! I mean, it's completely shot...dead. I was able to bake my crust, and right after I pulled it out, it was over. The oven has been doing this periodically the last few weeks, so I knew something was wrong, but it usually turns right back on after 10 minutes. Well, it's Monday now, and it's still dead. Neil's desperately trying to do whatever he can to get it fixed. He knows that if we have to replace the oven, I'm going to coerce him into replacing other old appliances in the kitchen too....I've been dying for a 5 top burner. Hey, you always get a better deal if you buy more, right? That's what I'm trying to tell Neil :)
Anyways, I improvised and cooked the vegetables for the tart in a dutch oven versus roasting them in the oven. Then, I drove over to my mother in law's house to bake the assembled tart. I finally made it to the farm, tart in hand, only an hour late.
I had some leftover crust, so on Sunday, I made mini onion tarts in my toaster oven of all things! This tart, as pictured, consisted of a thick layer of caramelized onions, gruyere, and prosciutto. The recipe is very similar to the holiday tart, so if you follow those instructions, swap out the vegetables for more caramelized onions, and add prosciutto, you'll be set. If you're vegetarian, leave out the prosciutto and you won't miss a thing.
Ugh...I can't even make Halloween cupcakes without an oven. All of a sudden everything I want to make involves an oven :(
I just spent the last week relaxing in Puerto Vallarta (PV), Mexico. It was a rather last minute vacation. Our last major vacation was back in March (Bali). We had little mini trips throughout the summer to NY, Miami, New Orleans, etc, but I was just itching for a week long trip somewhere...anywhere warm! Given the state of the economy, swine flu scares, and "current events" in Mexico, we ended up getting an amazing deal at a Westin timeshare in PV. I don't get scared off too easily from traveling :)
This is the first trip where we didn't plan out anything or do activities. We literally just lounged by the pool all day, got up to grab lunch, late afternoon 2 for 1 margaritas, lounged some more, then got up again for dinner :) Not really my style of vacation, since I love exploring and having constant activity, but we just decided to try something new. It was a welcomed change, and Neil was happy not to be dragged around everywhere. But, if you are an activity person, there's still tons to do in PV. They have several canopy tours to choose from along with typical ATV, snorkeling, diving activities, sunset cruises, etc. You can make it as relaxing or active as you desire.
The weather was fabulous for me, but scorching for Neil...about low 90s everyday. You won't find me complaining in the warmth :) The town was fairly quiet. Besides people's weariness to fly to Mexico right now, it is low season, and the town was primarily populated with Mexican tourists. They like to come out before the town is bombarded with American tourists.
We got to eat some great food, see fabulous sunsets, and always got prime spots at the pool. Besides the pool, we mostly hung out at the Malecon area in PV. This is a pedestrian friendly zone at the beach, with several restaurants, bars, and nightlife. There's also some live shows along the bridge that occur at night. Another area is the Marina, also abundant with restaurants. Our resort was right next to the Marina. Due to the low season, most tourists were in the Malecon versus the Marina. The Marina is about a 15 minute drive from downtown (Malecon), so we rented a car for the week. However, there's a convenient bus service as well. Below, I listed some places that we went to and others that were recommended to us.
It was the perfect little getaway, and should keep me put for the time being. Anyways, the holidays are right around the corner!
DINNER: Le Bodeguita del Medio- Malecon area; the food was very average and lacked flavor, but the place is always packed. The have a live band and very active salsa dancing. You have to go after hours just to see the locals do salsa. They are amazing. Barcelona Tapas- Malecon area; excellent for sunsets and fun spanish tapas. Need a reservation. Si Senor- Malecon area; Mexican restaurant with fabulous mole sauces. Las Palapas- Malecon- at beach; Ecclectic with mexican influence; outdoors; nice view of beach and sunset. Reservation recommended for beach front. El Fogon- Marina area- fun Mexican food; great fish tacos Caio- Malecon area; highly recommended; Mexican fusion Astair- Malecon area; highly recommended, high-end French fusion PiPi's- Malecon area; Mexican/Tex Mex; frequented by a lot of locals; very casual El Aryan- Malecon area; Modern mexican Pepes- Malecon area; good for tacos; very casual
LUNCH: El Coleguita- Marina area- fresh seafood; good for lunch because they close around 7pm once they run out of fresh seafood Marismos- Malecon area has a taco stand, but Marina has a restaurant- best fish and shrimp tacos in PV; it's a dive, so better for lunch 8 Tostadas- Marina area; frequented by a lot of locals Coffee Cup- Marina and Malecon areas- great coffees, pastries, and sandwiches if you want something light; good for breakfast and lunch
Other: Punto V- Malecon area; This place was our favorite after hours place. They played great 80s and 90s music. On nights when they have a Mexican crowd, they play a lot of spanish music. We had a blast on all nights. They serve a decent lunch as well with a nice view of the beach. Malecon Beach Bars- you'll find random beach bars along the Malecon beach serving drinks, barbeque, and mexican food. I enjoyed sitting at the beach during the afternoon for a drink and chips/guac.
