Pineapple Quinoa

Scot says "this is everything I like."  10/10.  He loves the sweet and savory thing.  He loves quinoa, pineapple, edamame and red peppers (every time he eats a red pepper, he seems to be shocked at how good it is).  Oh yeah, and he loves ginger.  

I thought this tasted a little bit like fried rice.  And I loved the cashew nuts which have a really meaty quality in this dish (and they aren't too crunchy...they are pretty soft as far as nuts go).  Nuts!  Go nuts!

Pineapple Quinoa

from Annie’s Eats

1 cup quinoa

1 cup pineapple juice

1 cup cold water

2 tbsp. plus 1/2 tsp. soy sauce

1/3 cup raw cashew pieces (unsalted)

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 cup cooked edamame

2 scallions, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 serrano pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1-inch piece of ginger root, peeled and grated or finely diced

1/2 of a medium pineapple, cored, peeled and diced

1/2 cup loosely packed basil, finely chopped

Lime wedges, for serving

Combine the quinoa, pineapple juice, 1/2 teaspoon of soy sauce and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for about 15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Remove from the heat, let stand covered for 5 minutes, then remove the lid and fluff with a fork.

Toast the cashews in a large skillet over medium heat until golden and fragrant.  Remove from the pan and set aside.

Return the pan to the stove and increase the heat to medium-high. Heat the vegetable oil. Stir in the bell pepper and edamame and stir fry for about 3 minutes, or until the bell pepper is slightly softened. Stir in the scallions, garlic,

ginger, and serrano and cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in the pineapple, quinoa and basil. Mix well to combine. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and continue to cook for a few minutes more until everything is well blended and heated through. Serve garnished with lime wedges, if desired.

(Servings: 6, Prep time: 10 min., Cook time: 30 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  8/10

Scot (taste):  10/10

Effort:  2/5

Dishwashing Effort:  1/5

Orange Chicken

You know when you read an email and can't respond because you need to look further into something or need to talk to someone first or because you need to wait for something else to get planned first.  But then it gets to be a week...two weeks...a month later and it is just awkward to respond so late.  I feel like that is how this blog is right now.  So this is me, writing back, saying "Sorry it took me so long to get back to you!"

I moved.  I don't live in Boulder, CO anymore.  :(  I am now an East Coaster (job -> re-locay).  :)  Scot, Copper and I are now living in a world of bagels, delis, diners, pizza and donuts.  We are also getting used to the random humidity and rain.  It is fun.  But Boulder and all the wonderful people there took a piece of my heart.  There is also a pretty good chance that I am getting fat.  ter.  

My little sister has been visiting, like she does every summer.  Read more about her here.  When we picked her up from Laguardia, we spent the afternoon in the city.  As we were walking around, I asked her what she was hungry for.  She said "sandwiches or Asian".  I got excited and told her she could get any Asian food she wanted in NYC.  And good stuff too.  So I asked, "do you like real Asian or American Asian."  She said, "probably American Asian".  

After crying, I told her to forget about it.  Ughs-ies.  If there is anything I hate more than American Asian food, it would have to be the devil or Taco Bell.  Don't get me wrong, I went through the Sesame Chicken phase in high school.  I did that.  I went there.  BUT, it ain't right.  We all know that.

Anyways, if she wants "Chinese" food, I will make it from scratch.  I am not afraid of a little frying.  At least this way, I know what is in it.  Make sure to serve it with some steamed vegetables.  Like...you NEED to serve veggies with this.  It is the only way to get out of this situation alive.  

Orange Chicken

from Cooking at Home in America’s Test Kitchen via Annie’s Eats

For the marinade and sauce:

3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth

3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

11/2 tsp. finely grated orange zest

6 tbsp. white vinegar

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup brown sugar (dark or light)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp. fresh ginger, grated

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

11/2 lbs. boneless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. cornstarch

2 tbsp. cold water

8 thin strips orange peel (optional)

For the coating and frying:

3 large egg whites

1 cup cornstarch

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

3 cups peanut or canola oil (I like a combination)

To make the marinade and sauce, combine the chicken broth, orange juice, orange zest, vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and cayenne pepper in a large saucepan; whisk to blend well. Measure out 3/4 cup of the mixture and transfer it to a large zipper lock plastic bag. Add the chicken pieces to the bag, pressing out the excess air and sealing well. Refrigerate and let marinate 30-60 minutes, but no longer. Place the saucepan with the remaining mixture on the stove and heat over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water until smooth. Add the mixture to the saucepan with the sauce. Continue simmering until the sauce is thick and translucent, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the strips of orange peel, if using.

