Zucchini and Ricotta pizza

Zucchini and Ricotta Pizza

Pizza Dough

Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

2 small zucchinis, sliced into 1/4 inch thick rounds

1 tablespoons olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

Ricotta cheese

Spread zucchini out over several layers of paper towels.  Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and let drain for 30 minutes; gently blot the tops of the zucchini dry with paper towels before using.  In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil and the garlic together; set aside.

Place pizza stone on bottom rack of the oven (if you have one).  Preheat oven 500 (or the ovens highest temperature).

Shape pizza dough into desired shape and place on a floured and cornmeal dusted cookie sheet that has been flipped upside down.  Layer the toppings as follows, shredded Monterey jack cheese, sliced zucchinis, spoonful’s of ricotta cheese, and a drizzle of the garlic oil over the entire pizza.

If you don't have a pizza stone, place cookie sheet (with pizza on it) on the bottom rack of the oven and bake until crust is golden.  If you have a pizza stone, very quickly slide the pizza from the cookie sheet to the pizza stone (this is always a little bit scary for me).  Bake until crust is golden brown.

Zucchini Bread

Next spring I am going to plant my own garden.  I am 99 percent sure that I have said that before, but maybe writing it down will make it more concrete.  Thank goodness I have kind neighbors who are willing to share their garden's bounty with me and my family.  This recipe comes from my Dad's youngest sister Tricia and is a perfect way to use some of those zucchinis that may have grown just a bit too big.  I love this bread and so does my family!

Zucchini Bread

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease two 9x5 loaf pans and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.

In a blender blend, 1 cup oil and enough zucchini to make 3 1/2 cups. 

In a large bowl mix 3 eggs and 2 cups of sugar.  Add zucchini oil mixture to eggs and sugar.  Mix until combined. 

Add 1 cup of flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon vanilla to the wet ingredients.  Mix until combined.  Add 2 more cups of flour and mix until smooth.

Pour batter evenly into prepared loaf pans and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.  Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

I ate the piece of bread that I took a picture of and if you can't tell already, I love butter!

Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes

These sweet corn cakes are so delicious!
 

Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes

Salsa Verde

2 tomatillos, chopped (remover papery skin)

1 4-ounce can mild green chilies

1 green onion

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro

1 1/4 teaspoons granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Southwestern sauce

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon water

3/4 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1/8 teaspoon onion powder

Dash of salt

Dash of garlic powder

Sweet Corn Cakes

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/3 cup masa harina

1/4 cup water

1 1/2 cups frozen whole kernel corn, thawed

1/4 cup cornmeal

1/3 cup white sugar

2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Garnish

Sour cream

Avocado, chopped

Pico de Gallo

Prepare salsa verde by combining all ingredients in a food processor on high speed.  Cover and chill.

Prepare southwestern sauce by combining all ingredients in a small bowl.  Stir to combine.  Cover and chill.

Preheat oven to 350.  In a medium bowl beat butter until it is creamy.  Add the Mexican corn flour and water and beat until well mixed.

Using a food processor, process thawed corn, but leave chunky.  Stir into the butter mixture.

In a separate bowl, mix cornmeal, sugar, cream, salt, and baking powder.  Add to corn flour mixture and stir to combine.  Pour batter into an ungreased 8x8 inch baking pan.  Smooth batter and cover with aluminum foil.  Place pan into a 9x13 inch baking dish that is filled a third of the way with water.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 50 to 60 minutes.  Allow to cool for 10 minutes.  Use an ice cream scoop for easy removal from pan.

*I like to serve these with Cilantro Lime Chicken.

The Sweet Corn Cake recipe is from Allrecipes
The Salsa Verde and Southwestern Sauce recipes are from recipelink

Cilantro Lime Chicken

I love the flavors of this chicken!

Cilantro Lime Chicken

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Garnish

Pico de Gallo

Sour Cream

Combine first nine ingredients.  Add chicken and marinate for 1-2 hours.  Grill until cooked through.  Serve with sour cream and Pico de Gallo.

*I like to make extra marinade and drizzle it on the chicken after it has been grilled.

This recipe is from a Nordstrom cookbook

Roasted Corn Pizza with Leek Soubise, Bacon, and Ricotta

I started looking for a recipe like this when I had a pizza form Pizzeria 712 a few summers ago.  The pizza was a roasted summer corn pizza with leek soubise, bacon, and fresh ricotta and it was love at first bite.  The combination of crisp bacon, leeks cooked in cream, roasted summer corn, and fresh ricotta makes for a completely delicious pizza.  I dreamed about this pizza and set out to make my own roasted summer corn pizza at home.

