Mediterranean Pizza

Preston is my 11 year old and he's a really great eater.  This past summer we were in Carlsbad, CA for our beach trip and we went to Jay's restaurant on our last night.  It's a tiny little Italian/seafood place right on the corner of Carlsbad Boulevard.  All of the kids (my three plus Isaac and Anna)usually share giant plates of fettuccine alfredo, but Preston wanted to try something that he hadn't had before.  He asked me to show him a few things on the menu that I would order.  He chose the salmon with a white wine garlic sauce and ended up loving it.  He ate all of it except for the few bites that I snuck off his plate (It was the best salmon that I've ever had).

I love that he's adventurous and willing to have an open mind to new tastes and flavors.  There are only a few things that come to my mind that I know he will absolutely not eat (sautéed or caramelized onions and any sort of cooked mushroom).  He has a couple others that he avoids eating like hamburgers and take-out pizza.  I think if you were to ask a classroom full of elementary age kids, most would say that their favorite foods are hamburgers and pizza?  I understand the onions and mushroom thing because it's a texture thing, and hamburgers I get because of a stomach bug he had that coincided with eating a hamburger, but pizza?  The one interesting thing (and very good thing) about the pizza is that he doesn't like take-out pizza, but will happily eat homemade pizza any day of the week.

This recipe is sort of one you alter to your own taste.  You can make some of the toppings from scratch or just use your favorite store bought ingredients.

Mediterranean Pizza

1 recipe for flatbread pizza (recipe found here) or 2 8-ounce balls of your favorite pizza dough
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup pesto (I used this recipe because I had basil coming out of my ears)
1/4-1/2 lb. fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into chunks
1/4 cup oil packed sundried tomatoes, sliced (I used Tara O' Brady's soused tomatoes)
1/2 cup marinated artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
1/4 cup roasted peppers, sliced (how to make your own found here)
1/4-1/2 cup feta cheese crumbled
1/4 cup pinenuts, toasted

Place you pizza stone on the center rack of your oven.  One hour before you bake your pizza, preheat the oven to the highest temperature.  If you don't have a pizza stone, you can bake you pizza on an upside down baking sheet, but don't preheat the baking sheet.

Place a piece of parchment paper on an upside down baking sheet.  Lightly flour your work surface and roll out dough until paper thin.  Aim for a circle, rectangle of whatever shape you manage to roll it out to be.  Move the dough to the parchment lined baking sheet.  Brush the dough with olive oil.  Sprinkle garlic, a good pinch of kosher salt, and black pepper over the olive oil.  Evenly spread 2-3 tablespoons of pesto on the dough (use more or less as needed).  Distribute the mozzarella, sundried tomatoes, roasted peppers, artichoke hearts, and feta on top.  Take care not to over load the pizza.

Take hold of one corner of the parchment paper and gently pull the parchment paper and pizza onto the pizza stone.  Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and the crust is golden brown.  When down, remove from oven and sprinkle with toasted pinenuts.  Serve. 

Repeat with the remaining dough.

*Pitted and sliced kalamata olives could be used in place or in addition to the artichoke hearts (I'm not an olive fan so I went with the artichoke hearts)

Recipe slightly adapted from Use Real Butter

Jars and Roasted Pasilla Pepper and Goat Cheese Sauce

I LOVE glass jars.  We drink and eat from them and they fill our refrigerator shelves.  

On any regular day you can find jars filled with yogurt, hot fudge, jams, toasted walnut sesame butter (because it's my very favorite smeared on toast with bananas, a drizzle of maple syrup, and a sprinkle of Maldon salt), caramel sauces (usually a couple different kinds), pickled jalapenos and peppers, mustard bbq sauce (because it's perfect on a hot dog), chocolate syrup (for chocolate milk with ice of course), and currently there are two jars (soon to be one) of the crazy delicious, I'm addicted to, sauce from The Sprouted Kitchen Bowl and Spoon cookbook. 