To prepare the coating, place the egg whites in a pie plate and whisk until frothy. In a second pie plate combine the cornstarch, baking soda and cayenne pepper; whisk to blend. Drain the chicken of the marinade in a colander or large strainer; pat dry with paper towels. Place half of the chicken pieces in the egg whites and turn to coat. Transfer the pieces to the cornstarch mixture and coat thoroughly, shaking off the excess. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.

To fry the chicken, heat the oil in a 11- or 12-inch round Dutch oven or straightsided sauté pan until the oil reaches 350° F. Carefully place half of the chicken pieces in the oil and fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes, turning the pieces halfway through cooking. Remove from the oil with a skimmer or slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Return the oil to 350° F and repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.

Reheat the sauce if necessary and toss with the cooked chicken pieces. Serve over rice, if desired.

(Servings: 4, Prep time: 1 hr., Cook time: 45 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  6/10

Scot (taste):  8/10

Cindy (taste):  9/10

Effort:  4/5

Dishwashing Effort:  3/5

Prosciutto Wrapped Figs and Blue Cheese

When I ate one of these for the first time, I cursed in my head.  If there is a more perfect bite in the world, I don't even want to know.  

I need to tell you something.  I am not really fancy.  But I pretend to be.  And for the longest time, I was intimidated by fancy ingredients.  I have always been frugal.  And even though most people probably wouldn't consider me frugal nowadays, I used to be hardcore (and I have gradually loosened up as I have gotten older...and richer).  I used to question buying Green Giant canned green beans or just go with the Kroeger brand.  I used to think it was frivolous to buy deli meat at the deli counter rather than the prepackaged deli "meat".  And I used to buy frozen chicken breasts in those zippy bags.  So believe me, I have been there.  

For those of you who worry and budget and stress about your grocery bill, have no fear.  I am here to tell you that fancy food does not need to be expensive.  I know I go on and on about Whole Foods, but it is my favorite place on earth.  It is what inspired me to make these...because Black Mission Figs just started showing up.  And are on sale.  $3.99/lb.  The nice thing about Whole Foods is that you can always buy exactly how much you want.  This is what it came to for me:

Figs:  $3 

Prosciutto:  $4

Goat's milk blue cheese (amazing):  $2.50

I know it ain't no pigs in a blanket...$3 for 30 people-kind of appetizer.  But it isn't as scary as I once thought.  

Don't go crazy with the prosciutto.  Ask for it to be sliced as thin as possible.  I don't like it to completely cover the fig, because then it just tastes like pork fat.  Share with bro-in-law over skype.  

Prosciutto Wrapped Figs and Blue Cheese

recipe courtesy Michael Chiarello via FoodNetwork

8 Black Mission figs

1/2 cup blue cheese, cut into cubes

8 prosciutto (thinly sliced, cut in half lengthwise)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat grill. You will need medium to high heat for grilling. The key is to crisp the prosciutto quickly and leave the blue cheese just melted with the inner part of the fig cool in temperature.

Cut the figs in half and place a piece of blue cheese on each fig half. Wrap the prosciutto around each fig half, covering the cheese. The ends of the prosciutto should overlap.

Grill each piece until the prosciutto begins to color and crisp, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove from grill, lightly drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and season with sea salt and pepper. Serve warm.

