Routine.

WARNING:  I didn't plan on this turning into an essay.  It just happened.  Oops.
________________________________________________________________________

You might have noticed posts from me have been pretty scarce lately.

If you're new, you have no idea what I'm talking about.  Take a look around!  Some of my favorites are the posts about our destination wedding, our engagement, and french toast and bacon cupcakes.


So, here's what I've been up to:

About 8 weeks ago, I took a new job.  I'm now the marketing director for an awesome, entrepreneurial solar energy company based here in KC, Brightergy.

7 weeks ago, I finished up a 12-week fitness bootcamp.

6 weeks ago, I went to Nashville for food blog forum.

5 weeks ago, I organized a photography workshop taught by Hélène DuJardin.  She came to KC and it was glorious.

I was tired.  Adjusting.  Mentally spent.  Recuperating.  Transitioning to a new routine.

I haven't been to the grocery store except to grab a few things here and there since.  Besides the no-brainer chicken recipe I'm sharing below, I haven't made dinner in ages.

I did what no food blogger does after going to a food blog conference.  I curled up and rested.  Withdrew.  At that particular point in time, I was pushing it too far.

Too high, too low, now I'm finding my groove.

And no, I'm not talking about drugs.

I'm embarrassed about the recipe I'm about to share.  And about the confession I'm going to make.

Embarrassed, and oh so very excited.  I'm excited to see how many of you out there run into the same challenges when it comes to food.

Food, and its nutrition, is so vital to our lives.  At the same time, it is so hard to balance that with all of our other responsibilities.  We know it's why America is fat.  Yet it's still a challenge to find the time to make wholesome food for ourselves, our families.

Had you asked me about this topic a mere 2 months ago, my perspective would have been completely different.

I would have told you that people are just full of excuses.  Which is true.  But it doesn't change the fact that sometimes, when you come home from work, you don't feel like doing shit.  But you're starving.  You can't get something into your mouth fast enough.

I have recipes on here that are healthful, some that are even the rare ones that are fast and healthy.

Did I make Soy Ginger Glazed Salmon for dinner during my 'sabbatical'?  No.  It's one of my all-time favorite dishes and it only takes about 15 minutes to make.  So, why didn't I just turn to an old staple?

I didn't even have the energy for that.  For the planning, the grocery shopping, the prep, the cooking.  It all adds up.  It's not just getting home and spending those 15 minutes.  You actually have to have the damn ingredients in order to make it.  You had to have thought of an idea for dinner at least a few hours before and also had the time on your way home to grab what you need.

You know, America's getting fatter because America's changing.  Women are working, careers are priorities, children come second, and it's all we can do to make it through the day.  The pace of our lives is ever-increasing, and there's no end in sight.  Food just doesn't make it into the picture. It's just fuel.  We shove any calories we can find into our mouth just to keep ourselves going.

We don't have time to cook whole grains like quinoa for 45 minutes every night.

We don't have time to meal plan.

We don't have the money to buy good, healthful food.


Oh, come now, we all know that's not true, either.

Those really are excuses.  Let's be honest - we just plain don't choose to prioritize mealtimes to ensure they're wholesome.

We choose other things.  Careers.  TV shows.  Entertainment.  Laundry.  New jeans.

It's just the way it is.  I lived it full-blown for the last few weeks.  I get it.  I made boxed cheeseburger macaroni by Velveeta one night.  I am so ashamed of that.  I've never made, nor eaten, any sort of hamburger helper-esque meal.

All I could think about during this time was how on earth I was going to handle life when we (should we be so blessed) have children.  Good heavens, mothers are amazing beings.  Working mothers are superheroes.  I've really got to get my shit figured out.

I can't even stay on top of our laundry.  Ahem, I don't stay on top of our laundry.  I don't stay on top of the housecleaning.  I don't save as much as I should for our future.  I don't take the time to make us a wholesome dinner every night.

I'm not alone.  Right?

tap tap

Is this thing on?

Well, I'm going out on a limb here and assume I'm not alone.  And I'm sharing this recipe for those people.

Actually, let's not call this a recipe.  Let's call it a what-the-heck-are-we-going-to-have-for-dinner idea.

I had gotten a box in the mail from Red Gold tomatoes.

I had chicken in the freezer.

