Cost: $20 and over
Serves: 4
Prep Time: 40-45 min.
Cook Time: 25-30 min.
Difficulty: 2
My sista from another mother Nell came over for her B-day and asked that I make pizza. Since I am still on a squash blossom kick I threw together a simple yet super flavorful squash blossom pizza with prosciutto. I hope you enjoy!
(For instructions on how to make your own sourdough pizza skin check posting dated 7/7/09.)
Toppings
8 oz fresh mozzarella (sliced)
3 tbsp-1/4 cup Parmesan (freshly grated)
8 squash blossoms (cleaned, trimmed)
4 slices prosciutto (sliced, chopped)
9 fresh basil leaves
Sauce
4.25 oz Julianned sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil with Italian herbs (do not drain oil)
7-8 fresh basil leaves (diced)
1 tsp Italian pasta dust
Crust
1 portion of sourdough pizza dough check posting for 7/7/09 or pre-made crust
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Tossing dough
What works best for me is I strongly throw the ball of dough down on a solid flat surface covered with a piece of wax paper until it is large and flat enough for me to easily balance on top of both of my fists. Then I make an X with my arms keeping my fists close together (backhand to back hand, the dough atop of them both) and I fling the dough upwards with my fingers as I simultaneously bring my arms quickly parallel (palm to palm) about 3-4 inches apart. As the dough falls I remake my fists and catch the dough atop them again in the X position and repeat until the dough has formed a 12-14 inch crust.
(Alternately you can lay dough on a solid flat surface covered with wax paper and squish flat with hands. Roll into a ball and slam the dough down onto your solid flat surface covered with a piece of wax paper. Using your fist mush the dough down repeatedly as if you were punching it softly but firmly (this helps get any air bubbles out of it.) Now using your finger tips press and stretch dough until you have formed a 12-14 inch circular pizza skin (you can also make an easier rectangle skin.)
Sauce
In a small bowl mix together all sauce ingredients and then sit to side until ready to use.
In a small bowl mix together all sauce ingredients and then sit to side until ready to use.
Pizza
Sprinkle corn meal onto a baking sheet and lay skin on to it. Pour sauce into the center of crust and spread sauce evenly up to about an inch and a half away from the edge of the crust (I find using a pastry spatula works great for spreading tomato sauce.) Spread prosciutto slices over sauce.
Place pizza on baking sheet lightly coated with corn meal. Arrange your oven racks to where they are on the upper and lower thirds of the oven. If you are using a baking stone as we do place it directly onto the floor of a preheated oven for 45 minutes (but you will be less likely to ruin your pizza stone if you place it on a rack at its lowest position.) Place baking sheet with pizza on the lower oven rack and bake for 7-10 minutes. Remove pizza and layer basil leaves, squash blossoms, mozzarella slices and then sprinkle fresh Parmesan evenly over pizza. Move pizza on baking sheet to upper rack and bake 7-10 minutes (if cooking a second pizza you can put it on the lower rack now on a separate baking sheet.)
Place pizza on baking sheet lightly coated with corn meal. Arrange your oven racks to where they are on the upper and lower thirds of the oven. If you are using a baking stone as we do place it directly onto the floor of a preheated oven for 45 minutes (but you will be less likely to ruin your pizza stone if you place it on a rack at its lowest position.) Place baking sheet with pizza on the lower oven rack and bake for 7-10 minutes. Remove pizza and layer basil leaves, squash blossoms, mozzarella slices and then sprinkle fresh Parmesan evenly over pizza. Move pizza on baking sheet to upper rack and bake 7-10 minutes (if cooking a second pizza you can put it on the lower rack now on a separate baking sheet.)
Slide Pizza off of baking sheet directly onto baking stone and cook for 3-8 minutes or until crisp and bottom is browning (if you were cooking a second pizza you would move it to the top rack on its baking sheet once you slide the first pizza onto the baking stone and of course you would move it to the baking stone once you have remove the first pizza and cooked the second one 7-10 minutes on the upper rack.) Slide pizza onto a cutting board or baking sheet and use a pizza slicer to cut into 8-10 slices and serve hot with your favorite pizza sides, seasonings and sauces!
