Girl Gone Gourmet

Apples

2012-01-02T10:06:00.000-08:00

Of all the pictures posted on the blog these apple photos are among my favorites. They first appeared in a post about cranberry applesauce and since then I have always loved them.

They are included in my family album and proudly displayed alongside favorite photos of friends and family.

"That's my brother Scott, my best friend, Kristen, and... oh, yes, my most favorite apples."

Aren't they cute?

Coffee

2011-12-29T08:47:00.000-08:00

Coffee.

I love to drink it.

I love to take pictures of it.

There's something about a coffee photo that evokes feelings of peace and calm.

Makes me think of lazy weekends, cozy breakfasts and long conversations.

These photos always remind me to slow down and enjoy the moment.

Roasted Garlic

2011-12-26T08:33:00.000-08:00

A spoonful of roasted garlic-y goodness.

I took this picture over two years ago and I'm not sure why it never made it to the blog. Somehow it got filed away and I forgot about it, so I'm glad I found it.

I'm a little obsessed with roasted garlic and it's one of my go-to ingredients. Roasting it mellows out the flavor and it's great in almost anything that calls for garlic, especially in soups, sauces and dips. Roasting it is very easy-- it's as simple as drizzling olive oil over a whole bulb, wrapping it in foil, and letting it roast on either the grill or in the oven for 30 minutes. Here are a couple of my favorite ways to use it...

Roasted Garlic Pesto
Onion, Bacon & Roasted Garlic Dip

Enjoy!

Picture Poetry

2011-12-22T08:51:00.000-08:00

I love this picture, but I can't take credit for taking it.

Someone else took it.

I also can't take credit for what's on the plate.

Someone else made it.

It was sent to me by someone who, over the last few months, has taught me to poach an egg and properly slice a shallot, among many other things.

It's not often I meet people who are compelled to take a picture of their dinner and send it to me.

This photo was originally attached in an email with a description of what was on the plate.

"Pork shoulder with polenta, roasted vegetables and blanched greens."

To me, it read like poetry.

I like stuff like that.

I'm glad he does, too.

Sweet

2011-12-20T06:06:00.000-08:00

Of all the pictures I've taken of desserts, this cookie dough one is by far my favorite.

Makes you want to take a big ol' bite, right?

So, in honor of my favorite "sweet" picture, here are a few of my favorite "sweet" posts from the past...

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cheesecake

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Fresh Corn Cupcakes

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Bars

Blueberry Hand Pies

Enjoy!

Nostalgia

2011-12-18T06:39:00.000-08:00

Christmas time is here.

This year I'll be traveling home to spend the holidays with my family.

Christmas in Wyoming.

It's been a while and I'm looking forward to it.

However, instead of packing for the trip, I've been spending the day going through photos. It's so easy to get lost in them -- revisiting old favorites and discovering new ones.

Makes me feel all nostalgic, so I thought I'd share some them over the next week and half while I'm away. Some photos, some stories and some links to some of my favorite recipes posted on this site. Seems a fitting way to close out 2011.

In the meantime, I wish you and yours a very wonderful Christmas.

Cheers

Yolks

2011-12-17T10:13:00.000-08:00

Yolks.

That's a funny word.

Yolks, yolks, yolks.

I was left with quite a few laying around after making green pea eggs and didn't want them to go to waste.

"When life gives you yolks make some egg salad."

Is that how the saying goes?

Anyway, a little mayo, some parsley and crispy bacon makes for nice egg salad.

Serve it open faced on toast with some baby arugula.

The end.

Charmed

2011-12-07T10:43:00.000-08:00

These little green pea "eggs" are my take on a cute little brunch item from the restaurant Sprout in Chicago. We ordered these on a grey, cold morning and their freshness and whimsy brightened the day and made me, oh, so happy. I was so charmed that I haven't been able to stop thinking about them since the trip, which was over two weeks ago.

I used this recipe to make the green pea mousse-- I just followed the pea mousse steps and ignored everything else. Then I piped the mousse into the egg white cups (remove the yolks) and garnished with crispy bacon and fresh parsley.

