Beware…This Post May Make You Drool!

So over the years I have realized how much I love cooking and how much better I have gotten at it.  When I first started I called my mom to ask how to boil an egg.  I also have thrown many a dinners away because they did not turn out.  But it has always been relaxing to me, even through the disasters and now I love it. Not to gloat, ok to gloat a little, but I think I am a pretty darn good cook. I have started now making up some of my own recipes and experimenting with different foods. (Insert cheap joke: yes, I am experimenting with different foods…Terry doesn’t mind though because he participates sometimes as well.)


I have over 20 cookbooks, subscribe to 3 different food magazines for a few years, and watch tons of cooking shows so I have many recipes at my disposal that I can cook, however, I tend to not try anything too far out of my comfort zone these days for fear it won't turn out. That changed last month. For mother’s day I decided to do a fun pizza lunch for our mom. I made my own pizza dough from scratch and then made 3 delicious pizzas that didn’t contain any pizza sauce or traditional toppings. I made a margarita pizza (basil, mozzarella & tomatoes), a spicy sausage pizza with caramelized onions and feta (sweet & spicy!), and then my own creation of red onions, chicken, corn, pancetta, smoked provolone cheese, and then slices of avocado after it came out of the oven. Are you drooling, I am and that is why I didn’t post pictures of these. These three pizzas were delicious! I actually loved being creative and trying something new so I decided that one Sunday a month I am going to prepare something new and slightly out of my comfort zone.

Fast-forward to last night and the Thai food spectacular my sister and I made! I bought ingredients I have never used before like fish sauce (which stinks but in food tastes great) and did a bunch of research on authentic flavors and spices. I had so much fun using different spices out of my cupboard and buying new ones! I also very much enjoyed all the great ingredients out there that I have only seen on TV.

This was the dinner:

Chicken and veggie curry. – AMAZING. Look at it. Nuff said.

Spicy (could have been spicier) Beef with veggies and Mint. This had red peppers, onions, flank steak, mint and basil. Very good, but I left a lot of spice out just incase it was too much, but it could have been a lot spicier.

Turkey Larb - "Larb is most often made with chicken, beef, duck, turkey, pork or even fish, flavored with fish sauce, lime juice, and leaves" (we used mint). We put ours in lettuce wraps. Not spicy at all, very refreshing with all the acid from the limes and lemons.

Jasmine Rice – I think I like it better than regular rice

Naan Flatbread – I bought the mix and made it from scratch! These are wonderful and would just make them to eat plain.

Drool

Can I just say the entire dinner was amazing! I think it is so FUN and exciting to experiment with different foods and different ingredients. I knew it may not turn out and I know what I may change next time I make these dishes, but it gave us all the chance to try something new. I am going to keep doing this at least once a month, or when I feel like it, and I have to say I am really look forward to this! Anyone need a party catered?!?!?

Have you made any food out of your comfort zone? How did it turn out?

Eat Me.

I published this AMAZING Turkey meatloaf with Feta and Sundried Tomatoes recipe on our Food from Friends blog.

I am telling you, this is delicious.

Try it.

Savory Additives

This post is all about "Simply Delicious".



So for the first recipes I thought I would go with one of my favorite combinations out there: tomato, basil & mozzarella. Seriously, I could eat this combination every day. The great thing about this combo is that meals are very simple to make but are NOT simple in flavor. So I am giving you Caprese THREE ways. A bite sized party food, a perfect side, and a meal.


1) Mini Caprese Bites - I made these for our Christmas Party this last year and they were a HUGE hit. These are a perfect bite sized snack for any party any time of year!

Ingredients
-1-2 pts. cherry tomatoes, halved
-1 8oz container of fresh small mozzarella cheese balls, cut into thirds*
-Toothpicks
-1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
-2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
-Fresh basil leaves (thinly sliced)
-Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Thread 1 tomato half, 1 piece of cheese, and another tomato half onto each toothpick. Place toothpicks in a shallow serving dish. Whisk together oil, balsamic vinegar and some salt and pepper. Drizzle oil mixture over toothpicks then sprinkle with basil.

Recipe from Rachael Ray

*1 (8-oz.) package fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, may be substituted.


Flavor Tip: You can serve immediately but you can also make these ahead of time and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes and it actually allows the flavors to combine.

Serving Tip: Don't know what to serve these in, try serving these in red wine glasses! They will be easy for people to grab plus they will add height to your party table.

Cooking Level: 1
Quickness: 1
Cost: 2
Ingredients: 1

2) Bruschetta - This is a staple in our house. I make this all the time. It is great as a "side dish" to any meal.

Ingredients
-6-8 Roma tomatoes
-1 pound Fresh mozzarella cheese
-1 bunch of Basil
-1 French baguette
-Olive Oil (one that tastes good and is made for dressings)
-Balsamic Vinegar
-Salt & Pepper

Directions
Turn your broiler on. Then dice up the tomatoes and cheese into fairly small pieces. Remember this is going on bread so you don't want large pieces but not so tiny you loose the flavor of the ingredients. Slice up the basil and place all three ingredients in a bowl. Salt and pepper to taste then drizzle with olive oil and balsamic. Go a little light at first and add more as you go. I tend to add more balsamic because I like the taste. Let the mixture sit so the flavors can combine and start cutting your bread.

Cut the bread on an angle about a 1/4" thick. Place the bread on a baking sheet and lightly drizzle with olive oil on one side (you don't really need to do both sides as it will soak through a bit). Put under the broiler until the first side is golden brown. Flip the bread and toast the other side until it is a LIGHT golden brown. Then place the mixture evenly on all the pieces of bread and put back under the broiler until the cheese starts to melt. Serve immediately.

Recipe by Jenn

Cooking Tip: Don't brown the bread as much on the second side because you will put that side back under the broiler and you don't want the bread to get to dark. Plus if Roma tomatoes don't look good that day, get regular ones but slightly squeeze out some of the excess seeds and liquid while chopping. Roma tomatoes tend to have less juices.

Cooking Level: 1
Quickness: 1
Cost: 2
Ingredients: 1


3) Caprese Pasta - Kristen and I had this last night for dinner and though this probably should be enough for 4 normal people, the two of us managed to eat the entire thing with only moderate discomfort. Seriously, addicting.

Ingredients
-1 pound spiral pasta *Angel hair is also really good
-3 tablespoons olive oil
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-3 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered (about 2 pints)
-1 teaspoon salt
-1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
-1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves, torn or cut*
-8 ounces fresh mozzarella, diced (about 1 1/4 cups)

Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta into a large bowl and reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.

In a medium skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper. As the tomatoes cook and soften, smash them with a fork. Continue to cook until the tomatoes make a chunky style sauce, about 4 minutes. Transfer the tomato sauce to the bowl with the pasta. Toss to combine. Add the basil leaves and mozzarella. Stir to combine. Add the reserved pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, until the pasta is moist. Serve.

Recipe from Giada De Laurentiis

*TIP: I prefer to cut my basil, though some foodies may argue that this can bruise your basil a bit I have never had much of a problem. I will stack up my basil in a pile, roll it up long ways like a basil cigar and cut it into little basil strips. Perfecto!

Cooking Level: 1
Quickness: 1
Cost: 2
Ingredients: 1