Balsamic Strawberry Pizza with Chicken, Red Onion and Smoked Bacon

This pizza was very freaking amazing. I highly recommend it. It's based on the recipe found here.

Everybody in my family loved it.

1/2 cup strawberry jam or preserves
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Sriracha Chili Sauce
Pizza Dough (use whatever recipe you want)
1 or 2 cups diced chicken
1/2 cup bacon, cut in 1 inch pieces, cooked and drained
1/2 cup thin sliced red onion
2 cups cheese
1 cup fresh strawberries, diced small
1/4 cup cilantro (optional)

1. Place balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 4 to 5 minutes or until reduced to half of the original volume and mixture is thick and syrupy. Add strawberry preserves and Sriracha and mix well. Set aside to cool.

2. Make pizza dough and spread on a pizza pan (we use a cookie sheet)


3. Combine chicken with 2 tablespoons of the balsamic-strawberry mixture and mix to coat all chicken with sauce. Pour rest of sauce onto pizza dough and spread to cover. Scatter chicken evenly over the sauce.

4. Place about 3/4 of the cheese on top of dough and spread to cover sauce evenly. Scatter bacon and red onion over cheese to distribute evenly. Scatter remaining cheese over this layer.

5. Bake for approximately 12 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and crust is golden brown.

6. Remove from oven and sprinkle with chopped cilantro (optional) and fresh diced strawberries. Serve and enjoy!

Balsamic Roasted Tomato-Basil Ice Cream

The ice cream flavor this week was very.... interesting. The first taste is sharp and strong, and I wasn't really sure what to think of it. The more I ate, the less strong the flavor seemed. I wouldn't call it good, but it wasn't horrible either. It was based on the recipe found here (with slight alterations).

• 1 pint of cherry/grape tomatoes
• 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar + 1 pinch of salt to sprinkle over tomatoes while roasting
• ½ cup basil leaves packed
• 1-1/2 cups milk
• 1-1/2 cups cream
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp of pure vanilla extract
• ¼ cup ricotta cheese – room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 F. Cut cherry/grape tomatoes in half and toss them with balsamic vinegar. Arrange cut cherry tomatoes, cut side up, on baking sheet. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt (about 1/4 tsp) and roast for 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool completely. While your tomatoes are roasting in oven, side by side you can prepare for the ice cream base.

In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with 1/4 cup milk and keep it aside.

In a medium saucepan, whisk together remaining milk, cream, sugar, and salt. Add vanilla. Add basil leaves and bring it to boil over medium heat. Basil will add flavor and change a color only a bit.

When it comes to boil, cook it for 5 more minutes and then add cornstarch mixture while stirring continuously (Do not stop stirring, otherwise you will get cornstarch lumps)

Bring it to boil one more time and cook for another 5 minutes or until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Add ¼ cup of ricotta cheese to the mixture and mix well. Remove from heat and let it cool down.

While it is cooling down, purée those roasted cherry tomatoes in your blender. When milk mixture is almost at room temperature, strain the mixture through a fine sieve. Use back of your spoon to extract all the juices before discarding basil n vanilla. Now it is time to sieve pureed tomatoes. Just leave out seeds and skin of tomatoes.  So strain it well. I like the texture of tomato skin and seeds in my ice cream so I added a Tbsp of it before discarding it. So it is completely optional, if you want it add it.

Cover with cling film directly on the surface of milk mixture and refrigerate at least 2 hours to chill. I did it over night.

Once it is chilled, transfer mixture to an ice cream maker and process according to your manufacturer’s instructions.

When done, transfer ice cream to a freezer safe storage container and freeze until set.

Orzo Chicken Asiago

This recipe is amazing. My whole family loves it. So just make it. I don't need to say anymore. (It came from here.)

• 1 pound chicken breast, boneless, skinless, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 3 cups chicken broth
• ¼ cup white wine
• 1¼ cups orzo, uncooked
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon basil
• ½ teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon rosemary
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup diced fresh tomatoes
• ¼ cup green onion, chopped
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 cup Asiago cheese, grated
• Parsley

1. Place chicken broth and wine into a large pot. Bring to boil. Add the chicken pieces and orzo. Reduce the heat and simmer 12 minutes, or until orzo is cooked, stirring constantly. Add the salt and herbs (basil, oregano, rosemary) after the orzo has cooked for about 6 minutes. Just as the orzo is finishing, add the fresh tomatoes and green onions. Cook for 1 minute. Remove pasta mixture from heat. Add the peas. Stir in to help cool the mixture. Add the cheese and parsley and season with salt and pepper.