This past weekend I had the honor of co-hosting a baby shower for one of my closest friends. Since I was in charge of the food, I volunteered my place. I cooked for a total of about 20 people. I've cooked for large groups before, but this was a little different because I wanted to make "dainty" food which means a bunch of individual finger food items. These are usually tedious in nature and more time consuming than making a meal. It was a little overwhelming at first, but I'm a stressball by nature. Once I detailed everything out from grocery lists, prep work to the order of execution, my mind was at ease. I'm all about lists! The shower turned out wonderful, and all the food was very well received. The thrill of accomplishing it was priceless. I would definitely love to cater full time one day, but until then events like this are great practice and keeps my passion alive.
So, today's recipe is the "pizzettes" that I made for the shower. Don't you love words that end in "ette"...croquette, flowerette, toilette, etc...it just makes it sound prettier :) Anyways, these pizzettes are always a hit, and you can do any variation of toppings you want. The variation I made for the shower uses a homemade crust, roasted garlic spread, caramelized onions, sauteed shitake mushrooms, fontina cheese, thyme, and finally a light drizzle of truffle oil. I've posted the recipe to my pizza crust, which was a previous post on this blog. The pizza crust recipe will make about 40-50 pizzettes depending on how thin you make them. I definitely prefer a homemade crust for this. I'm convinced that the crust is the key to a good pizza, and a bad crust completely ruins a pizza. If you don't have the time to make your own crust, call up your favorite pizza place and see if they'll sell you a ball of dough. As for the toppings and method, here's a brief how to:
Roasted Garlic- I used about 4 heads of garlic for this recipe. Peel all cloves of garlic, and place in a saucepan. Pour olive oil over the garlic until almost fully submerged (about 3/4 way). Place on the stove on very low heat. Roast the garlic until it is soft. Be sure to keep checking on it to ensure the garlic isn't burning, and adjust the heat accordingly. It could take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. Just keep an eye on it periodically. Once it's done, remove the garlic cloves to a bowl and mash with a fork until you have a paste. Save the leftover garlic oil to sautee your mushrooms.
Caramelized Onions- I used 3 large spanish onions for this recipe. Peel and thinly slice your onions. Heat a large skillet on the stove over medium heat and add about a tablespoon each of butter and olive oil. Add the onions and 1/2 tablespoon of sugar. Sautee on medium heat for a few minutes, and then reduce the heat to low. Season with kosher salt/pepper. Stir in some fresh thyme. Stir every so often until the onions have gotten soft, and golden/caramel colored. This will take about an hour. Taste for seasonings and add sugar/salt/pepper as needed.
Shitake Mushrooms- I used 1.5 pounds of mushrooms for this recipe. You can use a mix of shitake, oyster, and baby bellas too, but I prefer all shitake. In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt olive oil and butter. Add your shitake mushrooms and sautee until caramelized. You should do this over med-high to high heat to develop the flavor of the shitake. Season with fresh thyme, salt, and pepper. Increase the heat if the mushrooms aren't caremlizing. Add more butter/oil as needed. You will need to sautee the mushrooms in multiple batches. When cooking mushrooms you never want to overcrowd the pan, because it will prevent the mushrooms form caramelizing and developing it's potential in flavor. Each batch will take about 5-10 minutes to sautee.
Once your pizza dough has risen, you want to roll it out very thin on a floured surface, approx 1/8 of an inch. You can then proceed to cut out circles with a cookie cutter. Note that once the circles are cut, there will be some shrinkage. So, I actually roll out each individual circle again. You then line them up on a greased cookie sheet and bake them in a 400 degrees oven for about 10 minutes. The reason they are half pre-baked is so it's easier to spread the roasted garlic on. Once half baked, let cool. Proceed with spreading roasted garlic. Top with caramelized onions. Top with sauteed shitake mushrooms. Sprinkle with fontina. Sprinkle some thyme. Bake pizzettes in a 425 degrees oven until the cheese has melted. Once baked, removed from the oven, you can drizzle with truffle oil.
This one is pretty time consuming, but the end result is well worth it. It's the perfect item for a party in presentation and taste!
Hey there! I'm Sonal, and currently reside in Northern Va. with my husband Neil. Food is my life...along, w/ my family of course :) I'm officially in the 30-something world, and desperately felt the need to start expressing my passion. I'll be writing about eating, cooking, baking, and posting recipes that I’ve tested myself. I'll also include my food experiences in the area and those on my travels.
I know I've been super lazy lately with keeping my blog up to date. I promise I've been cooking and baking! I just hate the writing part, and now I have a huge backlog of items to post on the blog. So, back in the 2nd trimester of my pregnancy, when I had spurts of random energy, I made this brunch for my cousins visiting from NY. It was also the first time we got to use our new kitchen table, and it worked out beautifully. Everyone fit comfortably for a change, and while we are by no means "civilized", it was still much nicer than having people hover over a small space, elbowing each other to get food :) I believe that with the new table, people even passed items to each other. Brunch was a hit and it was a wonderful way to break in the table and start to a gorgeous Spring day.
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