Balsamic Roasted Vegetable Pizza

You're probably thinking, "Really, pizza?  You just posted about pizza!"  Well, I had a pizza craving... and I wanted to experiment with veggies and a balsamic glaze.  A sophisticated pizza.  Kind of.  Anyway, the husband was game to try it, so I looked for a recipe, just to see if a fantastic one was already in existence.

I was mildly disappointed.  The recipes that I found required you to roast the vegetables separately, and then assemble the pizza.  Ugh, how time-consuming!  The beauty of homemade pizza is that it doesn't take that long, yet it still tastes amazing.  I was not interested in useless steps, so I stuck with the 'shaved vegetable' technique of the Shaved Asparagus Pizza and just tweaked the ingredients a bit.

With all of these vegetables, it's a healthy meal, right?  We're going to go with 'yes.'

Of course, after making this, we did have some extra vegetables lying about, so I made it again the next day.  Oops.  No complaints from our table, however!

Balsamic Roasted Vegetable Pizza
Makes 1 full size pizza - number of servings is up to you!

1 recipe of your favorite pizza dough (I recommend a Jiffy crust for ease!)
1 small shallot, sliced thinly
2-3 mushrooms, sliced thinly
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small zucchini
1 carrot
1 small bell pepper or a few small, sweet peppers, thinly sliced
4-5 spears asparagus
1/4-1/2 cup grated Parmesan and/or Pecorino
1/2 pound mozzarella, shredded or cut into small cubes
2 tsp olive oil
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tsp honey
1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, minced
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
Several grinds black pepper
Truffle salt/oil (optional)

Oven: Preheat your oven to the hottest temperature it goes, or about 500 in most cases. If you use a pizza stone, have it in there.Whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and honey.  Set aside.

Prepare veggies: For asparagus - no need to snap off ends; they can be your “handles” as you peel them. Holding a single asparagus spear by its tough end, lay it flat on a cutting board and using a vegetable peeler, create long shavings of asparagus by drawing the peeler from the base to the top of the stalk. Repeat with remaining stalks and don’t fret some pieces are unevenly thick (such as the end of the stalk, which might be too thin to peel); the mixed textures give a great character to the pizza. Discard tough ends. Peel carrot and then use peeler to create long shavings, like asparagus.  Use peeler in the same fashion for zucchini (I only went partway through it until I got to the seedy part).  I ended up using only half the zucchini, and half the carrot.  Thinly slice the mushrooms and shallot.

Pat veggies dry with paper towel (I noticed my pizza got a bit 'wet' without doing this).  In a large bowl, toss zucchini, carrot, asparagus, shallot, mushrooms, peppers, and garlic with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and honey mixture.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Assemble and bake pizza: Roll or stretch out your pizza dough to a 12-inch round. Either transfer to a floured or cornmeal-dusted pizza peel (if using a pizza stone in the oven) or to a floured or cornmeal-dusted tray to bake it on. IF you're using a Jiffy crust, pre-bake the crust as directed (at 425 degrees).

Sprinkle pizza dough with Parmesan/Pecorino (save a bit for the top) and minced rosemary, then mozzarella. Pile shaved vegetables on top. Top with remaining Parmesan/Pecorino. Bake pizza for 10 to 15 minutes at 500 degrees, or until edges are browned, the cheese is bubbly and the vegetables are lightly charred. Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle truffle salt or oil, then slice and eat.

Enjoy!

Seared Salmon with Balsamic Glaze, Creamy Broccoli Pesto Pasta, and Roasted Asparagus with Shallots

Epic.  Not unlike this ridiculously long blog post title.  But 'epic' was my first thought after taking a few bites of this incredible meal.  I'm thrilled there are some leftovers for tonight!  None of these recipes are difficult, or even that time-consuming.  And all of it is worth it. 

It all started with the desire to make homemade pasta again, because it was so fun and tasty.  I wanted to try a new sauce and remembered a broccoli pesto I had seen on Smitten Kitchen that had piqued my interest.  Done.  It turned out great and kind of tasted like a fantastic cream of broccoli soup, but better.

I am a carb-fiend, but the meal needed a bit more, maybe some protein?  I remembered a glazed salmon recipe from Cook's Country that I really wanted to try (and what's more Pacific Northwestern than salmon?)  It was amazing, and the glaze is divine.  I almost licked out the pan it was so good.