Her roasted pasilla and goat cheese sauce is lick the spoon amazing!  I first need to tell you that I struggle a bit when it comes to stronger cheeses and as much as I want to and try (I really, really try) to like them, I have a hard time getting my palate (and nose) to agree with them. 

I was a little hesitant to try this recipe because of the goat cheese, but I went for it and now there's no turning back.  It far exceeded my expectations and I should have known to trust Sara because her recipes never fail me and always leave my mouth and belly feeling very happy. So hip hip hooray for jars of roasted pasilla pepper and goat cheese sauce!

 

(The sauce is tucked under the avocado and makes these eggs over the top good!)
 

 

Roasted Pasilla Pepper and Goat Cheese Sauce

1/2 small red onion, peeled
2 pasilla peppers (see note)
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
4 ounce soft goat cheese
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper.

Preheat the broiler.  Rub the peppers and onion with drizzle of olive oil.  Place them on a baking sheet and broil them for 12 to 15 minutes until charred and collapsed.  Let cool, then rub off the skin off the peppers and remove the stems and seeds.

In a food processor, combine the onion and pasillas, the remaining olive oil, the pepitas, goat cheese, honey, chili powder, cayenne, lemon juice, and vinegar and process until combined.  Add the water, cilantro, salt, and pepper, and pulse again.  Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.  Place sauce in a jar and store in the refrigerator. 

*Grocery stores often mark a poblano pepper as a pasilla pepper so technically I'm not sure which one I used.

*If you prefer a looser sauce, add 2 additional tablespoons of water.

*For my eggs, I scramble three eggs over medium heat with a little salt.  When the eggs are half way cooked, I add one torn up corn tortilla to the pan and scramble it with the eggs until the eggs are steaming and just set.  Slide the eggs on to a plate and top with sauce, sliced avocado, crumbled goat or queso fresco cheese, and cilantro.  Simple and perfect.

Recipe ever so barely adapted from The Sprouted Kitchen Bowl and Spoon

Dinner Time and a Mango Brown Rice Salad with Coconut-Ginger Dressing

Eating dinner together as a family has always been important to me.  I grew up in a family where eating dinner together most nights of the week was just something we did.  Dinner was at six and a moment of each day where we all gathered together to share a meal (albeit a crazy meal).  Believe me when I say it wasn't a picture perfect meal of a family gathered around a table laughing and enjoying each other's company.  And while we did enjoy each other (for the most part) and there was laughing (mixed with some occasional arguing and a possible tear or two), it was also loud (I'm the oldest of nine), hectic, and left a lot of dishes to be done.  But despite all its craziness, it instilled in me the importance of gathering those you love around the table.

There are few nights that my little family doesn't gather around our black round table to share a meal.  Preston sits to my left and Noah to Preston's left.  Todd sits to my right and Stella is sandwiched right between us.

Often the time together at our table is a little on the crazy side.  It seems I'm constantly up and down, up and down, getting something for someone.  Preston cannot seem to stay in his seat....ever.  Most of the time he's standing or hanging half way off his chair and it drives me crazy!  We've actually tired belting him to his seat to keep him sitting down....it didn't work.  Noah has a tendency to belch at some point during the meal (even though he's threatened with getting no treat after dinner if he does), and if we can get Stella to finish her meal in a timely manner it would be a miracle.  But, in between all of the craziness, the time we spend together at the end of the day gathered around our table is priceless to me.

As my kiddies grow I hope that each of them will remember the moments, memories, and craziness around our table and that someday they will gather their own little families around their kitchen tables to create memories of their own and to feed one another and be fed.

 

 

Mango and Brown Rice with Coconut-Ginger Dressing

 

2 cups uncooked brown basmati rice

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes, toasted

2 cups cooked black or red beans

1 ripe avocado thinly sliced

1 ripe mango, diced

1/2 small red onion, finely chopped

1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped + extra for garnish

 

Dressing

 

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons coconut milk

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon finely grated ginger

2 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

 

Rinse rice in a strainer under cold running water for 30 seconds, swirling the rice around with your fingers. Combine rice with 3 cups water, 1/2 cup coconut milk, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan; bring water to a boil, then simmer, covered, for about 40 minutes or until the rice is tender.  Transfer rice to a fine mesh strainer and run cold water over it until cool.  Place strainer over bowl to drain at least 10 minutes.