I took the chicken straight from the freezer, put it in my dutch oven, poured a can of Italian style diced tomatoes on top, and put it in a 375 degree oven for 45 minutes.

Then I went about the house tidying up. [GASP]

Had I not told The Stallion the experiment I had in the works for dinner before it was done (to which he laughed; so did I), I could have waltzed out with his plate and told him I made chicken parmesan for dinner.

And he would've believed it.  You would have too.

Add a little parmigiano reggiano, and you've just created a masterpiece.

I'm sure you can tell from the planning for this photo just how much faith I had that this dish would turn out to be worth sharing.

Lucky me, I was proven wrong!


Notes:

• You'll probably want to break apart the chicken pieces if they're frozen together in order to speed up cooking time.
• You can bake this in any oven-safe container, just be sure to cover it.  Aluminum foil works just wonderfully!
• Don't cook the chicken too long - it will dry out and get mealy.
• I added garlic salt to the chicken, too.

Tuscan White Bean & Kale Soup with Pork

• This is the first food photo I've taken post-Helène workshop.  It may even be the first one I've taken post-Todd & Diane demo, too.

I hope you all can see improvement.  I sure can.

A-n-y-wayyyyy...

I fell in love with smoked paprika when I made this soup.  Yes, you may substitute plain paprika, but you'll regret it for the rest of your life.  Spring for the $6 bottle of spice.  It is worth. every. penny.

Sometimes for my lunch break, I'll go to Whole Foods.  I pick up a few new food magazines and my favorite soup of theirs - white bean & kale - and sit in the cafe reading and foodie-geeking out.

Whole Foods doesn't put meat in their version of this soup.  It's vegetarian, yet it's smoky like it has bacon in it [ALERT: man-pleasing healthy dish].  I think we all know it's the smoked paprika that gives it that comforting flavor.  I added pork to my version because it was lacking the heavy amount of protein I need.

Also, please just allow me to mention that this soup has wine in it.

That's all.

Also, please just allow me to mention that this soup takes less than 30 minutes to prepare.  

A SOUP, people.

I'm all about making soups that are quick and easy and healthful.  It's a new obsession of mine.  I've got some real doozies coming up.

SOUP IS AWESOME.

• Tuscan White Bean & Kale Soup with Pork
• Adapted from Eating Well
• Makes 6 servings
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• 
  
• Ingredients:
• 1 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 lb. pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 3/4 t kosher salt
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 t smoked paprika
• 1/4 t crushed red pepper (optional)
• 1 cup white wine
• 1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 1 32 oz. box reduced-sodium/no salt added chicken broth
• 1 bunch kale, ribs removed, chopped (about 8 cups lightly packed; see tip)
• 2 15 oz. can white beans, rinsed (use just one can if you're carb-conscious; see tip)
• 
  
• Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Season pork cubes with salt.  When the pan is quite hot, add pork and cook, stirring sparingly to encourage a good sear and brown sides, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
2. In the same pot, add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic, paprika and crushed red pepper (if using) and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add wine and tomatoes, increase heat to high and stir to scrape up any browned bits. Add broth and bring to a boil.
3. Add kale and stir just until it wilts. Reduce heat to maintain a lively simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale is just tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in beans, the reserved pork and any accumulated juices; simmer until the beans and pork are heated through, about 2 minutes.
4. Serve immediately.  Garnish with manchego cheese.  Or, you can pull all 13 varieties of cheese from your cheese drawer and go eerie-meenie-minie-moe, like I did.

Notes:

Kale:  I was hungry, so I didn't want to make the trip all the way to Whole Foods for this dish.  I went to our neighborhood, small grocery store and all I found was some limp, pathetic kale.  I bought it anyway.  I brought it home, sliced the dry edges off the stems, and put them in a cup of water (à la floral bouquet).  30 minutes later, my kale was strong and crisp!  I'd also suggest storing kale in your refrigerator in the cup of water to maintain freshness.

Canned beans: While convenient, they tend to be high in sodium.  Be sure to rinse them thoroughly to get rid of as much sodium as possible.  Or, be a rockstar and cook your own!

ESTIMATED Nutritional Information:

Per serving (1 2/3c.): 262 calories; 6 g fat ( 1 g sat , 3 g mono ); 45 mg cholesterol; 26 g carbohydrates; 25 g protein;7 g fiber; 627 mg sodium; 1024 mg potassium.