Lastly, I thought a vegetable was needed, and it is spring, so bring on the asparagus!  I didn't have any particular expectations about the asparagus, but they turned out really well.  And the tips were the best part (super caramelized).  The husband isn't ever really excited about veggies, let's be honest, but even he seemed pleasantly surprised.

I won't waste any more words on the description.  Just trust me, they're all amazing recipes.  And you should make them.  Really.  That is all!

Homemade Pasta
See this post for directions OR use store-bought noodles!

Creamy Broccoli Pesto Sauce
(from Smitten Kitchen)
Serves 4

1/2 pound broccoli
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced (or, more to taste)
1/2 teaspoon table salt
Freshly ground black pepper or pinches of red pepper flakes
4 tablespoons half and half
1/4 cup grated parmesan
Reserved pasta water to thin sauce

Remove broccoli florets from stems and chop into medium florets. Peel stems with a vegetable peeler (for faster cooking) and slice them into 1/2-inch segments.

Use your pot of future pasta water to steam (by suspending a mesh strainer over your pasta pot and covering it with a lid for 5 to 6 minutes)) or par-boil (for 3 to 5 minutes) your broccoli florets and stems until just tender, then drain if needed and set them aside.

In the bottom of a medium pot, melt butter and olive oil together over medium heat. Add shallots and reduce to medium-low, sauteing it until tender, about 7 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another two minutes. Add steamed broccoli, salt and red or black pepper and turn the heat back up to medium-high, cooking it with the shallots and garlic for a few additional minutes. Pour half and half over mixture and let cook for 30 seconds.
Transfer broccoli mixture and all of its creamy bits at the bottom of the pan to a blender or food processor and blend in short bursts until it’s finely chopped and a little sauce. Don’t worry if it looks dry; that reserved pasta water will give it the sauciness it needs in a minute.

Add the broccoli sauce back to the pot with drained pasta and a splash or two of the reserved pasta water. Cook over medium-high for 1 to 2 minutes, tossing the mixture so that it evenly coats the noodles. Add more pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce. Adjust seasonings to taste, adding more salt or pepper, and scoop into a serving bowl. Shower noodles with grated parmesan and dig in.

Do ahead: The sauce will keep it in the fridge for several days.

Seared Salmon with Balsamic Glaze
(from Cook's Country)
Serves 4

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons honey
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 sprig rosemary (about 5-inches long)
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
4 skin-on salmon fillets, 6 ounces each, 1 to 1 1/4 inches thick
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Whisk vinegar, juice, honey, and pepper flakes together in small bowl, then add rosemary. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until smoking. Season salmon with salt and pepper and cook, skin side up, without moving, until well browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip fish skin side down and cook until all but very center of fish is opaque, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to platter and tent with foil.

Wipe out pan with paper towels and lower heat to medium. Carefully pour balsamic mixture into pan (it will splatter). Simmer until thick and syrupy, about 5 minutes. Remove rosemary sprig. Whisk in butter, season sauce with salt and pepper, and pour over salmon. Serve.

Roasted Asparagus with Shallots
(from Cook's Country)
Serves 4

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper
1 pound medium asparagus, tough ends trimmed
2 shallots, sliced thin
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Adjust oven rack to upper position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Stir oil, honey, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper together in large bowl. Spread asparagus across rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan; drizzle with half of garlic mixture and toss to coat. Rearrange asparagus in single layer. Combine shallots with remaining garlic mixture in bowl and toss to coat. Scatter shallots evenly over asparagus.

Roast until asparagus begins to soften and turns bright green with some dark brown edges, about 10 minutes. Drizzle with vinegar and continue roasting until asparagus is softened and shallots just begins to turn golden brown around edges, about 5 minutes. Toss vegetables, season with salt and pepper, and transfer to platter. Serve.

Enjoy!

Honey Rosemary Crème Brûlée

I always love to try new crème brûlée recipes, and I've had this one on my list for awhile.  The husband must have known it was on mind because when I came back from work this weekend he had made a favorite soup of ours - Sweet Potato & Rosemary Soup.  And that meant there was some leftover rosemary, and I happened to have some leftover cream from the cupcakes earlier this week - perfect!