 

In a medium bowl combine mango, red onion, and cilantro.  Toss lightly to combine.

 

In a small bowl whisk together the dressing ingredients.  Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

 

Place rice in bowl and top with beans, toasted coconut flakes, mango, avocado, and extra cilantro.  Pour dressing over salad (you may not use all of it).  Serve.

 

*I cooked my rice in a pressure cooker because it seems to be the most consistent and quick way for me to cook brown rice.  For this recipe I combined 2 cups brown basmati rice with 2 cups water, 1/2 cup coconut milk, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Close lid securely; bring to high pressure over high heat.  Adjust heat to medium-low or level needed to maintain a consistent rocking of pressure knob.  Cook for 20 minutes.  Remove from heat and let pressure release through steam vent.  Remove lid and fluff with fork.

 

*Instead of doing one big salad, I let each person in our family make their own individual bowl.

Recipe slightly adapted from Foodess

 

Peach Tart

A few weeks ago I eyed the bowl of garden tomatoes sitting on my counter and invited my mom over to eat soup for lunch.  My mom is an incredible woman.  She exemplifies goodness, faith, devotion, love, and so much more.  Someday I hope to be even a small fraction of who she is.  As we sat around my kitchen tables sharing bowls of roasted tomato soup, ribbons of zucchini covered in almond pesto, and slices of peach tart with generous dollops of whipped cream, a quote from Bread and Wine by Shauna Niequist filled my mind. "What's becoming clearer and clearer to me is that the most sacred moments, the ones in which I feel God's presence most profoundly, when I feel the goodness of the world most arrestingly, take place at the table.  It's about what happens when we come together, slow down, open our homes, look into one another's faces, listen to one another's stories.  It happens when we enter the joy and sorrow of people we love, and we join together at the table to feed one another and be fed, and while it's not strictly about food, it doesn't happen without it."

That afternoon my heart and soul was filled as I sat talking, listening, laughing, getting teary eyed, and eating slices of peach tart with my mom.  I was reminded once again of God's goodness and the incredible gift it is to have such an amazing mama. 

Peach Tart

1 1/2 cups plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cups plus 1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup mild olive oil
2 tablespoons whole milk
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter
3 to 5 ripe peaches, pitted and thickly sliced (about 1/2-inch wide)

Heat oven to 425 degrees.  In a mixing bowl, stir together 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon sugar. 

In a small bowl, whisk together the oils, milk, and almond extract.  Pour this mixture into the flour mixture and mix gently with a fork, just enough to moisten;  do not over work the dough.

Transfer the dough to an 9-inch tart pan and use your hands to pat out the dough so it covers the bottom of the pan, pushing it up the sides to meet the edge.  Trim and discard excess dough.

In a bowl, combine 3/4 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the butter.  Using your fingers, pinch the butter into the dry ingredients until crumbly or until it resembles granules and tiny pebbles.

Starting on the outside, arrange the peaches overlapping in a concentric circle over the pastry; fill in the center in whatever pattern makes sense.  The peaches should fit snugly.  Sprinkle the pebbly sugar/butter mixture over the top (it will seem like a lot).  Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until shiny and thick bubbles begin enveloping the fruit and the crust is slightly brown.  Tent with foil if tart begins to brown too quickly.  Cool on rack.  Serve warm or room temperature with generous dollops of whipped cream.

Recipe from Food 52 Amanda Hesser

Coffee Ice Cream

When I think back to my childhood I have a few ice cream memories that stand out in my mind. 