So cute and so charming.

Bolognese

2011-12-04T14:04:00.000-08:00

It's rainy and cold here in the Big D, which means it's perfect weather to stay inside and slow cook a hearty pasta sauce. I love any excuse to eat pasta.

Bolognese has been on my "To Dos" for a while and, for a long time, I thought it was some fancy Italian specialty full of mysterious and exotic ingredients. Then I learned that it's really just a humble meat sauce and, as it turns out, something that made many appearances at my family's table when I was a kid. The version my mom made growing up was a simple sauce with ground beef. The "Anderson Family Spaghetti Night" was a big deal so imagine if we had dressed it up and called it "The Anderson Family Bolognese Night"? We would have been the fanciest family in the neighborhood.

I recommend making this on a lazy Sunday when there's nothing to do except watch reruns of "Top Chef". Commercial breaks are the perfect opportunity to give the sauce a stir as it simmers on the stove.

Bolognese Sauce
Adapted from Gourmet October 2002

Serves 8

2 medium onions, finely chopped

2 medium carrots, finely chopped

1 leek, finely chopped

5 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/4 cup olive oil

1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed

1 pound ground veal
6 ounce can tomato paste

1 cup whole milk

1 cup white wine

1 cup water

2 teaspoons fresh thyme

salt

pepper

Cook the sausage and veal in a large pot over medium high heat until cooked through and browned. Remove from the heat and drain most of the fat from the pan. Lower the heat to medium, add in the olive oil and cook the onion, carrot, leek and garlic until the vegetables have softened. Return the meat to the pot and cook for a few minutes more.

Add the milk, wine and tomato paste to the pot and stir until combined. Add in the water and stir again. Reduce the heat and cover with a lid. Allow the sauce to simmer for around 3 hours. In the last 30 minutes add in the thyme and season with salt and pepper. Serve with pasta and garnish with fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

New Skill

2011-11-28T06:17:00.000-08:00

It's time to update my resume...

After two years of failed attempts I am happy to announce that I have successfully poached an egg. Gone are the days of searching for poached eggs in restaurants. Now I can just roll out of bed and poach eggs in my very own kitchen. I'm still in shock. Me, poaching eggs, in my own kitchen!

This would not have been possible without some very special direction and advice from an unnamed source. Turns out, there are three important factors in egg poaching: temperature, technique, and tools.

First, the water must be almost simmering. It should be heated to the point where the bubbles just start to rise to the surface.

Second, stir the water in one direction until it's moving fast. Then, carefully, drop the egg in. The yolk must be in the center so that it stays in place, but the whites swirl around it.

Third, a slotted spoon with a bend in the handle (so it's easy to get under the egg) is the best tool for getting the egg from pot to plate.

I enjoyed my poached egg on some toast with jack cheese and mushrooms sauteed in butter, parsley and green onion.

Oh, happy day.

Questions & Answers

2011-11-27T13:52:00.001-08:00

Sometimes I think I will find all the answers just by cooking something. Often, when I have a lot on my mind, I am pulled to the kitchen and lose myself in the cooking process. I find the act of taking something and combining it with other "somethings" completely soothing and comforting. In the kitchen most things start with a question and, hopefully, by the end, there is an answer that makes sense and is delicious.

I wish it was that easy outside the kitchen.

I do much better when the steps are clear and I can go from A to B to C. The whole "A, B, C" thing has served me pretty well up until this point.

But then something unexpected happened.

A wonderful and happy something.

The jolt has propelled me to the kitchen and I've been very busy working through all the questions and trying to find the answers. Now I have a fridge full of tasty stuff, but the answers I really need are still pending.

I've decided to employ a new strategy made famous by Bobby McFerrin...

"Don't worry, be happy."

It's really hard not to worry, Bobby...

...but, I will try.

I Love...

2011-11-26T11:46:00.001-08:00

I love me some crab cakes.

I love a long holiday weekend.