It came together very quickly, as crème brûlées do.  I really wasn't sure what to expect with the flavor, but it really turned out well.  It's an uncommon flavor combo for a dessert, but it really works.  Even the husband, who was particularly unsure of it, really liked it.

I thought a little fanned strawberry would be a lovely addition, and it was!  Not necessary by any means, but the fruity sweetness complemented the herbal note of the rosemary.

The verdict: I love the unique combination of flavors!
The husband's thoughts: The flavors worked better than expected - it was excellent.
Changes for next time: None!
Difficulty: Easy!  The only special equipment needed is a torch.

Honey Rosemary Crème Brûlée
(from Je Mange la Ville)
Makes 4 one cup or 8 half cup servings

7 egg yolks
1/4 cup white sugar plus more for topping
1/4 cup honey
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup half and half
3-4 sprigs rosemary


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Pour cream and half and half in a small saucepan and put in rosemary sprigs.  Bring to boil, turn off the heat and let rosemary steep for about 15 minutes.

Whisk together egg yolks, 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup honey in a medium bowl until smooth.  Remove rosemary from cream and half and half.  While whisking, slowly pour cream into egg mixture.  Strain mixture through a fine mesh sieve.

Set ramekins in cake pan/casserole dish.  Divide mixture between ramekins (I had 1/2 cup ramekins, but full cup would work as well).  Pour boiling water into dish, making sure to avoid getting any into the filled ramekins.  Water should be halfway up the side of the ramekins.

Place in oven and bake for 30 or more minutes.  Test by jiggling the ramekins - the edges should be set and the centers still a little jiggly.  Remove pan from oven and let ramekins cool in the water bath for a few minutes.  Remove the ramekins from the water bath, let cool a bit before placing in the refrigerator.  Chill for a few hours or overnight.

To serve, sprinkle roughly a teaspoon of sugar over the top of the crème.  Caramelize using a kitchen torch (or if your desperate, about 60 - 90 minutes under the broiler might do the trick).  Serve immediately!  You know it's done well when there's the great crack under your spoon!

Enjoy!

Broiled Tilapia with Parmesan and Herbs, Roasted Potatoes with Rosemary and Sweet Summer Salad

It's been awhile.  I know.  My apologies!  Life happened (highs and lows).  But, finally, on a long weekend, we had a bit of time to make something new and amazing.  And surprisingly easy.  Win all around, really.  And with hints of beautiful weather coming, a summery meal is in order!

I hadn't thought to take pictures as we were cooking (and it went so fast, really), but after we started tasting things we realized it was going to be awesome.  Therefore, here is a recommendation of this meal as a whole.  A tasty, easy, nutritious, and lovely summer meal!

Broiled Tilapia with Parmesan and Herbs
(from Whole Foods)

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Greek-style yogurt or sour cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Juice and zest of one small lemon (about 2 tablespoons juice)
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 (6- to 8-ounce) tilapia fillets 

Combine 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese with remaining ingredients (except fish). Coat fillets with mixture and place in a baking dish or shallow platter and let marinate for 15 to 20 minutes. Preheat broiler. Transfer fillets to a foil-lined broiler pan. Spoon a few tablespoons marinade on top and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Broil 4 to 6 inches from heat until topping is lightly browned and fish flakes easily with a fork, 5 to 8 minutes.

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes
(adapted from Epicurious)

2 pounds medium boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch-thick wedges
3 tablespoons olive oil
5 to 6 large rosemary sprigs (about 5 inches long)
4 large garlic cloves, smashed and peeled (optional)

Preheat oven to 450°F with a 4-sided heavy sheet pan in upper third.
Toss ingredients with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Spread in 1 layer on hot pan and roast 20 minutes. Loosen potatoes with a metal spatula and turn, arranging pale potatoes around outer edge of pan and golden potatoes in center (for even roasting). Roast 15 minutes, then loosen and turn potatoes over again. Roast until potatoes are golden and cooked through and edges are crisp, about 10 minutes more.


Sweet Summer Salad
(dressing adapted from my Mom's recipe!)

Spinach
Shredded carrot
Sliced mini sweet peppers
Strawberries
Slivered almonds

Dressing:
2/3 cup light mayo
1/2 cup evaporated skim milk
4 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
3 Tbsp agave nectar or sugar (more, if it's too sour for you)
3 Tbsp poppy seeds (optional)

Prepare veggies (however much you want) for salad and toss together in a large bowl.  For the dressing, mix all ingredients and add to salad (to taste).