Tortellini with Roasted Butternut Squash, Mushrooms & Fontina

Hey there.

I'm not going to sugar coat it for ya. 

BOY, do I have one helluva dish for you today!

I know I'm a writer.  And writing is how we communicate.

However, putting into words the amazingness of this dish is proving to be difficult for me.

Let's start with the squash and the mushrooms.  One's sweet, one's savory.  Sweet and savory are BFF4E.

Man, wouldn't it just be perfect if I could connect the 4 and the E the way we used to in grade school??

Butternut squash really is the ring leader in this trifecta of love, because it's also BFF4E with sage.

Scandal!

But then.  THEN sweet little butternut squash invited Fontina to play hopscotch at recess, too, and whoa buddy, those two LYLAS for sure.

Sisters from another mother, but sisters none-the-less.  If you take one thing away from this post, this dish, let it be this:

Butternut Squash + Fontina = TRULUV4EVR

And ever and ever and ever.  Fontina may very well be my favorite cheese on the face of the Earth.  Never did I ever imagine that combining it with squash would make me weak in the knees.

Make me want to fill my bathtub with it and take a soak, while munching away and reading a book.

Make me want to SHOUT FROM THE ROOFTOPS to the entire world what they must make for dinner tonight.

Make me...stop yelling at you.  Sorry.

I just want to get my point across, that's all.  I loved this so much, I've convinced my mother to make it tomorrow night when we stop by for dinner.  I figured it would be pretty easy to get her to make this - seeing as she's harvested at least 647 squash from her garden so far this season.

We're heading over there to drop off their grandpups, Jade & Cooper.  They're watching them for a few days while we head to Wichita for a wedding.

Jade will spend every single one of the 40 hours that she's there eating horse apples.

And I'm not talkin' about a fruit.



Tortellini with Roasted Butternut Squash, Mushrooms & Fontina
Serves 4

Recipe slightly adapted from Real Simple

• 1 small butternut squash (2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 pound button or cremini mushrooms, stems trimmed and halved if large
• 1/4 cup fresh sage leaves, torn
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 pound fresh or frozen cheese tortellini
• 2 ounces fontina, grated (1/2 cup), plus more for serving

1. Heat oven to 450° F. On 2 rimmed baking sheets, toss the squash and mushrooms with the sage, oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Roast, tossing once and rotating pans halfway through, until the vegetables are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cook the tortellini according to the package directions. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking water; drain the tortellini and return to the pot. Add the fontina, ¼ cup of the cooking water, and ½ teaspoon salt and stir gently until a light sauce forms (add more cooking water if the pasta seems dry). Add the vegetables and toss gently to coat.  Sprinkle with additional fontina, garnish with a few sage leaves.

Open-Faced Italian Sandwiches with Figs

This was my first time working with figs.  I've avoided them over the years because my experience with them consisted of fig newtons and a fig perel sauce The Stallion bought a few years back, both of which I find potent and, well, disgusting.

But lately I've been drawn to figs.  They are so beautiful and have a certain allure to them.

Having not ever held an actual fig before, I couldn't quite wrap my head around how they're eaten with the rind and all.

I was intrigued.  I had to get my hands on some of these puppies.  If only because they photograph so beautifully.

You can imagine my delirium when I found that they're currently in-season.

It was fate!  Pure fate.

Fresh figs are nothing like fig newtons.  The flavor is extremely delicate and just slightly sweet, a perfect addition to these salty, savory sandwiches.

These could be easily sized down using skinny baguette slices instead for a great party appetizer - I'm pretty sure that will be my next book club contribution!

Open-Faced Italian Sandwiches with Figs
Makes 4

Adapted from Spoon Fork Bacon

Ingredients:
4 ounces goat cheese
2 t. dijon mustard
4 slices rustic Italian or olive bread boule
8 ounces dry peppered salami, thinly sliced
8 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced

2 ounces Pecorino, thinly sliced
½ lb (approx. 4-6) black mission figs, stems removed and sliced
honey for drizzling

1. Add mustard to goat cheese and mix thoroughly.
2. Spread about 2 tablespoons of the dijon goat cheese onto each slice of bread.
3. Layer bread slices with prosciutto, salami, Pecorino, then figs.
4. Drizzle with honey and serve.

