Tag Archives: cheese

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

It’s been a minute since Johnny La Pasta shared a pasta recipe with you. And so, today I am sharing one of my all-time favorite recipes that I learned in the motherland (Italy): Spaghetti alla Carbonara.

In 2014, I embarked on the adventure of a lifetime, traveling all around the Italian peninsula with a whole party of new and now very dear friends. We visited the historical and iconographic sites, we took in the naturally dramatic and beautiful landscapes, we immersed ourselves in the warm and vibrant culture, and we DRANK A LOT OF WINE and we ATE A LOT OF PASTA.  It was bliss.

Eating pasta in Italy is true living. Beyond the soul joy of devouring bowls of authentic pasta dishes, for a cook like me, these indulgences were also inspirations for my own kitchen back home. Whilst in Rome, we had a lot of Pasta alla Carbonara as this is Rome’s signature dish. My Italian family did not immigrate to America from Rome, they came from Calabria in the south, and so no authentic recipe for carbonara came over with them. Pasta alla Carbonara was not a dish I normally had growing up, so having the opportunity to taste authentic incarnations of it in Rome was new and exciting for me.

Of course, I had had Pasta alla Carbonara dishes here in the states; but they were always incredibly cream based, white and gooey, made with a rue like an Alfredo sauce. I could never really detect the use of egg and therefore could not appreciate it in these dishes, which is unfortunate as egg is supposed to be a main feature of any carbonara.

So I was pleasantly surprised by the Roman’s carbonara dishes: silky, smooth, salty, decadent, very simple, yet absurdly divine. The use of egg is pronounced in these dishes as the yolks provide a beautiful yellow gold color for the sauce and create a silken consistency, making the dish creamy and luxurious but in a different way than probably most American eaters are used to. I was hooked on the stuff, and I had to know how to make it at home.

I spoke with several natively Italian cooks about carbonara at length because I am me and obsessed with food. I explained to them what most Americans thought carbonara was: a cream sauce made from flour, butter, and milk or cream cooked down with cheese melted into it and then an egg beaten in for good measure, often served with peas and mushrooms. The Italians were absolutely, deeply, and profoundly horrified to hear this. They told me that, “If that is how Americans are making carbonara, they should be ashamed of themselves.”

They then proceeded to BLESS me with the proper, authentic technique for Pasta alla Carbonara in the hopes that I could bring it back home to the USA and bring the American people closer to God by showing them how to make and eat carbonara right!

The secret to this carbonara is that it is super simple: eggs, parmesan and pecorino cheese, pancetta or bacon, black pepper, and pasta. That is all. No fancy rue sauce, no added cream, no mushrooms, no peas.

Basically, the eggs and cheeses are beaten together in the bottom of a pasta bowl to make a thick cream. Once the pasta is done cooking, it is removed from the water, and the bowl with the egg-cream is placed on the pot with the hot pasta water still in it. The heat from the water underneath the bowl starts to cook the egg-cream mixture. The pasta is added, with more cheese, and the heat from the pasta 1. finishes cooking the egg-cream sauce so that it is safe to eat and 2. melts the cheese and eggs into a thick, silky sauce the coats the noodles completely. Bacon or pancetta is added and the dish is served. That is all and it’s truly one of the greatest pasta dishes ever. I typically make this dish with Spaghetti as the long noodles are perfect to be coated and twirled in this rich sauce.

Spaghetti alla Carbonara has since become a staple dish in my kitchen. I turn to it again and again for its ease and affordability, its authenticity and its decadence, and for its ability to transport me right back to the streets of Rome with each and every bite. I hope you enjoy Spaghetti alla Carbonara! Buon Appetito!

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients:

  • ¾ lb-1 lb spaghetti
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 1 full egg
  • ½ cup grated pecorino romano cheese
  • ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 5 slices bacon or wheels pancetta
  • 2 teaspoons cracked black pepper

Directions:

Cook bacon your favorite way. You can chop the bacon up into bits, cook until browned and crispy in a pan, and set aside to drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Or, you could cook bacon my way! Place a cooling rack on a baking sheet, lay the bacon pieces across the rack, and bake in the oven at 400F till crispy, about 20 minutes. Remove, allow to cool, and cut into pieces.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook till al dente, about 8-9 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the eggs, black pepper, and ¾ of the pecorino and parmesan cheeses in a large glass bowl. Whip until completely combined; it should be very thick.

Without draining the pasta water, remove the spaghetti to a separate bowl. Turn off the heat. Place the bowl with the egg-cream mixture atop the pot of hot water. Whip the mixture quickly for 30 seconds. Add the pasta to the bowl and remaining cheese to the bowl. Work quickly and toss for 1 ½ minutes until the sauce completely coats the noodles.