Roasted Corn Pizza with Leek Soubise, Bacon and Ricotta

Pizza dough

Thick cut bacon, chopped and cooked until crisp

Fresh corn, shucked, grilled or roasted and removed from the cob

Ricotta cheese

Leek Soubise

Leek Soubise

2 tablespoons butter

2 medium sized leeks, split sown the middle, washed, cut into 1/4-inch thick half moons

(discard most of the green parts of the leeks)

1 cup heavy cream

2 cups whole milk

Salt

Melt the butter in a large sauté pan.  Add the leeks and cook slowly until they have wilted down a bit, 10-15 minutes.  Add the milk and cream and cook, uncovered on low heat until the milk has evaporated and the mixture is thick and creamy.  This should take about 45 minutes to an hour.  Add salt to taste.  The original recipe says to blend the leeks once cooled, but I wanted texture, so I didn't puree the leeks.

Assemble pizza:

Place pizza stone on bottom rack of the oven (if you have one).  Preheat oven to 500 (or the ovens highest temperature).

Shape pizza dough into desired shape (I go for round, but it doesn't always look that way) and place on a floured and cornmeal dusted cookie sheet that has been flipped upside down.  Spread a layer of the leek soubise on the pizza dough, next the corn, followed by spoonful’s of ricotta and last, but of course not least, the bacon.

If you don't have a pizza stone, place cookie sheet (with pizza on it) on the bottom rack of the oven and bake until crust is golden brown.  If you have a pizza stone, very quickly slide the pizza from the cookie sheet to the pizza stone (this is always a little bit scary for me).  Bake pizza until crust is golden brown.  Now eat and enjoy corn pizza deliciousness!

BL (slow-roasted) T

Stephanie and I enjoyed these lovely sandwiches for lunch when she was visiting from Hawaii.  We both agreed they were the best BLT's we had ever tasted.

BL (slow-roasted) T

8 barely ripe Roma tomatoes

Olive oil

Salt

A loaf of bread (I used a Country French loaf from Harmon's)

Bacon, cooked until crisp

Lettuce

1/2 cup mayo

3 tablespoons basil, chopped

Preheat oven to 225 degrees.  Slice tomatoes 1/4-inch thick, place on pan lined with parchment paper.  Drizzle tomatoes with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt (don't overdo it with the salt, remember the flavors will concentrate).  Place pan in oven and cook for 4 hours or until shriveled around the edges while still maintaining a bit of juice.

In a small bowl combine mayo and basil.  Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to assemble your sandwiches.

Apply basil mayo, generously to two slices of lightly toasted bread.  Add crisp bacon, lettuce, and cooled, roasted tomatoes.  Eat and enjoy!

Recipe from Not Without Salt

Burg's French Toast (with a Traci Magleby spin)

Sunday morning breakfasts call for something special, something bordering a dessert.  This French toast definitely fits the bill.  My Aunt Traci gave me a delightful book called A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg and I love it!

Burg is Molly's dad and this recipe is her version of the French toast that he made for her growing up.  The cinnamon and sugar part of this recipe comes from my Aunt Traci and her re-creation of a delicious French toast breakfast that she had in Park City.  For me the cinnamon and sugar coating seals the deal and makes this French toast extra special.  Thanks Traci!

Burg's French Toast

3 large eggs

1 cup whole milk

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

Pinch of freshly ground nutmeg (I use cinnamon)

Canola oil or other flavorless oil, for frying

6 to 8 slices day-old bread, cut on the diagonal, about 3/4 inch thick (I used granny bread)

Cinnamon and sugar

Break the eggs into a wide, shallow bowl.  Whisk the eggs to break up the yolks.  Add the milk, sugar, vanilla, salt, and nutmeg and whisk to blend.

Place a heavy large skillet-preferably cast iron-over medium-high heat, and pour enough oil to completely coat the bottom of the skillet (about 1/4-inch deep).  Let the oil heat until you can feel warmth radiating from it when you hold your hand close over the pan.  To test the heat, dip the tip of a finger into the egg mixture-not the oil!-and flick a drop into the oil.  If it sizzles, it's ready.

Meanwhile, when the oil is almost hot enough, put 2 to 3 slices of bread into the egg mixture, allowing them to rest for 30 seconds to 1 minute per side.  They should feel heavy and thoroughly saturated, but they shouldn't be falling apart.  Carefully, using tongs, place the slices is the skilled.  They should sizzle upon contact, and the oil should bubble busily around the edges.  Watch carefully: with hot oil like this, the slices can burn more quickly than you would think.  Cook until the underside of each slice is golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes.  Once you remove the French toast from pan, immediately place in a wide shallow bowl filled with cinnamon and sugar and coat both sides with the cinnamon sugar mixture.  Serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream and a fruit of your choice.