I love that I have nothing else to do except cook and watch movies today.

I love that I made my own remoulade sauce.

I love that it turned out right.

I love that I decided at the last minute to coat the crab cakes in panko.

I love that they didn't fall apart.

I love that I took the suggestion to put the salad on top.

I love that the baby arugula is dressed lightly with olive oil and lemon.

I love that the plate is so pretty.

I love that I ate all of it in about four minutes flat.

Did I mention I love crab cakes?

Update 11/27: I've gotten several requests for the recipes I used for this post. For the crab cakes I loosely followed this one from Simply Recipes and I used a good quality canned crab that I found at Whole Foods. For the remoulade sauce I used this one. I made up the salad all by myself-- it's just baby arugula with some olive oil and lemon juice. Enjoy!

Best of Both

2011-11-06T13:21:00.000-08:00

My world has changed.

Birds are singing, the sun is shining and the mac & cheese is delicious.

It all started with a simple question: Stove top or baked?

I swore off baked macaroni & cheese a long time ago after many years of heavy, dense and brick-like concoctions. Then I discovered a stove top version that I fell in love with because it was easy and the result was creamy and ooey-gooey. Since then I have turned my nose up to baked versions.

And then I got schooled.

Him: "A good mac & cheese is finished in the oven so it can gratin. No exceptions."

Me: "But I don't like baked macaroni and cheese."

Him: "You don't have to bake it. Make your stove top version and add a bread crumb topping, a little more cheese and then stick it under the broiler for a few minutes and let it gratin."

Me: ... silence

Him: "You can have it both ways."

Those words rocked my macaroni & cheese world.

You can have it both ways.

He was right.

Best of Both Mac & Cheese
Serves 2

2 cups cavatappi (or macaroni)
4 ounces sharp cheddar, grated
4 ounces white cheddar, grated
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 garlic clove, minced
some chopped parsley
salt
pepper

Boil the pasta. While the pasta is cooking heat a tablespoon of butter over medium low heat. Add in the garlic and cook for a couple minutes. Toss in the bread crumbs, a few pinches of parsley and season with some salt and pepper. Set aside.

Drain the pasta and return to the pot. Toss in the remaining butter and stir until the pasta is coated. Add in the cream and cheese. Stir until the cheese has melted. If the sauce is thick add a splash of milk.

Fill two 16 ounce ramekins with the pasta. Sprinkle a generous amount of bread topping, along with a bit more cheddar, over the top. Set them under the broiler for a few minutes until the tops have lightly browned.

Baking Therapy

2011-10-30T14:52:00.000-07:00

In my world, baking always sparks feel-good feelings that make the previous week's stress melt away. Nothing cures tension like the aroma of something delicious baking in the oven.

I especially like baking something that has a little surprise. These scallion muffins have a little bite of creamy goat cheese hiding inside.

Oh, hello. I didn't know you were there. How nice to meet you.

I think serving these little guys alongside a warm bowl of roasted red pepper soup would make me a very happy girl.

If you need some baking therapy click here for the recipe.

A Big Bowl of Love

2011-10-16T16:35:00.000-07:00

Show yourself some love this week.

Fettuccine Alfredo

Serves 2 if you feel like sharing the love

Serves 1 if you feel like keeping it all to yourself

1/4 of a box of fettuccine

1/4 cup of cream

1/2 stick of butter

1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus a little extra for garnish

1 tablespoon chopped parsley, plus a little extra for garnish

Pepper

Cook fettuccine until al dente. While the pasta is cooking, slowly heat the cream over medium low heat.

After a few minutes add in the butter and whisk it with the cream until it's incorporated.

Continuing whisking for a couple of minutes before adding in the grated cheese. Keep whisking until the cheese melts and the sauce turns velvety.

Add in the chopped parsley and freshly cracked black pepper (a couple turns of the mill). Whisk until combined.

Once the pasta is cooked transfer from the pasta water, using tongs or a funky pasta spoon, to the sauce. Toss the pasta allowing the starchy water from the pasta to thicken the sauce. Serve immediately. Garnish with grated cheese and parsley.