Pictures on the Toilet

When I was going to the bathroom today, and I said to Vernon, "Take a picture of me while I'm on the toilet."

He looked at me like I was kind of crazy, so I said, "We hardly have any pictures of me on the toilet. How am I supposed to know what I look like?"

He didn't get the camera.

(Here is the last picture that was taken of me on the toilet. It was at least 6 years ago.)

(You all miss my updates, don't you?)

Tequila Lime Pizza

This pizza was pretty freaking amazing. Wow. Such unique flavor combinations that came together just perfectly. I highly recommend this pizza. All my kids love it as well. (Here is the original recipe.)

Ingredients

• FOR THE SAUCE:
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 small yellow or white onion, diced
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 ounces silver tequila
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• Salt and pepper 

 

• FOR THE PIZZA:
• Pizza Dough (use whatever you want, or use my recipe here)
• 1-1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup cooked, peeled, deveined shrimp
• 2 strips cooked bacon, crumbled
• 1/4 cup halved and quartered grape tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons sweetened coconut flakes
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mango
• 1 lime, halved and sliced
• chopped cilantro for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. To make the tequila-lime sauce: Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 5-6 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute more.
2. Add heavy cream and tequila and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until sauce thickens slightly and reduces, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in lime juice and salt and pepper to taste and set aside to cool.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F for a dark or nonstick pan (425 degrees F for all other pan types). Grease pan and roll out pizza dough to desired thickness. Prebake crust 8 minutes.
4. Remove pizza from oven and top with 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese. Top with tequila-lime sauce, then add another 1/2 cup cheese. Sprinkle on toppings -- shrimp, bacon, tomatoes, coconut flakes, mango and lime -- and top with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Return to oven and bake until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted, about 6-10 minutes.
5. Remove pizza from oven and let sit 5 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped fresh cilantro, if desired, slice and serve.

Sweet Corn Ice Cream

This was not good (original recipe here).

• 4 ears fresh corn, shucked
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 9 large egg yolks

1. Using a large knife, slice the kernels off the corn cobs and place in a large saucepan. Break the cobs into thirds and add them to the pot along with the milk, cream, and 1/2 cup of the sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring, then turn off the heat. Using an immersion mixer or a blender, puree the corn kernels (not the cobs). Infuse for 1 hour. 

2. Bring the mixture back to a simmer, then turn off the heat. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks and remaining 1/4 cup of sugar. Add a cup of the hot cream to the yolks, stirring constantly so they don't curdle. Add the yolk mixture to the saucepan, stirring. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens enough to coat the spoon, about 10 minutes. 

3. Pass the custard through a fine sieve, pressing down hard on the solids, discard solids. Let the custard cool, then cover and chill for at least 4 hours. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions.

Asparagus and Goat Cheese Quiche with Caramelized Onions

Made this for Father's Day today, and it was extraordinary. Got the recipe here, and made it pretty much exactly as it said, which I don't usually do (except, I used a pre-made crust, because I don't have a pie pan, so I needed something to put it in).

For the crust:

• 1 cup of white flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cubed
• 3 tbsp ice cold water

For the filling:

• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
• Pinch of black pepper
• 1 cup asparagus, chopped into 1 inch pieces
• 2 cups of spinach
• 1/2 cup brussels sprouts, halved and thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
• Goat cheese
• 1 egg
• 2 egg whites
• 1 cup low-fat milk
• 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 cup chopped chives

Directions:

1. (For crust) Begin by combining the flour, salt and nutmeg in a bowl. Mix the butter into the flour mixture until there are pea-sized (or smaller) pieces of butter. Gradually pour the water in, one tablespoon at a time while stirring the mixture. Grasp the dough (still in the bowl) and mix with your hands, gently. Place dough on heavily floured countertop, and flour your rolling pin. Roll it out gently until it's about 1/4 inch thick and large enough for you pie pan. I used a fluted dish and pressed the dough into the flutes. Dock the bottom of the crust with a fork to prevent it from bubbling up while it's cooking. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and season with a pinch of pepper. Stir and spread out to cook until they start to caramelize, about 3 minutes. Add the brussel sprouts, stir to combine and cook for about another 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and asparagus and cook over medium heat until the asparagus is fork tender.
3. Whisk together egg, egg whites, milk, chives and nutmeg. Spread the vegetable mixture in the bottom of the prepared crust. Sprinkle goat cheese to taste. Pour egg mixture over top.
4. Bake at 350 degrees, uncovered until set and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Let quiche rest at room temperature for 10 minutes to settle and serve.