(Servings: 4-8, Prep time: 10 min., Cook time: 10 min. Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  10/10

Scot (taste):  9/10

Effort:  1/5

Dishwashing Effort:  1/5

Oatmeal Pancakes with Lemony Maple Blueberry Sauce

This was a delicious camp breakfast.  It could be easily adapted to work as a great backpacking meal (or you could just bring fresh fruit backpacking...day one/two?...otherwise just sub some dried fruit)  The sauce didn't thicken up for me as much as I hoped it would, but I also didn't follow any of the measurements, so what can I really expect?  It was still delicious.  

I used old fashioned oats in the pancakes (with some hesitation) and they really were great.  The pancakes were so filling.  I could only eat 4 smaller (4 inch) pancakes.  

Uh.  Just wondering.  Is that for me?

I doubled the recipe for 3 people and it was too much.  But don't worry, Copper needed breakfast too!  

Camping is his favorite.  No, we did NOT take him hiking in his tank top.  Totally embarrassing.  

Oatmeal Pancakes with Lemony Maple Blueberry Sauce

from dirty gourmet

1/2 cup old fashioned oats or 1 packet of instant oatmeal

3/4 cup “Complete” Pancake mix (just-add-water)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup chopped pecans

1 cupswater

2 tablespoons oil for skillet if not non-stick

Lemony Maple Blueberry Sace (recipe below)

At Home: In a large zip-top bag, combine oats, pancake mix, cinnamon and pecans (you will need the extra room to mix the batter).

At Camp: Pour 1 cup of water inside the zip-top bag containing the pancake batter ingredients. Seal bag and mix the ingredients by gently kneading and squeezing them together.

Cut one of bottom corners of the zip-top bag with the pancake batter and squirt 1/4 of contents into a lightly oiled skillet on medium high. Let pancake cook until bubbling on top. Flip and let cook until golden brown. Repeat with the rest of the batter.

Top the pancakes with lemony maple blueberry sauce!

(Servings: 2-3, Prep time: 15 min., Cook time: 20 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Lemony Maple Blueberry Sauce

by Backpacker

1/2 pint fresh blueberries (Substitutes: any other berry, or soft fruit like peach,

pear, and plum)

1/2 cup real maple syrup

1/2 lemon (juice and rind)

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon butter

At home: Pack syrup in a leak-proof bottle; pack sugar in a zip-top bag.

At camp: Using a sharp knife, gently peel the yellow part of the lemon rind. Avoid cutting too deep into the white part of the skin (it's bitter). Finely chop the yellow peel and set aside. In a skillet, melt the butter over low heat, then add the blueberries. Mash some of the blueberries with a fork, then add the remaining ingredients, including the lemon rind. Simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes until the mixture starts to thicken. Makes 1 cup.

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  8/10

Scot (taste):  9/10

Effort:  2/5

Dishwashing Effort:  2/5

Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Pineapple Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

The salad is the most interesting combo in the universe.  When I read Joy's post about this salad she came up with, I couldn't wait to try it.  It is shaved (raw) Brussels sprouts with chunks of fresh pineapple, avocado, roasted macadamia nuts and French lentils and a pineapple poppy seed vinaigrette.  Fascinating.  Genius.  

Let me just give a little of my experience with the different components.  

Raw Brussels sprouts are good.  The closer you get to the core, the more bitter they taste.  But the bitterness is nice with the other parts of the salad.  Also, 8 cups?  Yikes, that is like a million.  I just got a regular amount.  

Pineapple.  It was actually on sale for me at my Whole Foods.  Even though I claim to be the best produce-picker-outer (including pineapples), the one I picked was pretty horrible.  However, it tasted great in the salad and still made a delicious dressing.  Who knew?

French Lentils.  Fancy lentils.  They are a pretty color.  But they taste the same to me.  Maybe they taste more muddy.  But in a good way.  Hard to explain.

Macadamia nuts.  Are AMAZING!  

As you can see, I did more of a lentil salad with shaved Brussels sprouts, pineapple, avocado and macadamia nuts on top.  This is mostly because I couldn't afford 8 cups of shaved Brussels sprouts.  But I liked the proportions.  Joy's proportions also look delicious.  Also, this dressing is a real winner.  And I am not usually a fan of sweet dressings.  

Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Pineapple Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

by Joy the Baker

8 cups raw Brussels sprouts ribbons (lay sprouts on their sides and sliced thin, creating green ribbons)

1/2 cup scallions, sliced from the white to the green

1/4 cup parsley, coarsely chopped

2 cups fresh pineapple chunks, sliced bite size

1 cup French Lentils, cooked

1 cup raw macadamia nuts, roasted in olive oil, salt, and pepper

1 cup avocado chunks

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Toss raw macadamia nuts in 1 tablespoon olive oil and salt and pepper and roast for 12 to 14 minutes, until golden brown and fragrant. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

Simmer one cup of French lentils in 3 cups of water. Simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, until just cooked through. Drain completely, drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper and set aside to cool completely.

Slice pineapple into bite size chunks.

Prepare salad dressing.

Slice avocado.

Just before serving the salad, toss together Brussels sprouts, scallions, parsley, pineapple, lentils, macadamia nuts and avocado chunks. Drizzle in dressing and toss well. Serve immediately.

(Servings: 6, Prep time: 1 hr., Difficulty: Easy)

Pineapple Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

1 1/2 to 2 cups fresh pineapple chunks

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoons chopped scallions (the white portion)

1 small garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoon canola oil

2 teaspoons poppy seeds

salt and pepper to taste

Place fresh pineapple chunks in a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Blend pineapple into a mostly smooth, frothy pulp. Place a fine mesh strainer over a medium bowl and press the pineapple puree through the strainer into the bowl. Scrape the bottom of the fine mesh strainer to get all the good bits. There will be just a bit of pineapple pulp in the fine mesh strainer when you’re done. You’ll have about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of juice/pulp.

In the the bowl of the food processor, combine juice/pump, honey, rice wine vinegar, scallions, garlic, and mustard. Pulse 5 times to incorporate. With the food processor on, slowly stream in the canola oil. Stop the food processor once the dressing is emulsified. Pour the dressing into a medium bowl and stir in poppy seeds, salt and pepper.

Salad dressing should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

(Makes 2 cups)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  8/10

Scot (taste):  9/10

Effort:  3/5

Dishwashing Effort:  3/5

Warm Berries with Stove Top Dumplings

Photo Credit:  Dan Hickstein

We spent some time with some friends in an adorable mountain cabin in Crested Butte.  We all participated in a cross country ski race during the day.  When we got home, we were all looking forward to a delicious dinner.  When meal planning for week nights or special occasions or weekend fun with friends, I always forget about dessert.  This time, I made it a point to make sure we had something.  

I have had this recipe saved for a long, long time.  In fact, I have tried to incorporate it on several camping trips, but it never worked out for various reason.  When I saw the adorable cabin that we were staying in, I knew this recipe would be the perfect cozy cabin dessert.  

Photo Credit:  Dan Hickstein

This dessert starts of with warming berries and then cooking (partially steaming) dumplings in the berry mixture on the stove in a covered pan.  We topped the warm berries and dumplings with some vanilla ice cream.  It was a delicious treat.  I love a good warm and cold dessert.  It has to be my favorite kind.  

Warm Berries with Stove Top Dumplings

by Martha Stewart via Joy the Baker

1 pound frozen mixed berries

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

6 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a medium skillet, cook berries, lemon juice, 4 tablespoons sugar, and 1/4 cup water over medium until slightly thickened, 11 to 13 minutes. Berries may still look watery. Don’t worry, they’ll cook down when you add the dumplings.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 2 tablespoons sugar; add melted butter and buttermilk, and stir until a moist dough forms. Dividing evenly, spoon 6 dollops of dough over fruit. Combine cinnamon and 1 teaspoon sugar, and sprinkle over dough.

Cover pan tightly with foil, and cook over medium-low until dumplings are set and tops are dry to the touch, about 15 minutes. Serve warm.

(Servings: 6, Prep time: 5 min., Cook time: 30 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings: 

Shanon (taste):  7/10

Scot (taste):  8/10

Effort:  1/5

Dishwashing Effort:  1/5

Green Smoothie

I remember in middle school learning hallway etiquette.  Always stay to the right!