Note:  You can use any combination of Italian meats and cheeses you wish.  If you're in Kansas City, the best place to find these obscure items is at Bella Napoli in Brookside - they import all of their cured meats and cheeses straight from Italy.

Heirloom Tomato Salad

Yesterday I stopped by Whole Foods on my way home from work, mainly to pick up some more Think Thin bars.  I love them, and I'm becoming addicted.  They're protein bars, so yummy, and one of the few things I'm eating right now that really satiates me and makes me feel like I'm getting something naughty.

And they don't taste like chalk.  That's a plus.

I was also planning on picking up a few other items, which caused me to meander the aisles.

Cucumber Dill Gazpacho

When I was in high school, I had to have my wisdom teeth removed.  It was the most invasive surgery I've had to-date.  It was then I learned that my body doesn't cope well with anesthetics and general poking around in.

Speaking of high school, I think I subconsciously put these in a cheerleader formation.

Thai Shrimp Curry Over Lentils

Quick weeknight version of this meal brought to you by:

Trader Joe's ready-to-eat steamed lentils.  Working cooks, rejoice!

Amen.

I have something to tell you guys.

Grilled Corn with Chipotle Butter and Lime Salt

I love fresh corn.  And I'm lucky to live in the Midwest where there is a plethora of fresh corn available, making it pretty affordable as well.

This is my favorite way to dress corn straight off the grill.

Grilled Lemon-Herb Potatoes

Tell me who doesn't love crispy potatoes.  Tell me where they live, so I can see them with my own eyes.

Because I won't believe it otherwise.  Crispy potato haters are like the tooth fairy (sorry, kids).

These guys might sound fancy because of the whole lemon-herb thing, but I'm here to tell you that they are easy peasy and should become your new go-to grilled vegetable side, along with asparagus.

And you can dump the lemon-herb thing if that's too pretentious for you.  Salt and pepper works just fine, too.

These should replace your foil packet potatoes, because they get crispy instead of soggy.

I'm just sayin'.

You should make more than you think you'll need.

I literally ate half before they even made it to the grill.

So, think about that.  And plan for it.




See those potatoes up there?  I sliced them too thin.  Don't be like me.


Grilled Lemon-Herb Potatoes
Serves 2

• 1 lb. Yukon potatoes (or other yellow-skinned potato)
• 4 T olive oil
• 1/4 cup mixed fresh herbs, finely chopped such as chives, oregano, thyme, parsley
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
• Salt & pepper
• 1 lemon wedge

1. Clean the potatoes, and slice into thick rounds (about 3/4 inch).
2. Parboil the potato slices in a pot of salted water for about 10 minutes, until slightly tender but not done.  If you cook too long, the potatoes will fall apart too easily.
3. Meanwhile, stir together oil, herbs, salt & pepper, and garlic in a large mixing bowl.  Drain potatoes when done, add to the bowl, and toss to coat.
4. Grill potatoes over direct, medium-high heat, allowing excess oil to drip back into bowl first.  Cover and allow to cook for 2 minutes, flip, and cook 2 minutes more.
5. When potatoes are browned and crisp, return to bowl and toss again with herb oil.  Squeeze with lemon juice, salt if necessary, and serve.
6. Note:  to simplify this recipe, toss potato slices in olive oil, salt, and pepper, omitting lemon and herbs.

Peach-Slathered Chicken Wings

I have a few things to get off my chest before we dive into these sticky suckers.

1. Can peaches just go ahead and ripen on the trees around here already?  Every time I walk by the peaches in the grocery store I stop dead in my tracks and practically faint from the glorious smell.  And then I almost faint again from disappointment when I realize they're rock hard and from California or Mexico.
2. I just returned from Austin, Texas.  I went for a dear friend's bachelorette party.  There were 14 of us.  I'm tired.
3. I did not eat from a single food truck while I was there, and that's a damn shame.

Marinated, Grilled Flank Steak

I know I've talked before about my aspirations of becoming a vegetarian.

But would you just look at that gorgeous hunk o' meat up there?  Please.  Oh my.

I have my own hunk o' Stallion meat to thank for the gorgeous grill marks (was that too much?).  He did so well for you guys.

This is a big, lean flank steak.  Flank steak is great for satisfying your red meat craving without filling you chock full of fat at the same time.

Because it is so lean, you must marinate it.  Must, must, must.  For hours.