Nothing beats a big bowl of love.

Sunday

2011-10-09T17:11:00.000-07:00

Rainy day.

Great recipe.

2 and 1/2 pounds of chuck roast.

A myriad of spices.

Smoky bacon.

Sharp cheddar cheese.

Cool sour cream.

Perfect Sunday supper.

Game Day

2011-10-02T16:15:00.000-07:00

I heard that football season started, so I felt obliged to post something appropriate for the season. I may not love football, but I love football food. Dips and chips and wings and pretzels and pizza and chili and burgers are just a few of my favorites.

And anything in a tortilla.

I'm calling this a quesadilla despite the fact that it doesn't contain any cheese. If you have strong feelings about the issue you can always add cheese if it makes you feel better.

Black Bean & Chicken Pseudo-Quesadilla

Serves 1

1 flour tortilla
1/3 cup chicken breast, cooked and shredded
1/2 cup black beans
2 tablespoons picante sauce
1/4 avocado, sliced
1/2 tablespoon butter
salt
pepper

In a bowl combine the chicken, black beans, and picante sauce. Lightly salt and pepper. Spoon on the tortilla and top with the sliced avocado. Fold over the top.

In a pan, melt the butter over medium heat until it coats the bottom.

Cook the quesadilla on one side for a few minutes until golden brown. Gently flip it over (carefully!) and cook for another few minutes until brown and the quesadilla is heated through.

Slice and serve.

Stretch

2011-09-25T14:11:00.000-07:00

Growing up the youngest in a family of five I was lucky to have a mother who worked very hard to get a wholesome well-rounded meal on the table every night by 6 o'clock. If my memory serves me right, dinner was different every night each week except for one random night that my mother named "Must Goes".

"Must-Goes" night was a sort of last hurrah of all the leftovers from dinner throughout the week. Macaroni and cheese served alongside a ham and cheddar quiche. Maybe some creamed corn with some tuna casserole. Typically, there were many choices on "Must-Goes" night with the only rule being we had to eat, but what we ate was up to us. My brothers and I would try to lay claim to our favorite dishes first to avoid less desirable leftovers. Needless to say, when it was "Must-Goes" night we got to the table quick to get the best of what was leftover before someone else did.

I've written about my aversion to leftovers before, but I want to make clear that it's not the result of my mother's random "Must-Goes" dinner nights growing up. When cooking for a family of five leftovers are typically not in abundance, which means serving them all up on one night is usually enough to clear the fridge for the next grocery shop, as well as to clear the conscious knowing that nothing is going to waste.

Cooking and shopping for one is a whole other situation. Following traditional recipes means there could be potentially days of leftovers looming, which is probably where I developed my great dislike of them. The idea of eating the exact same thing for days is completely disheartening and depressing. So trying to balance the need for a different meal every night to avoid potential culinary depression with the desire to not waste food or money often proves to be a challenge.

I don't have the solution yet, but I did make some baked chicken this morning that can be used in a variety of ways over the next couple of days. I baked it at 350 degrees for about thirty minutes with some basil, thyme and butter. I figure I can use it for sandwiches, maybe toss it in a salad or add it to some pasta and tomato sauce.

This is what it looked like before I put it in the oven...

I forgot to take a picture after it came out, so look at the above picture and imagine the butter all melted and bubbly around the herb covered chicken.

Happy Cooking

Issues

2011-09-07T17:42:00.000-07:00

It's so easy to sit at my computer on a lazy Sunday morning and conjure up all the reasons to eat breakfast and then blindly commit to making and consuming breakfast every day during the work week.

In my post on Sunday I impulsively threw out to the world that I would enjoy a simple breakfast each morning for seven days in a row. It all seemed so easy, but it wasn't.

Monday, being a holiday, was easy. Breakfast done by 10 am.

Tuesday, a work day, not so much.

Today, a work day, not so much.

I have a problem eating breakfast... it's very clear now.