Have you ever been walking down a walking path or in a hallway and did the awkward dance with the person approaching you?  

I am sure this has happened to you...you are walking a path and and two people are coming towards you?  Do you believe with all your heart that regardless of the size of your party, you are granted half of the path?  

What about this...ever been walking on a path only big enough for ONE person and someone else was walking from the opposite way on that path?  Who moves?  NBD.

I had a friend in college who was a strong believer that whoever was smaller was responsible for moving aside for the bigger person.  Yeah, he was big.  

Well none of that really matters.  What matters is that I have joined the green smoothie lovers of the world.  You can call it an energy shake.  Or a smoothie.  Or dinner.  

This smoothie is healthy in the sense that it isn't unhealthy.  It is packed with spinach and kale.  Ok, it isn't packed, but each serving has about a cup of raw greens.  Which won't change your life, but it will give you a little boost.  The important thing is  that this smoothie is good.  I loved it.  We tried it also with orange juice instead of almond milk, which I also really enjoyed.  But the almond milk is nice and thick and gives it a great texture and creaminess (cow's milk would be a fairly lame substitute because it has no flavor or texture).  

How do they milk almonds?  Actually, almonds are kind of milky if you think about it.  

Almond milk is good for you, though.  Has some good fat in it, with few calories (unless it is sweetened) and some bonus fiber and protein.  I have been into using milk substitutes a lot lately because I so often prefer whole milk in drinks.  The skim just doesn't do it for me.  So, the milk substitutes like soy and almond have all the creaminess without the fat.  

Really, just try this!  Tastes nothing like kale and spinach.  It is so pretty.  And in the very least, it will make you feel like you are doing something right.  

I was inspired by Joy and Bon Appetit.  

Green Smoothie

1 heaping cup of fresh spinach

1 heaping cup of coarsely chopped raw kale

2 cups almond milk (vanilla flavor)

1 banana, cut into several pieces and frozen

1 pear, cut into several pieces and frozen

2 kiwis, skins removed, cut into several pieces and frozen

Place spinach, kale and almond milk in blender and blend until greens are broken up into tiny pieces. Add frozen fruit and blend until smooth.

(Servings: 2, Prep time: 10 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  9/10

Scot (taste):  7/10

Effort:  1/5

Dishwashing Effort:  2/5

Raspberry Walnut French Toast

Ever seen a quick bread made into french toast?  It is a great way to fancy up french toast.  

I don't make french toast all that often, but we had it growing up every once and a while.  Scot and I made some for breakfast for (I think) the first time half a year or so ago.  It was fun for Scot because it is something he grew up eating a lot.  While I was helping him make it, he was shocked at how easy it was.  He kept going on and on about it.  "Why don't we make this everyday?"

Now, this french toast involved baking a raspberry and walnut quick bread first (we also tried a blueberry bread, no nuts).  We made the bread the night before so that it would be completely cooled in time to make the french toast.   

This french toast is pretty sweet, no need for syrup.  However, I do like the taste of the maple with it so I like a little syrup on it.  It would be great with some slightly sweetened freshly whipped cream.  I am on a cream-free diet right now.  Like this week.  So, I skipped it.  

I have to say that Scot and I saw this idea a while back and he was especially excited about it.  He really liked this breakfast.  I probably preferred the no nut version but Scot liked this version best.  

Raspberry Walnut French Toast

bread recipe adapted from Allrecipes

For bread:

1/3 cup melted butter

1 cup white sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries

For french toast:

Butter, for pan and to serve

2 eggs

a splash of milk

a pinch of cinnamon

powdered sugar

maple syrup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease an 8x4 inch loaf pan.

In a mixing bowl, beat together butter, sugar, juice and eggs. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; stir into egg mixture alternately with milk. Fold in nuts, and raspberries. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool bread in pan for 10 minutes. Remove bread from pan and let cool completely on cooling rack.