Enjoy!

Sweet Potato and Rosemary Soup with Apple and Cheese Biscuits

Earlier this week, I was looking at some of the produce in my kitchen and there was an overabundance of sweet potatoes.  Hmmm... What to do with them?  Something new and different.  Poking around on the interwebs, I found this recipe on The Food Network, from Giada De Laurentis - Creamy Sweet Potato and Rosemary Soup.  It had a short list of ingredients, and was simple - all the makings of something tasty that really allows the ingredients shine.  Perfect.

You might have picked up on my recent obsession with biscuits.  But, is that really such a bad thing?  I think not!  Bring on the flaky, buttery goodness!  I do really enjoy a biscuit with my soup (if you hadn't noticed), so that was a natural pairing.  But I wanted to add something for a flavor to compliment the soup.  Hmmm... I really liked the local Beecher's Cheese I added last time.  What else though?  Apple!  It always pairs well with sweet potatoes.  I wasn't sure if the apple would affect the leavening or flakiness at all, but I was curious to try this idea out.  I did some research for any existing recipes, but didn't find any like I had imagined.  Great chance to test my hypothesis of awesomeness, and I'm pleased to report that it turned out well.  All the flavors in the biscuit are extremely subtle and just give you a hint and a pleasing aftertaste, but don't overwhelm the buttery and flaky biscuit.

All in all, an easy and tasty meal.  There was only one slight mishap involving the pureeing of the soup... (or user error, if you will.)  I don't yet have an immersion blender in my kitchen, so I had to utilize a regular blender.  I ladled in a small batch in the blender and it blended with no problem, and then I poured it out into another large bowl.  I ladled in a bit more this time, and pressed the button - bam!  The boyfriend and kitties came to investigate the noise and found me cursing and orange goop splattered everywhere.  Oops.  Learning experience!  (Or more motivation to get an immersion blender)

Despite my little lesson, the soup and biscuits turned out beautifully and I adore the flavors.  This will definitely be on my soup standards list!

Creamy Sweet Potato and Rosemary Soup
(from Giada De Laurentis - Food Network)
4-6 servings (1.5-2 cup serving size)


3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 large or 6 small shallots, thinly sliced
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds (about 2 to 3) sweet potatoes, peeled, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 (6-inch long) stems fresh rosemary
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
3 tablespoons maple syrup

Edit 2/9/14: To make it really easy, peel the sweet potatoes and then shred them in your food processor.  It's fast, easy, and cooks quicker!

In an 8-quart stockpot, melt the butter and oil together over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook until soft, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes, rosemary and chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the sweet potatoes are very tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Turn off the heat and remove the rosemary stems (leave the leaves). Using an immersion blender, blend the mixture until smooth and thick. If you don't have an immersion blender, you may puree it by ladling, in small batches, into a food processor or blender.  If using this method, be careful with the hot liquid in the blender as the top may blast off!

Whisk in the mascarpone cheese and maple syrup until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Keep the soup warm over low heat until ready to serve.

Apple and Cheese Biscuits
(adapted from Cook's Country)
~12 biscuits

8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter
4 Tbsp lard (or shortening)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 apple, peeled, and grated
lemon juice
1/2 cup grated Beecher's (or cheddar, or other cheese of choice)
1 1/4 cups buttermilk OR substitute (Stir 1 Tbsp + 3/4 tsp lemon juice or white vinegar into 1 1/4 cups milk. Let stand at room temp for 10 minutes until thickened)

Cut butter and lard into 1/2 inch pieces and refrigerate until chilled.

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper.  Whisk dry ingredients in large bowl.  Peel apple and grate (on large whole box grater) into a bowl.  Sprinkle with lemon juice, to prevent browning.  Then drain apples in fine-mesh strainer/sieve set over bowl.  Press liquid from the apples, to avoid soggy biscuits!

Cut in chilled butter and lard with pastry cutter until the mixture is coarse and butter is the size of small peas.  Stir in grated apple and grated cheese.