Every summer my family (including grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins) would spend a few weeks scattered throughout the summer at Bear Lake.  It was here that we would spend countless hours in our swimming suits, eat sugar cereal like Fruit Loops and Cap’n Crunch for breakfast, water ski, play UNO, dominos (someone was always trying to cheat), and king of the dock.  It was here that we would eat raspberries and cream from red plastic bowls, scones dusted with sugar and smeared with raspberry jam or honey, and of course the best ever ice cream.  I remember hearing the loud churning of the wooden base ice cream machine that sat outside the sliding glass door on the wood deck.  I remember feeling the excitement and anticipation of waiting for that cold, creamy treat.  It always seemed to take soooo long before the churning began to slow and the ice cream was finally finished, but it was always worth the wait.

The next memory is of the night my family moved into our then new house when I was 11 years old.  It was the middle of the summer and I remember my Dad taking me to Ripples, a little burger and shake dive that has been around for years and is considered a Provo landmark.  We didn't go for the burgers, but for their shakes.  It was the kind of shake that you have to eat with a spoon because it's so thick.  I don't remember what I had, but I remember that my Dad had a caramel and marshmallow shake.  He loves caramel in or on his ice cream and still does.

Lastly, I can't drive past a Baskin Robbins without thinking of my Dad and his love for their jamoca shakes.  He's passed this love on to most of his children.  I'll have to admit that those shakes are hard to beat.  Thick, but not so thick you can't drink it with a straw.  My sister Stephanie and her little family moved to California at the beginning of June and before they left we had a family dinner and then we all gathered at Baskin Robbins for one last ice cream hurrah.  Almost everyone ordered a jamoca shake.

This ice cream recipe from Tara O' Brady's Seven Spoons cookbook is a tribute to ice cream memories, a dad's love for caramel, and jamoca shakes for everyone. 

Coffee Ice Cream

1 (14-ounce) can evaporated milk
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean, or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Generous pinch of sea salt

Espresso caramel and candied cacao nibs (recipe follows)

Combine the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, cream, espresso powder, vanilla, and salt in a saucepan set over medium heat.  Heat, whisking often, until the mixture begins to steam.  Remove from heat and let cool for 20 minutes.  Cover and chill for at least 3 hours, but preferably overnight.  Freeze according to your ice cream manufacturer’s instructions.  Once churned place the ice cream in the freezer to completely set up, at least 6 hours or overnight.  Serve with a drizzle of espresso caramel and candied cacao nibs

Candied Cacao Nibs

2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup cacao nibs
1/2 teaspoon unsalted butter

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a wide, heavy skillet over medium heat, warm the sugar for a minute, without stirring.  Scatter the cacao nibs over the sugar and leave the pan undisturbed until the sugar begins to melt.  With a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, quickly stir the cacao nibs into the liquid sugar, incorporating any unmelted sugar as you go.  Once most of the sugar has coated the nibs, remove the pan from the heat and quickly stir in the butter.  Immediately spread the cacao nibs onto the prepared baking sheet.  Let cool.

Espresso Caramel
 
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a saucepan heat the brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, and salt over medium heat until the butter has melted.  Pour in the cream and espresso powder.  Bring to a boil, whisking until the mixture is smooth and sugar dissolves.  Lower heat and simmer, undisturbed for 1 minute longer.  Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.  Set aside to cool, stirring occasionally.  Cover and refrigerate until needed, then rewarm gently before using.

Recipe slightly adapted from Seven Spoons

Roasted Peaches with Glazed Sesame Oats

After my kiddies have gone to bed and I have a few moments (literally moments) before I feel the sandman getting near I love to sit on our couch and read through one of my cookbooks or pull out a stack of printed recipes to browse through.  I always keep a pen and paper near and a stack of post-it tabs to mark the recipes that make my mouth water. 

I've read through these cookbooks and stacks of recipes too many times to count (adding new ones here and there), but it seems there is always a handful that jump out at me depending on the season, time of year, and what meal I will be eating next.