Pizza with Caramelized Onions, Figs, Bacon and Gorgonzola

Along with the uniquely flavored ice creams we've been making for Ice Cream Sundays, we're also going to start making some uniquely flavored pizzas. Here is our first. (It's based on this recipe, but I had to adjust to make more.)

Pizza Dough:
2-1/2 tsp dry yeast (buy this in bulk at the co-op and you will save a bunch)
1 T sugar
1 cup warm water
3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
2 T olive oil

Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water and let sit for 10 minutes. Add rest of ingredients. Spread it on a pizza pan (we use a cookie sheet).


Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter
1 yellow onion
1 red onion
3 tsp fresh thyme leaves
3 bay leaves
8 thick slices bacon, cut into 1/4-inch thick batons
18 dried mission figs, stems trimmed, cut into quarters or small pieces
8 oz. crumbled Gorgonzola



Directions

1. Preheat the oven 500 degrees.

2. Melt the butter in a skillet. Add the onions, thyme and bay leaves. Cook until the onions have softened and turn a deep, golden brown, about 25 minutes.

3. Cut the bacon and cook it up.

4. Cover pizza dough with the toppings: the caramelized onions first, then the figs and bacon, and finally the Gorgonzola. Shake the pizza peel slightly to make sure the dough is not sticking. Bake for 7 minutes.

Azuki Bean Ice Cream

Our latest for Ice Cream Sunday. (Based on this recipe.)

FOR THE AZUKI PASTE:
1/2 cup washed azuki beans
1/4 cup sugar
Pinch salt

FOR THE ICE CREAM:
2 fresh vanilla beans
1 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
1-1⁄2 cups milk
1-1⁄2 cups heavy cream

1. For the azuki paste: Put beans in a saucepan full of water, bring to a boil, then drain in a colander. Return beans to pan, add 3–4 cups water, cover, and simmer until beans are very soft and have absorbed all the water, 30–40 minutes. (Azukis cook faster than many other varieties of bean.) Stir in sugar and cook over low heat until sugar has dissolved and beans form a soft, chunky paste. Add salt and allow paste to cool.

2. For the ice cream: Slice vanilla beans lengthwise down the center with a sharp paring knife. With your fingers, spread beans open, then scrape out and reserve black seeds, discarding pods. Put seeds in a small bowl, add 1⁄4 cup of the sugar, and mix well.

2. In a medium bowl, combine remaining 3⁄4 cup sugar, vanilla–sugar combination, and egg yolks, and beat until mixture becomes creamy and turns a pale yellow. Add milk and cream and mix well into a custard-like consistency. Refrigerate until ready to use, preferably overnight.

3. Pour custard into an ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer's instructions. About 10 minutes before ice cream is ready, feed the azuki paste into ice cream maker. Serve immediately or freeze in an airtight container to keep ice cream soft until ready to use.

Ginger Green Tea Ice Cream

This is my least favorite of our Ice Cream Sundays so far. It wasn't creamy enough and the flavor was too subtle.

Nevertheless, here is the recipe (adapted from here):

2-1/3 cups milk
2 T loose leaf green tea
2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated, more if desired
1/3 cup sugar
4 large egg yolks
4 teaspoons sugar
1 cup heavy cream
 
In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, tea, grated ginger and 1/3 cup sugar.  Heat to just under boiling. Remove from the heat and allow to steep for at least 20 minutes.

Strain through a fine mesh strainer, pushing on the solids to extract all the good flavors. Return the milk to the saucepan.

 

Heat the milk mixture gently until bubbles form around the edge.

 

Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks on high speed of an electric mixer, adding the remaining sugar, until the yolks have thickened and become a pale yellow.

 

Whisk 1/4 of the milk mixture into the egg yolks, blending thoroughly, then whisk the egg mixture back into the milk remaining in the saucepan.

 

Heat this mixture gently on low, stirring constantly, until it thickens slightly, coats the back of the spoon, and leaves a track on the back of the spoon when you run your finger across.

 

Remove from the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.

 

Pour into a glass container and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until thoroughly chilled.

Stir in the cold cream prior to processing in an ice cream maker.