pesto bocconcini tomato bread

 

I love summer. I spend endless days, with zero schedule, with my kids doing whatever they want. I love the beach and the smell of the salt air mingled with seaweed and sand. Most of all, I love summertime food. I cook according to the seasons, so in the summer, I like to take advantage of tomatoes and avocados and all the fruit I could want. Insalata caprese is one of my absolute favorite salads. Ever. Whenever my husband and I eat out, I always order this salad to see how different chefs have enhanced the simple flavors of ripe tomatoes, creamy buffalo mozzarella, fragrant basil, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. It's so simple and so delicious- the best of summer.

the best of summer

i love summer. i get to spend endless days, with zero schedule, with my kids doing whatever they want. i love the beach and the smell of the salt air mingled with seaweed and sand. most of all, i love summertime food. i cook according to the seasons, so in the summer, i like to take advantage of tomatoes and avocados and all the fruit i could want. insalata caprese is one of my absolute favorite salads. ever. whenever my husband and i eat out, i always order this salad to see how different chefs have enhanced the simple flavors of ripe tomatoes, creamy buffalo mozzarella, fragrant basil, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. it's so simple and so delicious- the best of summer. 

i made this as an appetizer for my husband and me, so i used cherry tomatoes and mini bocconcini instead of the traditional buffalo mozzarella. the simplicity of this salad allows the amazing flavor of each ingredient to shine, so make sure you're using the best of everything. 

insalata caprese on garlic sourdough bread

1 box of cherry tomatoes, cut into halves- i used my kitchen shears

an equal amount of mini bocconcini, cut into slices- once again, kitchen shears to the rescue!

5-6 basil leaves, cut chiffonade- learn how to do that here

drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar

sprinkle of ground black pepper

two slices of sourdough bread- or any bread of your choosing. this one is fantastic and so easy!

1 clove of garlic

preheat oven to 375⁰F. place sourdough bread onto a baking sheet and brush with olive oil. once oven is preheated, toast bread until light golden brown. remove from oven and rub garlic clove over the bread. allow to cool.

while the oven is preheating, combine the tomatoes, cheese, and basil in a bowl and refrigerate. 

right before serving, drizzle olive oil and balsamic over the tomatoes and cheese, sprinkle with some ground pepper, and spoon onto toasted garlic sourdough bread. 

see? i told you it was easy. now, mangia!

until next post- maggie

until now

roast beef. for years my husband would not let me make roast beef. growing up, he had it way to often and according to him " it was always dry and flavorless." until now. i love roast beef and i finally convinced him to let me make roast beef so we could have taquitos and guacamole- both of us are suckers for guacamole. so i did and it's now one of our family favorites.

just like my pulled pork, i cook my roast beef overnight in my slow cooker. twelve hours later, i wake up to the tantalizing smells of an already made dinner. then it's just a matter of making side dishes or whatever else i'm serving with the roast beef. i served this roast with linguine and homemade marinara and sauteed broccoli. the meat so tender it just falls apart. i don't slice it, i shred it, because my kids like to eat the meat shredded, but then it's also ready for taquitos! always a bonus. 

overnight roast beef

1 5-7 pound roast- sometimes it's labelled "pot roast" 

1 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes

1 1/2 cans of water- i use the tomato can to measure- there should be enough liquid to cover the meat

1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar

salt, pepper, garlic powder, granulated sugar

1 tsp each of your favorite dried herbs- for this roast, i used bay leaves, basil, and thyme

combine the liquids, seasonings, and herbs in your slow cooker. stir until combined. taste and re-season if needed. add the roast. cook on low heat for 12 hours. 

once the roast is finished cooking and if you're planning on shredding the meat, turn the slow cooker off and leave it to cool. once the meat is cool, remove from liquid and shred into a oven/ microwave safe dish. cover with the cooking liquid to keep the meat moist. reheat in the oven or microwave until the meat is thoroughly heated through. if you're planning on slicing the roast, leave it in the slow cooker on "warm". about a half hour before serving, remove from the liquid and place on a cutting board. cover with tin foil and let the juices go back into the meat. slice into desired thickness. 

there you have it. overnight roast beef. you can also change the cooking liquid and seasonings to include a spicy note, or add taco seasoning, or just cook it in beef broth, along with some baby potatoes, chunks of carrots and onions, and make a yummy gravy to accompany the meat. whatever you're craving, change the seasonings to suit you.

until next post- maggie

new twist on old favorites

my kids often request the same meals. when i'm planning the weekly meal calender, i'll ask them if there's something their craving. one my of kids told me that, if i would let him, he "could have pizza, spaghetti, lasagna, and ramen noodles every day." while i love that my family has their favorite staples, i get bored making them. the solution? new twists on old favorites. when i saw this recipe, i showed the picture to my kids and they were so excited to try it, they started jumping up and down.