Well, for at least one, anyway (that's what I did - had to beat The Stallion off with a stick and dance around to distract him for an hour).  Best just go ahead and throw it in the fridge the night before so it can get to workin' while you're working the next day.

You do that?  You do that and you're talking 15-minute weeknight meal, man.  Who doesn't like those?

Especially the yummy ones.  Made up of flank steak, sautéed greens, and fresh tomatoes.

Asian-Inspired Flank Steak Marinade

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup cooking sherry
• 2 T sesame oil
• 3 T honey
• 2-3 T fresh ginger, minced
• 3-5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 t crushed red pepper flakes

1. Whisk all ingredients together, add your flank steak, and marinate! (At least one hour.)
2. To properly cook a flank steak, crank up your grill/grillpan to high and cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side.  Rotate 45 degrees halfway through cooking on each side to get that gorgeous criss-cross.
3. Remove to a plate and let rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing against the grain.

I've never made flank steak before, so I got this recipe from the master of beef herself, The Pioneer Woman.

Thai Chicken Curry

I think this marks one of the first real Asian dishes that's been made in my kitchen.  Every now and then, I'll scrape together some semblance of a stir fry, but I don't know enough about Asian flavor profiles to really 'wing it' perfectly.

That begins to change now.  A trip down the Asian food aisle while hungry with an even hungrier Stallion, and our pantry is now stocked with Asian condiments and ingredients.

I learned quite a few things about Asian cooking while making dinner this evening, and luckily, this learning experience was successful in producing both knowledge and an edible meal.

10 Minute Meal: Shrimp Scampi Linguine

Yes, you read that correctly.  This meal sounds divine and will be on your table in 10 minutes

Light & Creamy Lemon Basil Pasta

 

This is a great pasta dish to make when you're craving something naughty, but should really be eating something nice.  I intentionally left 'spinach', 'chicken', and 'whole wheat' out of the title to draw you in.

I like to do the ol' bait & switch on The Stallion, too.  And quite often.  

Chicken Fajita Lettuce Wraps

Happy New Year!

This dinner is a cinch to pull together, it's packed with flavor, and it's very waistline friendly.  We used the avocado as our fat in the dish, but feel free to add sour cream or cheese, or both!  The lettuce replaces the fatty tortilla in a traditional chicken fajita recipe.  For being so tiny and secondary, tortillas really pack punch in the fat and calories department.  And with this recipe, you won't even miss them!

This is the first throw-together, off-the-cuff dinner I've made in a while.  Which means - I'm going to have to do some major estimating on quantities of spices.  Just know that relative to one another, I was heavy on the onion powder, garlic powder, and cumin; lighter on the coriander and chili powder, and very, very easy on the cayenne.  You can always use fajita or taco seasoning if you've got it - whatever you have on hand is the best there ever was.

Soy-Ginger Glazed Salmon

EASY, EASY, EASY.

Easy.

That's what this dinner is.  Oh, and delicious.  And quick.  And easy.

Salmon with rice and broccoli is one of my top 5 dinners.  I love it.  Everything about it.

And I love broccoli.  I mean love broccoli.  Just lightly steamed.  If it's still bright green, it's perfect.

The Stallion and I differ on our affinity for broccoli.  So, I was a doll and made extra glaze so he could pour it over his baby trees and choke them down.

As I was saying, this dinner is so unbelievably easy.  And fast.  Sub white rice for the brown rice I made last night, and you'll have so much time on your hands you won't know what to do.

Brown rice is a little irritating in that it takes about 45 minutes.  But it's all inactive time, so it's no big deal as long as you remember to start it before you're ready to make dinner.

The salmon part?  That'll take you 15 minutes, tops.  Hallelujah.  Hello fabulous, healthful, fresh, amazing weeknight dinner.

Here's how you do it. 

Adapted from Food & Wine
Ingredients:

• 1/3 c. soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons honey
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons olive or peanut oil
• 2 - 6 oz. salmon filets
• black pepper
• cilantro, for garnish

1. In a small saucepan, combine the soy sauce and ginger and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir in the honey and mustard.
2. Heat the peanut/olive oil in a large nonstick ovenproof skillet. Season the salmon with pepper and add it to the skillet, skinned side up. (NO salt! The soy sauce takes care of that.) Cook over high heat until golden and crusty, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the salmon and spoon the ginger-soy glaze on top. 
3. If you like your fish well-done, you can transfer the pan to a 350-degree oven and finish for 5 minutes, or until cooked to your liking. 