It's not that I forget-- I have been very conscious of breakfast for the last two days. I just have a complete aversion to it during the work week and I'm not sure how to remedy the situation.

Here's how it played out today...

7:30 am:

I wake up and think "I need to have breakfast this morning."

7:35 am:

Coffee in hand I sit at the computer reading news and email thinking to myself, "I need to make breakfast."

8:00 am:

Realize it's 8 am and I need to get ready thinking to myself "No time now so I will get some breakfast at work."

8:30 am:

Walk to work thinking to myself, "Wow, I am so proud of myself for walking to work, but I really need to get on that breakfast thing."

8:45 am

Go to cafeteria with Toni to get coffee. While in cafeteria thinking to myself, "I really should get some breakfast and prove to myself I can do this."

9:00 am

Back at desk with coffee and no breakfast.

On the way home tonight I decided it's best to come clean and admit that I have a serious issue with breakfast during the week. Breakfast on the weekends? No problem. Breakfast during the work week? Serious issues.

Now I am finding myself being ~~overly~~ slightly obsessive regarding the whole breakfast issue. I'm wondering if there's some kind of support group for people like me. Like a Breakfast Anonymous group-- "Hi, my name's April and I hate eating breakfast during the week."

I need to take this whole breakfast thing under advisement until I figure it out. I have a job and a life and the whole neurotic breakfast worrying is starting to get in the way. In the meantime, I will continue to focus on the bigger goal to be a healthier, lighter and all-around better person... at lunch and dinner.

Breaking the Fast

2011-09-04T08:44:00.000-07:00

Is eating breakfast part of being an all-around better person?

Considering a co-worker once threw a Zone bar at me due to my no-breakfast crabbiness I would have to agree that there's value in starting the day with a little something to ward off the not-so-favorable mid-morning mood change.

I subscribe to the three cups of coffee starter plan for my day, so trying to incorporate anything more since starting my new healthy challenge has been...well, a challenge.

To kick off week 2 of my challenge to be a healthier, lighter and all-around better person I am going to try and have breakfast every morning this week.

I started today with one of my most favorite things-- sliced avocado and cream cheese on toast.

1 slice whole grain bread, toasted

2 tablespoons low fat cream cheese

1/4 avocado, sliced

This is not the first time I've posted this complicated recipe, so if you want to review assembly instructions click here. If you want to know if I meet this challenge follow me on twitter-- just click the "follow me" button at the top of this page. If you have any quick and easy breakfast ideas please share in the comments. I don't think I've ever eaten breakfast seven days in a row, so I need all the ideas I can get!

Coke Fiend

2011-09-03T10:14:00.000-07:00

I am a Coke fiend.

Over the years I have developed strong opinions regarding the manner in which a Coke is served and have created a ranking system:

Coke in a Plastic Bottle
This is my least favorite way to enjoy a Coke. If nothing else is available I will settle for it only if I'm really itching for a fix. I'm not sure what it is, but there must be something about storing Coke in a plastic bottle that degrades it's quality. If any scientists are reading this blog please share your insights in the comments. If any scientists actually read this and then share their insights I might possibly die of shock.

Coke in a Can
This is a totally acceptable way to drink a Coke and a big step-up from the plastic bottle option. Popping the top on an icy cold can of Coke is very satisfying. But...

Coke from a Fountain
...If fountain Coke is available I will choose this option over the previous two every time. I'm pretty sure it has something to do with amount of carbonation-- there's definitely more in a fountain drink that makes it seem more refreshing.

Coke in a Glass Bottle
Hands down the best way to enjoy an icy cold Coca-Cola. If anyone begs to differ it's because either they have no soul or they've never pulled an icy cold coke in a glass bottle from a cooler on a hot summer day. Glass bottles have a magic effect on Coke and bring out the perfect balance of sweet Coke-y goodness and fizz.

Oh, Coke in a glass bottle, how I love thee.

When I set out on my "be a lighter, healthier and all-around better person" mission almost a week ago I pledged to not completely cut out my most favorite things. Coke is one of those things, but, unfortunately, too much of it doesn't really help me achieve my goal.