Preheat griddle pan and butter pan. Slice bread into thick, one inch slices. Prepare egg mixture by whisking together egg, milk and cinnamon. Dip each slice of bread quickly in the egg mixture to coat and place on griddle. Cook on all sides until golden brown. Serve with a tiny bit of powdered sugar and maple syrup (the toast is sweet enough to eat on its own!)

(Servings: 4, Prep time: 1.5 hrs, Cook time: Cook time: 20 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  6/10

Scot (taste):  8/10

Effort:  3/5

Dishwashing Effort:  3/5

Apple, Sausage and Goat Cheese Pumpkin Pizza

I wanted to make another version of the pumpkin pizza since the dough recipe makes two pizzas.  This combination is more similar to Joanne's version.  I topped mine with apple, sausage, caramelized onions and goat cheese.  

Like last night's version, I love the combination of something sweet like apples with something really salty and savory like blue cheese or goat cheese and bacon or sausage.  I, of course, prefer this version since it has goat cheese on it.  

Apple, Sausage and Goat Cheese Pumpkin Pizza

adapted from Eats Well With Others

for pumpkin pizza dough (makes 2 pizzas):

1 tbsp yeast

3/4 cup warm water

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 tbsp unsalted butter

3/4 cup warm water

1 tbsp salt

3 cups white flour

3 cups wheat flour

1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree

for one pizza:

1/3 lb of sausage

1 small onion, sliced

1 Granny Smith apple, cored and sliced

1 tbsp of olive oil

4 oz goat cheese, crumbled

In a bowl of a stand mixer, mix together the yeast, 3/4 cup water, and the brown sugar. Let sit for about five minutes or until it starts foaming. While the yeast is proofing, in a small microwave safe bowl, combine butter, salt, and 3/4 cup water. Heat mixture in microwave until the butter is melted. Let it cool until you can stick your finger in it without getting burned. Pour this into the yeast mixture. With paddle attachment, mix everything on low for a few seconds. Add pumpkin puree and mix on low until combined. Add all the white flour. Mix on low until well combined.

Switch to a dough hook and add most of wheat flour. Start on low until well combined and then increase speed. Continue to mix and add flour until dough pulls away from the sides and is mostly stuck to the dough hook. Cover the bowl of the stand mixer with a damp paper towel and allow the dough to rise until doubled, about one hour.

Place pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 475.

Cook sausage in a skillet until browned. Rinse and dry skillet. Add some olive oil and caramelize onion slices, about 7-10 minutes. Remove from pan and add more olive oil and apple slices. Cook for about 5 minutes until soft. Remove from pan and set aside.

After the dough has risen, cut off half of it. Sprinkle the half with flour and mold it into a ball. Place on a clean surface that's covered in flour and roll out to a desired thickness. Place dough in oven on the pizza stone, and prebake for two minutes.

Brush prebaked crust with olive oil and top with apple slices, caramelized onions, sausage, and goat cheese. Slide onto pizza stone and bake for about 10 minutes or until the bottom of the crust is golden brown.

(Servings: 6, Prep time: 75 min., Cook time: 20 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  8/10

Scot (taste):  9/10

Effort:  4/5

Dishwashing Effort:  3/5

Everything Autumn Pizza

I was super excited to try out this pumpkin pizza dough recipe I found on Eats Well With Others.  I was curious, does it taste like pumpkin bread?  Will it be too sweet?

Turns out, this pumpkin pizza dough has a very subtle pumpkin flavor.  It is slightly sweet.  I made mine with half wheat and half white flour.  I did that because I wanted to make it healthier.

That is a lie.  I actually just ran out of AP flour.  But, I thought this dough would lend itself well to some wheat flour.  And it really did.

I topped mine with brie, sauteed apples and caramelized onions.  To cut some of the sweetness, I added some blue cheese, bacon and pecans.  This is such a hearty pizza.  In fact, I was almost full after one piece!  I loved the combination of flavors.  And, of course, Scot loved it even more.  He loves these fall flavors.  