I didn't finish in the oven at all, but I like my salmon medium- rare.  I left The Stallion's on longer because he likes his cooked through.  Just finish to your liking - and don't be afraid to transfer to the oven.  You'll eventually reach a smoking point if you try to cook it through on the stovetop - that step is really just to get a good sear.

Bon appetit!

Steak Pizza with Caramelized Onions, Gorgonzola, & Rosemary

YOU GUYS.  I'm not gonna lie.  This has been one of my best ideas yet.  This pizza was absolutely phenomenal.  And it's a dinner you can make out of leftovers and kitchen staples.  Well, you can if you're a blue cheese person and have that on hand.

The Stallion and his father went a little meat-crazy for Father's Day.  And I mean crazy.  Here's just how crazy:  there were 5 adults and 3 children (10+, not babies) at our Father's Day feast.  The men smoked 4 racks of ribs and grilled 4 or 5 T-bone steaks plus 6-7 bacon-wrapped filets cut from one huge beef tenderloin.  OH. MY. GOSH.  Such silly men.  Needless to say, I'm sure McGonigle's was happy they stopped by.

(Have I told you about McGonigle's?  LOVE.  Best meat in the city, for sure.  And it's locally owned - a great plus!)

But, I must say, having tons of leftovers makes the week a bit easier.  So when I told the Stallion I was thinking of making pizza for dinner one night because we have a lot of tomatoes and mozzarella to use up, he immediately (and not surprisingly) said, 'Pizza sounds good...Steak pizza.'  I could just imagine him starting to salivate at the thought of having meat on his pizza for dinner.

That didn't really sound very appetizing to me - meat and cheese?  Where's the flavor?  So, I responded with '...and caramelized onions and gorgonzola.'

What did the Stallion have to say to that?  'Holy shit.  Sounds delicious.'

I was thinking the same thing.  Where did that delicious idea come from???

I can use quotations here because I actually went back through our IM transcript and am sharing this conversation word-for-word.  So there.

Bonus if you can spot the dog hair.  Gross?  Yes.  A fact of our lives?  Yes.  Am I dying?  No.  It's just making me stronger!

I caramelized the onions when I got home because that takes a little bit of time and the Stallion was going to get home a bit after me.

We also picked the hottest week of the year to start running again after work.  So smart!

Poor thing.  He came home to the most wonderful smell in the world.  But no dinner.  We had to go run, first.  Muahahhahah.

Hey - it sucked for me, too!

But when we were done, we came home and got to eat this:

The Stallion was hestitant when I told him I was going to finish it with rosemary.  'Just a little bit,' he said.  Thankfully, his trust in me was restored.  The rosemary totally completed the dish, and he could not have been happier.  He's still raving about this meal.

Probably because I didn't make him eat a salad.

Look at what we've got going on here - the top was so good, you didn't even notice the refrigerated pizza dough that I had totally screwed up!

Steak Pizza with Caramelized Onions, Gorgonzola & Rosemary

• Pizza crust
• 1 10 oz.-ish steak, cooked, grilled, broiled
• 1 onion
• Gorgonzola 
• Fresh rosemary

Caramelize the onions first.  Slice the onion to the desired thickness.  I go a bit thick because these will cook down a lot.  I also used shallots as well this time because i had one that was about to sprout in my fruit bowl.

Heat a pan to medium heat and add about a tablespoon of olive oil or whatever you have.  Add the onions.  You'll cook this for about 10 minutes or so - until they are very dark.  Stir the pan about every minute - too often and the onions won't brown, too sparse and they will burn.  Add a little salt and sugar - the sugar will advance the caramelization process.  When the onions were about done, I added a heavy splash of red wine to deglaze the pan and deepen the flavor.

Slice up your leftover steak.  The Stallion did a great job on this - the pieces weren't very long, so you didn't have to worry about trying to bite through a piece of steak in order to take a bite of your piece of pizza.  Slice some fresh mozzarella - enough to cover your pizza crust.  I try to avoid using too much mozz  - about a 1 inch spacing is good.