So instead of cutting it out completely I have decided to only cut out the lesser ways it's served. I will no longer drink coke from a plastic bottle, can or from the fountain. If I am to enjoy a fix I will only do so if it is available in a glass bottle.

Coke in a glass bottle is not widely available except at grocery stores, which means I can purchase coke in a glass bottle for at-home consumption. I am limiting myself to one 6-pack a week, which is equal to 48 ounces of Coke a week. I used to drink almost that much in a single day.

I think this bold act will lead to great results.

Tortellini Toss

2011-08-30T19:37:00.000-07:00

BEFORE:

I often ate out and only cooked once or twice a week.

NOW:

I am trying to get healthy, drop a few pounds and be a better person, which means no eating out and cooking more than once or twice a week.

BEFORE:

I would go to the grocery store only to buy whatever it was that I was planning to blog about that week paying no mind to an eating plan for the week. Why would I? I could always eat out at one of the bazillion restaurants in my neighborhood.

NOW:

I realize I can plan to be successful or not plan and fail miserably. I have to have some kind of menu plan each week otherwise one of the following will happen:

1. I will not have enough food to get through the week making it more likely that I will buy a frozen pizza (or two) from the little convenience store across the street and eat the entire thing. After eating said pizza I will decide that it's just too hard thus giving up on my "I want to be healthier, lighter and an all-around better person" goal because I am an unorganized person who can't control her frozen pizza cravings.

2. I will buy too much food and it will go to waste. After realizing I have wasted perfectly good food I will give up on the whole "I want to be healthier, lighter and an all-around better person" goal because I am an unorganized person who forgets she is only cooking for one, which will lead me to eat frozen pizza because someone told me once that's what single people are supposed eat.

BEFORE:

I would buy a package of tortellini and eat the whole thing by myself.

Wow. I can't believe I just admitted that.

NOW:

I make tortellini and throw in some mushrooms, spinach, tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese (left over from pizza night) and eat only ONE CUP as a serving. Adding in the mushrooms and spinach definitely makes it more filling thus eliminating the "eating the whole package in one sitting" problem. Planning to use spinach and mushrooms in at least two to three recipes for the week eliminates the whole "food might go to waste" issue.

Makes me feel like an all-around better person who's feeling healthier and lighter.

And it's only day 3.

Tortellini Toss

Makes approximately 3 cups

1 package four cheese whole wheat tortellini

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

Some mushrooms

Some spinach

1/2 cup tomato sauce

Cook the tortellini according to package directions. While the tortellini is cooking heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add in the mushrooms and spinach and cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms start to brown and the spinach wilts. Add in the tomato sauce and stir to combine.

Drain the tortellini, reserving about 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Add the tortellini to the mushrooms and spinach sauce, along with the pasta water, and toss it all together.

Scoop one cup of the pasta into a bowl. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese and serve.

Lighter Aspirations

2011-08-28T19:26:00.000-07:00

Where has the summer gone?

I don't know about you, but my summer has gone straight to my waist and thighs. Literally.

After many weeks of enjoying ice cold beers whiling away hot summer nights, hot dogs at baseball games and one too many Grande Mocha Frappucino's from Starbucks I've now realized there is too much of a good thing.

I've certainly enjoyed the journey, but not the excess baggage that has slowly accumulated along the ride.

After a recent shopping trip for new jeans and other key fall transitional items I discovered that the normal sizes I wear weren't quite as well-fitting as they used to be-- a little tighter. Okay, a lot tighter.

I'm afraid of the word "diet", so instead I am embarking on a portion control experiment. I want to see if I can still enjoy a lot of my favorite things - butter and bacon and cream, oh my! - but do so in a manner that employs some moderation and more awareness of the amount of ingredients I am using.

I'm hoping this little experiment will help reverse the damage of too many bacon wrapped hot dogs.