Cost: $20 and under
Serves: 1-2
Prep Time: 10-15 min.
Cook Time: 15-20 min.
Difficulty: 1
We have a lot of squash blossoms this season, so expect a pizza recipe with them soon. Enjoy this easy breakfast until then!
Ingredients:
3 large eggs
2-3 tbsp half and half
3 green onions (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
4 squash blossoms (cleaned and chopped)
1 fresh basil leaf diced
1/4-1/3 cup habanero white cheddar (shredded)
Kosher salt (to taste)
Fresh crack pepper medley (to taste)
1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
In a small mixing bowl beat three eggs using a whisk. Whisk in half and half, basil and seasonings.
Add butter to a 10 inch non-stick skillet and heat over medium heat until butter has fully melted. Add Squash blossoms, garlic and onions sautéing for 5 minutes. Then pour egg mixture evenly over ingredients.
As the mixture begins to set at the edges (4-5 minutes) add your cheese by placing it along one side of the omelet. Let cook 4-5 additional minutes. Fold omelet half without cheese over half with cheese using a spatula and let sit 2-3 minutes before sliding onto plate and serving hot. Enjoy!
Cost: $20 and under
Serves: 6-8
Prep Time: 15-20 min.
Cook Time: 50-55 min.
Difficulty: 1
Zo brought home some Andouille from a smoke house in New Orleans. It had been a while since I had some premium Andouille so I tossed together a dish where it could be the star. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
Casserole
.5 lbs Premium Smoked Andouille (sliced)
.65 lbs Brussels sprouts (thinly sliced)
1.74 lbs red potatoes (sliced, halved)
1 Sweet Onion (chopped)
4 cloves garlic (diced)
Topping
1/4 cup Parmesan Reggiano (freshly grated)
Sauce
1 tbsp 2 tsp balsamic
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp creole mustard
1 tbsp 2 tsp essence
2 tbsp fresh rosemary (diced)
kosher salt (to taste)
fresh crack pepper (to taste)
Sauce
Mix all sauce ingredients together in a small bowl until even.
Casserole
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Toss all ingredients and sauce in a large mixing bowl until even. Spread casserole into a 3 qt backing dish. Top with Parmesan evenly.
Bake uncovered at 425 degrees for 50-55 minutes (or until potatoes are cooked through.)
Serve hot and enjoy!
Taste Level: GR
Cost: $20 and over
Serves: 6-8
Prep Time: 0-5 min.
Cook Time: 20-25 min.
Difficulty: 1
This recipe is based wholly on a meal from the Anime Cowboy Beebop. In the show they always joked about a meal called Bell Peppers and Beef. So I decided I was going to make the meal. They never really said what was in it (because it is a cartoon not at all about cooking) but you could see bell peppers and onions. So I just ran with it.
Ingredients:
1.5 lb New york strip steak soaked in salsa and teriyaki over night and then cubed and diced
1/2 of a white onion (Julianne)
1/2 green bell pepper (sliced)
1/2 red bell pepper (sliced)
1/4 yellow bell pepper (sliced)
1 Red New Mexican chili (diced)
3 tbsp fresh basil (diced)
kosher salt
fresh crack pepper
red pepper flakes optional
4 tbsp butter
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil.
2 servings of rice cooked by package instructions
Cook steak in sauce pan for 3-4 minutes at med heat and remove. turn heat to med low add oil, butter and red chili and cook for 3-4 min, add veggies and turn to medium, cook for 15 minutes or until onions are caramelizing. add basil and steak and heat through for 1-2 minutes.
Serve over white rice mixed with 2 tbsp volcanic lemon juice, 1/2 tsp ground ginger and all juices from steak and veggies in rice.
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