I pre-baked the crust for about 6-8 minutes so the crust would be able to stand up to the heavy toppings.  Pull it out of the oven, then layer on the toppings:  mozzarella, steak, onions, Gorgonzola.  Bake until the crust is golden and the cheese is hot and bubbly.  Finish with some fresh rosemary!

When you make this, please call me so I can come over.  kthxbai.

BBQ Chicken Pizza

I don't have an anecdotal story to accompany this recipe.  Sorry, fresh out of something interesting to tell you.  So, let me just share this evening's dinner with you.  It's really simple, but does require thinking ahead.  I always make the dough at least the night before, and grill the BBQ chicken when we've got something else going on the grill.  I rely on this pizza to be a quick dinner, so I have to think ahead.  Of course, if you want to start dinner 3 hours before you want to eat, go ahead and start the dough that day and cook the chicken while the dough's rising.

And then you'll get a gold star.

I got lazy at the end of the night last night, so I didn't wind up making the pizza dough ahead of time.  I picked up some rapid rise yeast on my way home from work today in order to remedy that.  It worked just fine!

Here's what you need:

I love Blues Hog BBQ sauce.  This pizza's made up of mozzarella cheese, cheddar cheese, red onion, BBQ chicken, and cilantro.

Stretch out your pizza dough on a cookie sheet, or a pizza stone if you're a cool kid.  Spread a thin layer of BBQ sauce over the crust, then layer on the mozzarella cheese, chicken cubes, red onion, and a little bit of cheddar.

The chopped cilantro is added right after the pizza comes out of the oven.

Here's a recipe for pizza dough:

• 1/2 teaspoon Instant Or Active Dry Yeast
• 3/4 cup Warm Water
• 2 cups All-purpose Flour
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 3 T Olive Oil

1. Sprinkle yeast over warm (not lukewarm) water. Let stand for a few minutes.
2. In a mixer, combine flour and salt. With the mixer running on low speed (with paddle attachment), drizzle in olive oil until combined with flour (you can also just use a fork). 
3. Next, pour in yeast/water mixture and mix until combined, and the dough comes together in a sticky mass.
4. Coat a separate mixing bowl with a light drizzle of olive oil, and form the dough into a ball. Toss to coat dough in olive oil, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set it aside for 1 to 2 hours, or store in the fridge until you need it.

It’s best to make the dough at least 24 hours in advance, and 3 or 4 days is even better.

Lots of love and sass,
ck

Rigatoni Ischitana

Simple, simple, simple.  Fresh, fresh, fresh.  Yum, yum, yum.

I love, love, LOVE this dish.  And I think that's all the repeating I'll do in this post.  I wanted to be sure I got my point across.  This pasta dish?  It is so simple.  It is made with all fresh, unadulterated ingredients.  It is so, so tasty - I absolutely LOVE it.

I was inspired last summer to make this dish when I finally had the Penne Ischitana at Bella Napoli.  Now, in my next post I'll be telling you all about Bella Napoli.  But, in the meantime, let me sum this place up for you:

Italian, Italian, Italian.  Amazing, amazing, amazing.  Authentic, authentic, authentic.  BEST IN KC.  Love, love, LOVE.

Did I say something about no more repeating?  I didn't think so.  I definitely didn't repeat it, so I'm not accountable for remembering it.

This is a staple summer dish for The Italian Stallion and me.  It is a quintessential Italian dish.  It can be your meal.  Or you can try really hard (and FAIL MISERABLY) to have a small amount and use it as a side dish.  One could even use it as your go-to pasta salad/summer picnic/BBQ/potluck contributory dish.  Prepare to be worshipped.  And when asked 'how on Earth did you do it???' you can respond with, 'Oh, this sophisticated Italian chef has a blog that I follow.  She posts step-by-step photos so it's impossible to mess up.'

And we'll both be laughing on the inside.  Because I'm not that sophisticated.  But mostly because this is so simple, you're only getting a photo of the finished product!  So I guess it is possible to mess up. (good luck!  you're on your own!)  Oh, and maybe because I'm not a chef.  Details, details.

This probably shouldn't even be allowed to be called a recipe.  It's really just an ingredient list.  The rest is up to you!

Rigatoni Ischitana

• Rigatoni - however much you want/need!  You could also use penne or farfalle - just stick with the short pastas
• Fresh tomatoes, diced
• Fresh basil, chopped (MUST be fresh)
• Fresh mozzarella, diced
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Fresh garlic, minced (optional - I don't always feel like having raw garlic in my pasta)
• Freshly grated parmesan (optional, but oh so yummy!)