Last Wednesday night I sat on my couch looking through the pages of Tara O' Brady's stunning cookbook Seven Spoons (again) when a recipe for her roasted peaches caught my eye.  In that moment I knew what I wanted to eat for breakfast the next morning.  (My decision was made easy because I currently have a large box of peaches that is occupying a good portion of my fridge and we've been eating peaches for breakfast, lunch and dinner.) 

So while my chocolate chip cookie was warming in the oven (I have a serious weakness for a night time treat) I quickly made the glazed sesame oats for the morning.

That night as I lay in my bed I felt twinges of excitement and tightness thinking about a bowl of cold yogurt, a warm spiced peach, and a scatter of glazed sesame oats.  Sweet dreams.

Roasted Peaches with Glazed Sesame Oats

Glazed Sesame Oats

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/4 cup mild olive oil or melted coconut oil
2 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
2 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup sesame seeds (I used a mixture of black and white)

Roasted Peaches

4 firm but ripe peaches, halved and pitted
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
Seeds scraped from a vanilla bean or 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
Pinch of salt

Serving Options

Yogurt, greek or regular, plain or vanilla (I use this one), or fresh ricotta

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

To make the sesame oats, in a large bowl, stir together the maple syrup, brown sugar, olive oil, water, and salt.  Fold the oats, almonds, and sesame seeds into the syrup mixture until coated.  Pour oat mixture onto parchment lined baking sheet and spread in an even layer.  Bake until the oats are golden and lightly toasted, 15 to 20 minutes, turning the pan once, and stirring occasionally to ensure even toasting of the oats.  Cool on baking sheet for at least 20 minutes before serving.  Once the oat mixture is cool, transfer to an airtight container.

To make the peaches, preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.  Arrange the peaches on the pan, cut side up, with spaces between each.  If the peaches are too cozy they will steam, not roast.

In a small bowl, mix together the maple syrup, five-spice powder, vanilla bean seeds, and a pinch of salt.  Brush the peaches with about half the mixture-let some collect in the hollow left by the pit, but don't drown the flesh.  Place pan in the hot oven.  Bake the peaches until they look soft, juicy, and singed at the skin, 20 to 25 minutes.  Remove the fruit from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before serving with yogurt, a handful of sesame oats, and a spoonful of spiced maple syrup. 

(The next day I ate a leftover cold peach with yogurt and oats and it was still delicious.)

Recipe from the beautiful and mouthwatering cookbook Seven Spoons

Ice Cream Sundays

We sat around our outside table finishing dinner when I asked my kiddies if there was something that sticks out in their minds about this summer.  I wasn't surprised when the first two things that came to their minds were lemonade and homemade ice cream.

I decided at the beginning of the summer that I was going to try and make a new flavor of ice cream every week to eat on Sunday night.  We've had a couple times when we've had to eat our ice cream a day early or a day late because of a family vacation, but otherwise Sunday has become our designated ice cream day and one we all look forward to each week.

I love that food creates memories.  Homaro Cantu said, "Most of us have fond memories of food from our childhood. Whether it was our mom's homemade lasagna or a memorable chocolate birthday cake, food has a way of transporting us back to the past."

I hope that when my kiddies are grown and have families of their own they will remember that one summer when mom made homemade ice cream every week and my favorite flavor was...

Sour Cream Cherry Ice Cream                                                                                                           

1 pound pitted and quartered cherries
1 vanilla bean, seed scraped
6 ounces sugar (scant 1 cup)
Juice from 1 lemon
Pinch of salt
1 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (or 2 tablespoons Amaretto)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 16-ounce container sour cream
1 cup heavy cream

In a medium saucepan combine the cherries, vanilla seeds and pod, sugar, salt, and lemon juice.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat and let it gently boil for 10 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the almond extract (or Amaretto).  Remove the vanilla bean pod.  Let cool for to room temperature.

In a large bowl combine the sweetened condensed milk, sour cream, heavy cream, and cherry mixture.

Thoroughly chill the ice cream base before churning according the manufacturer’s instructions.  Once churned place the ice cream in the freezer for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Recipes adapted ever so slightly from Not Without Salt