lasagna cupcakes. genius idea. layers of melted cheese, oozing together over a savory, meaty sauce, sandwiched in between layers of wonton wrappers. you heard me. wonton wrappers. one of the most versatile ingredients to work with. 

all you need are your typical lasagna ingredients, minus the lasagna noodles. the wonton wrappers are the noodles for this recipe!

lasagna cupcakes

2 cups of your favorite meat based spaghetti sauce

3 packs of wonton wrappers

4 cups shredded mozzerella cheese

2 cups pureed cottage cheese

2 nonstick 12-cup muffin tins

preheat oven to 350⁰F, 325⁰F for a convection oven. lightly spray the bottom of the muffin tins with olive oil.

to assemble

1. layer the wonton wrappers, two on top of each other by placing one on the bottom, wetting it lightly with a water- dipped finger, and placing the second one off- center, so the corners are next to each other and not on top of each other.

 2. repeat until all muffin cups have two layers of wonton wrappers.

3. add a spoonful of sauce and then a spoonful of cottage cheese.

4. repeat for all cups.

5. add some shredded cheese and a single wonton wrapper on top, once again, making sure the corners are slightly askew- it makes it easier to eat later on

6. repeat with the spoonfuls of sauce, cottage cheese, and shredded cheese on top of the single wonton layer, until the cups are full. i usually fit three layers into each muffin cup. the amount of layers you can fit depends on how chunky your sauce is.

they kind of overflow, but that's okay because when the cheese melts, they sink down.

6. bake for 10- 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the wrappers are a light golden brown. turn off the oven and leave inside for another 2-3 minutes

7. allow to cool in muffin tin. 

see all the layers? so yummy to peel apart and eat!

my kids love to help make these almost as much as they like to eat them. they'll spoon the sauce and cottage cheese into the cups, making a huge mess, but who cares? the point is they're learning that cooking is fun and they're more likely to eat their meals when they've helped make it. 

i've also used this idea to make taco cups- same idea but with taco soup instead of spaghetti sauce. those were a huge hit, too. 

have leftover wonton wrappers? check out this post for ideas on what to do with them!

until next post- maggie

best of both treats

i love cookies. i love brownies. so, naturally, a brownie- cookie hybrid was inevitable. it couldn't be helped- the best of both treats- the squishy gooey-ness of a brownie with the tenderness of a cookie all in one glorious, not-so-good-for-you bundle of deliciousness. oh my. my taste buds couldn't be happier.

these were super easy to make. the hardest part was making sure the chocolate didn't burn, but that's to be expected when working with chocolate. as delicious as chocolate is, it's quite temperamental. so so worth it though! just look at the beauties. oh i want to eat one now.

squishy brownie cookies

1/2 cup butter, cut into little chunks

1 1/4 cups semi- sweet chocolate chips

2 eggs

1 cup brown sugar

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla

pinch of salt

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup semi- sweet chocolate chips or white chocolate chips

preheat the oven to 325⁰F. if using a convection oven, turn oven to 300⁰F. combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and cocoa powder together in a medium bowl. set aside for later.

in a double boiler, melt 1 1/4 cups of semi- sweet chocolate chips and butter until everything is smooth. remove from heat and allow to cool.

in a stand mixer, mix together the eggs and sugar. add the vanilla and mix until everything is smooth. add the melted chocolate and mix again until everything is fully incorporated. add the flour and the 3/4 cup of chocolate chips, mix until there are no more flour streaks.

drop by spoonfuls onto a nonstick baking sheet, or sheet lined with silicone mats. bake for 7 minutes. remove from oven and allow to cool, on baking sheet, for about 2-3 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

enjoy with a tall glass of creamy milk and try to remember to share.

until next post- maggie

better with more butter

when my kids asked me for rice krispie treats, my first thought was "why haven't i been making these more often?" they are the classic kid treat- gooey melted marshmallows combined with rice krispies cereal to make a delightfully sweet but not too sweet treat. variations to the basic recipe are endless, but my kids like them best with mini chocolate chips. when i first made these as a teenager, they never turned out right. then i learned, from the queen of baking, diana west, to add extra butter to help the marshmallows goo-ify- yes that is a word- better. she was right. an extra tablespoon of butter helped the marshmallows melt better and stay softer for longer, essential if you want to add any extras to the recipe. lesson here? everything is better with more butter.

rice krispie treats

5 tablespoons of butter

4 1/2 cups of miniature marshmallows

4 cups of rice krispie cereal 

optional- 1 cup miniature semi- sweet chocolate chips

butter the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13 baking dish. set aside. 

in a nonstick pot, melt the butter over low heat. do not let the butter simmer! once the butter is melted, add the marshmallows and melt over low heat, stirring gently so the marshmallows don't burn.