I'm not claiming to be a nutritionist or health food expert and I don't plan to post nutritional information with the recipes that I will be posting. I'm just hoping to share what I learn and deliver up some tasty, healthful dishes. Nutrition aside, I'm more interested to see how long I can keep this going... so stay tuned.

Spinach, Mushroom & Bacon Pizza
Serves 2

In the time it normally takes to order pizza from my neighborhood pizzeria for carry out I threw together this simple pizza. I piled it high with mushrooms and spinach, but didn't sacrifice one of my most favorite things-- bacon. I made this the first night of my experiment and I didn't miss my old pizza take-out. The only trick with this one is to only eat two slices as a serving, although with all the spinach and mushrooms it is really filling.

1 Mini Boboli Pizza Crust
1/2 cup marinara sauce
2 slices bacon, cooked crisp
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
4 ounces mushrooms, sliced
3 cups fresh spinach, chopped
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Salt
Pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove to paper towels to drain. Chop into pieces.

Remove all of the bacon fat from the pan. Add in the olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add in the mushrooms and cook for a couple minutes. Add in the spinach and continue cooking until the spinach starts to wilt. Add the chopped bacon in and stir all the ingredients together. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook for another 3-4 minutes and then remove from the pan and allow to cool.

Spread the marinara sauce on the pizza crust. Top with the mushroom and spinach mixture. Top with the cheese. Bake for 8-10 minutes until the cheese is melted and the pizza is cooked through.

Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 2-3 minutes before slicing.

Bacon Wrapped Hot Dogs

2011-08-19T16:29:00.000-07:00

Ah, summer. Lemonade, baseball games and bacon wrapped hot dogs.

I hesitated posting about bacon wrapped hot dogs because they seem more like something I should make under the cloak of darkness and never mention to anyone. Some things are best kept secret. Making them for dinner is kind of like eating ice cream straight out of the carton for dinner while watching a New York Housewives marathon on Bravo. Not that I ever do that.

I had my first bacon wrapped hot dog at a baseball game recently and was so inspired I went to the grocery store the next day and bought all the makings for my own home version.

Hot dogs, a favorite of mine, are something I've never out grown. I like to think I have a somewhat sophisticated palate, but not so sophisticated that I can't enjoy a hot dog every once in a while. Especially one that's wrapped with one of my other favorite things, bacon.

My favorite way to cook hot dogs is on the stove top in a saute pan. Normally, I cooked them in a little butter, turning them frequently until they are heated through and crispy on the outside. Since I wrapped them in bacon (securing it with toothpicks) this time I skipped the butter since the bacon fat promotes the same crispy result.

I also toasted the bun and then melted some pepper jack cheese before adding the hot dog and just simple mayo and Dijon mustard.

A little over the top...
Not so healthy...
Very, very delicious.

Everything in moderation.

Cheesecake

2011-07-28T18:43:00.000-07:00

According to Wikipedia, Saturday July 30th has been unofficially declared National Cheesecake Day in the United States.

Let's celebrate.

Cheesecake
My Friend Toni's Family Recipe

For the Crust:

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 stick butter, melted

6 tablespoons sugar

Mix together all three ingredients. Press the mixture evenly in the bottom and up the sides of a spring form pan. Refrigerate while making filling.

For the Filling:

(3) 8 ounce packages of cream cheese (room temp)

2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp lemon juice

1 cup sugar

1 pint sour cream

1 cup heavy cream

2 tblsp flour

4 eggs

Combine the first seven ingredients for the filling together in a large bowl. Once combined, add the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated.

Pour the filling into the chilled crust.

Bake at 325 for 20 minutes then lower the over temperature to 300 degrees and continue baking the cheesecake for 40 minutes

Turn the oven off and don't remove the cheesecake for approximately 1 hour.

Refrigerate in pan overnight

Chocolate Topping:

Melt 8 ounces of dark chocolate.
Allow it to cool and then pour over the top of the cheesecake. Refrigerate until the chocolate has hardened.

Slice, serve and enjoy.

Many thanks to my friend Toni for allowing me to share this recipe!