Stir in buttermilk until just combined.  Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead briefly, 8 - 10 times, to form a smooth cohesive ball.  Cover with plastic wrap (or wax paper or parchment paper) and roll to 3/4 inch thick.  Using biscuit (or cookie) cutter dipped in flour, cut out shapes and arrange upside down on prepared baking sheet.  Gently gather scraps and re-roll to 3/4 inch thick to cut remaining biscuits and place on baking sheet.

Bake until biscuits begin to rise, about 5 minutes, then rotate pan and reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees.  Baking until golden brown, 10 - 12 minutes more.  Transfer to wire rack and let cool 5 minutes.

Enjoy!

Kale, Bean, & Sweet Potato Soup with Rosemary-Cheese Biscuits

Anyone else all sugared out from holiday sweets?  I am.  However, I can't...stop...eating...them!  Something healthy was in order.  Enter a favorite soup of mine that fits the bill - Kale, Bean & Sweet Potato Soup.  It's veggie-loaded and freezes well for "emergency lunches."

Don't you feel less sugar-blasted already?

For this soup, I wanted a tasty, carb-y accompaniment.  I had been buying this fantastic rosemary bread from a local bakery, so I knew the flavor profile I had in mind.  However, since I'm not quite ready to be nursing a needy starter (two furry, needy kitties are quite enough, thanks), I needed another option - biscuits!  I'm an avid Cook's Country reader, so I just tweaked their recipe by adding some rosemary and a local favorite cheese - Beecher's.

I also decided to try using lard for the first time, and I must say that the results lived up to my expectations - amazing!   I don't have any biscuit cutters (yet), so I thought I'd make it fun by using some flower and heart shaped cookie cutters.  Who says biscuits always have to be round??

I would ask the boyfriend what he thinks of the final result, but he's too busy noshing on the biscuits to tell me.

Kale, Bean, & Sweet Potato Soup
(adapted from Martha Stewart Living)
~ 6 one and half cup servings

1 head of garlic
Olive oil
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, minced
1 onion, chopped
1 leek, rinsed, white and light green parts chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 parsnip, peeled and chopped (I cut out the woody center)
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into small cubes
1 bunch of kale (I used half green, half purple in this batch)
1 can white beans, drained
6 cups chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 425 degrees.  Pull off almost all of outer skin of garlic (leaving some to hold the cloves together), and cut of top so all of cloves are exposed.  Drizzle couple of teaspoons of olive oil over it so it soaks into the garlic.  Wrap in aluminum foil and cook until soft and darkened (about 40 minutes).  Remove garlic from oven, let cool, and squeeze out roasted cloves.

Place large pot over medium heat (I use my big soup pot, but smaller ones would do).  Add olive oil and heat.  Add rosemary, leeks and onion and cook until translucent.  Add roasted garlic, sweet potato, carrot, parsnip, and celery, stirring until potato pieces begin to soften.

Add kale and cook until it begins to wilt.  Add chicken broth and cook until vegetables are tender.  Add beans, and salt and pepper to taste.  Cook until heated through.  Ladle out into bowls and serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Rosemary and Cheese Biscuits
(adapted from Cook's Country)
~12 biscuits

8 Tbsp (1 stick) unstalted butter
4 Tbsp lard (or shortening)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, minced (I may add a bit more next time)
1/2 cup grated Beecher's (or cheddar, or other cheese of choice)
1 1/4 cups buttermilk OR substitute (Stir 1 Tbsp + 3/4 tsp lemon juice or white vinegar into 1 1/4 cups milk. Let stand at room temp for 10 minutes until thickened)

Cut butter and lard into 1/2 inch pieces and refrigerate until chilled.

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper.  Whisk dry ingredients in large bowl.  Cut in chilled butter and lard with pastry cutter until the mixture is coarse and butter is the size of small peas.  Stir in minced rosemary and grated cheese.

Stir in buttermilk until just combined.  Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead briefly, 8 - 10 times, to form a smooth cohesive ball.  Cover with plastic wrap (or wax paper or parchment paper) and roll to 3/4 inch thick.  Using biscuit (or cookie) cutter dipped in flour, cut out shapes and arrange upside down on prepared baking sheet.  Gently gather scraps and re-roll to 3/4 inch thick to cut remaining biscuits and place on baking sheet.

Bake until biscuits begin to rise, about 5 minutes, then rotate pan and reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees.  Baking until golden brown, 10 - 12 minutes more.  Transfer to wire rack and let cool 5 minutes.

Enjoy!