once the marshmallows are melted, remove from heat and add the cereal. stir together gently. add the chocolate chips. pour into the prepared pan and spread out evenly. cool and enjoy.

until next post- maggie

never going back

i found this recipe- easy peesy french bread- and tried it because, well, it's a new recipe and i like to cook. 'nuff said:) it was amazing! i've never made bread without some sort of oil or butter in the dough, but this one came out beautifully without butter! it was soft and tender on the inside while being crisp on the outside AND it only took about 20 minutes to rise. i'm tossing out my previous bread recipes and never looking back.

until next post- maggie

two things

as i was perusing the internet, i found this article and clicked through it. inspiration can come from anywhere! i'm grateful for it as i've been feeling a bit blah about things lately and this gallery got me thinking about new things to cook. always fun, at least for me:)

 http://www.people.com/people/greatideas/gallery/0,,20923450,00.html#30334761

i learned two things-

#1 - i know what's on my menu this upcoming week- this recipe- anything with goat cheese is a winner! of course i'll alter the ingredients and the sauce and pretty much the entire recipe, but the idea is the same- everything in one pot.

and

#2- i really need to invest in a le creuset enamelled cast iron french oven. specifically this one-


isn't a gorgeous blue?  i love it. i don't love the price tag, but i suppose i should see this as more of an investment. just think of all the yummy things i could concoct in that beautiful blue pot! oh, my mind is whirling and my mouth is watering.

until next post- maggie

one of my favorite foods

ah. summer. it's summer where my california roots really begin to show. i love everything about california- the beach, the salt smell in the air, wide open spaces, driving on the 110 to the 405 to get anywhere, disneyland, but especially the food. for me, nothing says summer more than a bowl of guacamole. mostly because there are avocados in guacamole. one of my most favorite foods in the whole world are avocados. oh my, i could eat them all day long. i used to babysit a family whose dog would devour avocados whole. smart puppy. so, aside from guacamole, how else do i eat avocados? i love them on a open-face sandwich and my favorite open-face sandwich is this one-

it's so simple and delicious. a slice of country harvest stone-milled whole wheat bread, one wedge of laughing cow spreadable cheese, a couple slices of a vine-ripened tomato, and a sprinkling of salt and ground black pepper. you could add a splash of lemon juice, but i prefer to taste the avocado as is. however, you must make absolutely sure the avocado and tomato are ripe. unripened avocados and tomatoes have no taste and whole point of this sandwich is to allow the natural ripe flavors of the ingredients to be the center of attention. 

i just love the colors! the creamy green of the avocado, the glossy red tomato and the smooth creamy white of the cheese...these three together are my sandwich trifecta. you can use any type of bread you prefer, toasted or not, your preferred spreadable cheese- cream cheese, brie, goat cheese- but the best part is that this sandwich is just the base of so many other sandwiches. you could add some grilled chicken, some salmon- smoked or grilled- some cucumber, sliced red onion, alfalfa sprouts- oh i crave these- the possibilities are as endless as your taste buds. 

until next post- maggie

kind of paleo

have you read about the paleo diet? i've heard bits and pieces and didn't think it sounded like something i would want to try...until i found this recipe- an almost 5 ingredient pizza spaghetti pie. it looked amazing, so, obviously, i needed to try it out. being me, i made some changes and added a few more ingredients, but the results are still paleo- i think- if you're into that. me? i just want my food to taste good.

spaghetti squash primavera

two spaghetti squashes

1 1/2 cups of favorite marinara sauce

2 zucchini- diced

1 small eggplant- skinned and diced

1 1/2 pounds italian sausages- casings remove and the meat broken up 

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

salt, ground black pepper, garlic powder, dried basil

1 tablespoon olive oil

preheat oven to 400⁰F or 375⁰F for convection ovens. slice the squashes in half lengthwise, remove the seeds, and place onto a baking dish with the insides facing down. add about 1/2 inch of water into the dish. bake for 30- 35 minutes, until the tops are browned. remove from water, drain any excess water, and allow to cool. once squash is cool enough to touch, remove the threads by scraping a fork along the insides. place into a large mixing bowl and season with salt and pepper. set aside for later. 

preheat the oven down to 350⁰F or 325⁰F for convection ovens.

over medium high heat, add the olive oil and sausages to a large nonstick pot. season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and dried basil. saute until the meat is browned. add the zucchini and eggplant, season, and saute until everything is soft. add the marinara sauce. turn the heat to medium low and simmer. taste and re season if needed. remove from heat.

pour the primavera sauce into the squash bowl. sprinkle the parmesan cheese over everything and gently mix to combine. 

spread mixture evenly into a 9 x 13 baking dish. cover with shredded cheese.

bake for 40 minutes, until the cheese is browned and the sauce is bubbling. remove from oven and cool before eating. serve with a crusty bread to sop up the sauce. 

this tastes so good and is so good for you!

until next post- maggie