Everything Autumn Pizza

pizza inspired by and pizza dough slightly adapted from Eats Well With Others

for pumpkin pizza dough (makes 2 pizzas):

1 tbsp yeast

3/4 cup warm water

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 tbsp unsalted butter

3/4 cup warm water

1 tbsp salt

3 cups white flour

3 cups wheat flour

1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree

for one pizza:

4 slices of thick cut applewood smoked bacon, diced

1 small onion, sliced

1 Granny Smith apple, cored and sliced

1 tbsp of butter

1 tbsp of olive oil

4 oz brie, thinly sliced

1 oz of blue cheese, crumbed

1 small handful of chopped pecans or walnuts

olive oil

In a bowl of a stand mixer, mix together the yeast, 3/4 cup water, and the brown sugar. Let sit for about five minutes or until it starts foaming. While the yeast is proofing, in a small microwave safe bowl, combine butter, salt, and 3/4 cup water. Heat mixture in microwave until the butter is melted. Let it cool until you can stick your finger in it without getting burned. Pour this into the yeast mixture. With paddle attachment, mix everything on low for a few seconds. Add pumpkin puree and mix on low until combined. Add all the white flour. Mix on low until well combined.

Switch to a dough hook and add most of wheat flour. Start on low until well combined and then increase speed. Continue to mix and add flour until dough pulls away from the sides and is mostly stuck to the dough hook.

Cover the bowl of the stand mixer with a damp paper towel and allow the dough to rise until doubled, about one hour.

Place pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 475.

Cook bacon in a skillet until it is about 80% done. Rinse and dry skillet. Add some olive oil and caramelize onion slices, about 7-10 minutes. Remove from pan and add more olive oil and apple slices. Cook for about 5 minutes until soft. Remove from pan and set aside.

After the dough has risen, cut off half of it. Sprinkle the half with flour and mold it into a ball. Place on a clean surface that's covered in flour and roll out to a desired thickness. Place dough in oven on the pizza stone, and prebake for two minutes.

In a small dish, melt 1 tbsp of butter and mix in 1 tbsp of olive oil. Brush prebaked crust with butter/olive oil mixture and top with slices of brie (leave the rind on), apple slices, caramelized onions, and bacon. Slide onto pizza stone and bake for about 10 minutes or until the bottom of the crust is golden brown. When the pizza is still hot, right out of the oven, sprinkle with blue cheese and nuts.

(Servings: 6, Prep time: 75 min., Cook time: 20 min., Difficulty: Easy)

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foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  7/10
Scot (taste):  9/10
Effort:  4/5
Dishwashing Effort:  3/5

Salmon with Strawberry Salsa

After TWO championship losses tonight, this dinner was such a great way to celebrate.  

Actually, it seriously was.  It is so quick to throw together.  I love the balance of the sweet and savory flavors.  And it was ridiculously easy to make.  

I left out the parsley because I felt like it.  I also probably prefer to do like a pan sear on the salmon.  But, the broiler method is great because it is easy and such a healthy way to make it.  I just feel like it is harder to perfectly cook it, but it is still pretty solid.  

Salmon with Strawberry Salsa

from Annie’s Eats

For the salsa:

2 cups fresh strawberries, rinsed, hulled and diced

1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

4 scallions, white and green portions, sliced thin

1 tsp. fresh parsley, minced

1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Drizzle of olive oil

Drizzle of honey

Salt and pepper, to taste

4 salmon fillets (about 6 oz. each)

Freshly squeezed lemon juice

Salt and pepper, to taste

To make the salsa, combine the strawberries, tomatoes, scallions, parsley, vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, honey, and salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Mix well to blend, then cover and refrigerate while you prepare the salmon.

Preheat the broiler. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place the salmon fillets on the foil. Squeeze a bit of fresh lemon juice over each fillet, and season with salt and pepper. Broil about 6-8 inches away from heat source (in my oven, this is upper middle rack). Cook about 10-12 minutes, depending on your oven and the size of the fillets, checking for doneness. Transfer the salmon to serving plates and top with strawberry salsa. Serve warm.

(Servings: 4, Prep time: 15 min., Cook time: 15 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  7/10

Scot (taste):  8/10

Effort:  2/5

Dishwashing Effort:  2/5