Cook pasta according to directions.  While pasta is going, dice the tomatoes and place in your serving dish.  Sprinkle with salt to get them to macerate a bit.  Then dice the mozzarella.  Pick some leaves of basil from your herb garden, stack them, roll them lengthwise, and chop carefully.

Drain the pasta.  Add all ingredients to the dish of tomatoes.  Toss to combine.

Buono appetito!

Grown-Up Hot Ham & Cheese

When I was a kid, I was one of the weird ones that actually liked school lunches. I think I even loved them. I liked them because I was usually embarrassed when I brought my lunch from home. My sandwich was on whole wheat, whole grain rectangular bread and always stood out amongst the sea of square, glaring white Wonder Bread. Their sandwiches were full of processed meat and cheese. Mine? Organic, natural, chunky peanut butter (the kind you have to stir like crazy when you open it because the oil separates...SO WEIRD) and honey. Literally no one at my elementary school had ever seen anything like it. And kids are kids, so they poke fun of the unfamiliar and abnormal.

Little did they know, and, unfortunately, little did I know (or care to realize), I had that food because I was blessed with an aware and caring mother. She tried her best to keep me on a diet consisting of only real food.

My aunt ruined her hope of me growing up unaware of McDonald's when she took me through the drive-thru at age 3. I usually got a tummy ache when I went to stay at friends houses because I would overdose on junk food. As it turns out, I inherited that piece of her. But I lapse from time to time. It's easy to do that in this society. So when I came across a recipe on bunsinmyoven similar to one of my favorite school lunches - Hot Ham & Cheese - I had to try it.

I made these mini hot ham & cheese sandwiches last night and took them to book club with me. FYI: we've dubbed our book club the Illiterate Winos' Book Club. If that tells you anything about this group. There's not as much wine involved these days since half of us are pregnant or nursing, but the rest of us try to make up for it. These women are my support group. We learn so much from one another. We run the gamet of ideals, opinions and lifestyles - but we all have a shared connection. We help each other through any and everything. And we teach each other a lot, too. (Last night's trending topic: labor & delivery - what no one tells you.)

...And that's why it's girls only.

I have to share this recipe with you because the girls loved the sandwiches. So did I. So did The Stallion. I've made a few tweaks to the recipe since I made it because I thought they were way too buttery (yes, seriously).

Confession: I used Oscar Mayer ham. I'm sure it was processed. But I did use real swiss cheese. The rolls were likely made with bleached flour. I ate two. The only thing I'm really struggling with is the ham. I doubt Oscar Mayer 'fully respects and honors the pigness of the pig'.

That was a reference to the movie Food, Inc. I watched it a month ago. More to come on that one. I'll 'hippee out' for y'all when that time comes.

**Photo credit to bunsinmyoven, where I found the original recipe, as my camera malfunction is keeping me from taking pictures of my own food. Her pic is missing the onion flakes - she's got some finnicky kiddos.**

Here's what you'll need to make Grown-Up Hot Ham & Cheese:

• 12 Kings Hawaiian rolls (you can use any type of roll - beware these are sweet - but I think they're perfect)
• 14-16 oz. deli sliced ham
• 8-10 oz. deli sliced swiss cheese (you could use some sharp cheddar (white, of course) - that would be pretty tasty, too. Or do half and half! Great for those who can't commit.)
• 2-3 T salted butter, melted
• 2 t ground mustard
• 1 t onion powder (or salt)
  
• 2 t Worcestershire
  
• Onion flakes

Pull apart the rolls and cut in half horizontally. Pile on the ham and the cheese. Arrange the sandwiches on a baking sheet with plenty of space in between so the edges of the ham can get crispy. Mix the mustard, onion powder and Worcestershire into the melted butter. Baste the top of each roll with the butter mixture, then sprinkle with onion flakes.

They're better if you let them set for at least 30 minutes, but if you can't wait - go ahead and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Turn up the heat a bit at the end if you want more 'crispies'. These are great made ahead of time. I did everything up through the baking step and covered the sandwiches overnight, then baked them at book club, and they were delish!

These are great as appetizers at a party or as a main dish for dinner. Just don't forget a side of vegetables!