Serve equal amounts into bowls and top with the bacon/pancetta. Garnish with additional cheese and if you’d like, a small chopping of parsley. Serve and enjoy!

Crack the eggs into the bottom of a glass bowl…
Add the cheese…..
Mix it till it creates a thick, yellow cream….
Cook the sauce over the pasta water, then add the pasta and more cheese. Mix until the noodles are coated and silky!
Place in bowls, add the bacon/pancetta, then more cheese and any garnishes you want.
Spaghetti alla Carbonara!

Fig, Goat Cheese, Prosciutto, and Arugula Pizza

One of my absolute favorite foods to make is artisanal pizzas; I love rolling the pizza dough into rustic, oblong shapes that are perfectly imperfect and then topping them with gourmet flavor combinations of quality ingredients. I don’t know exactly what it is that makes me enjoy cooking these types of pizzas so much, but I love the process of cooking them and am really proud of the original recipes I’ve developed!

A couple of my other artisan pizzas!

Most recently, I published my recipes for my Butternut, Brussels, and Bacon Pizza and my Bleu BBQ Chicken Pizza. Today, I giveth onto you the recipe for one of my favorites; my Fig, Goat Cheese, Prosciutto and Arugula Pizza – I know, it’s a mouth full literally and figuratively!

Can you say, “BELLISIMA!”???

Fig Pizza 14

This pizza is born of summer and is reminiscent of Tuscany in the warmer months. Imagine this; the sweetness of fresh figs, caramelized onions, and balsamic, contrasted with the saltiness of prosciutto and the tang of creamy goat cheese, and finished with the fresh and peppery bite of arugula. I am telling you, this is one incredible gourmet pizza!

Pour yourself a glass of wine and turn on the old world Italiano music, because with this pizza, you are about to feel like you’re enjoying a beautiful summer meal in the Tuscan countryside! Buon Appettito!

Fig, Goat Cheese, Prosciutto, and Arugula Pizza

  • Servings: 3-4
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

Ingredients:

Cook’s Note: Vegetarians can certainly omit the prosciutto here to make this a veg friendly option! 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

On a floured surface, roll out the dough into a thin, oblong shape and place on an oiled baking sheet. (Pro-tip: sprinkle course cornmeal on the baking sheet to help prevent the pizza dough from sticking).

Drizzle the surface of the dough with the olive oil and balsamic. Use the back of a spoon to smear evenly over the dough. Arrange the caramelized onions in an even layer over the sauce. Sprinkle evenly with the mozzarella, goat cheese, and half of the basil. Arrange the fig slices and prosciutto pieces evenly across the pizza.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until the dough is golden brown, the cheese is melted and bubbly and the prosciutto is crisped. Sprinkle with remaining basil, then the arugula in an even layer.

Cut into rustic squares, sprinkle with parmesan, serve, and enjoy!

Bleu BBQ Chicken Pizza

We all love pizza. We all love BBQ. Thus, it makes sense to combine these two marvelous genres of foods, right?? Right! Almost every American-style pizza place (alla BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse and California Pizza Kitchen) has some sort of BBQ Chicken Pizza these days, and it fantastic; you really can’t go wrong with ordering one. I and many of my friends love BBQ chicken pizza so much that we have taken to making these BBQ flavored pies in our own homes because it really is so simple to make something so good and so beloved.

My dear friend and former blogging partner from my Confessions of Two College Foodies days, Nicole, first taught me how to make BBQ Chicken Pizza. Her and her family made a version very similar to that of California Pizza Kitchen and it was phenomenal; it quickly became a staple in my own household; for that recipe click here. Since then, however, I have sought to make a recipe that is unique to me so that I am not thieving!

Classic BBQ Pizza

Here is a throwback to the classic version, sans bleu cheese and peppers.

When developing this new recipe, I thought about some of the ingredients and flavors I like to add to more traditional BBQ dishes. When it comes to BBQ burgers, my favorite cheese is bleu cheese; the pungent tang of the bleu plays perfectly off of the sweet richness of BBQ sauce. I also enjoy adding the freshness of red and yellow bell peppers to BBQ dishes as they seem to really brighten up a thick BBQ feast. So, I have added those few ingredients to my friend’s original BBQ Chicken Pizza recipe to make this unique Bleu BBQ Chicken Pizza.

BBQ Chicken Pizza 16

The new Bleu BBQ Chicken Pizza! Could you resist???

This pizza is insanely easy to make, rather inexpensive, and completely delectable. This recipe is perfect for the summer months for those times when you need the texture and ease of a pizza but still want that summery, smokey BBQ flavor. I hope you enjoy!

Bleu BBQ Chicken Pizza

  • Servings: 3-4
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound store bought pizza dough, plain or wheat (I like Trader Joe’s dough)
  • 3/4 cup store bought BBQ sauce
  • 2 cups cooked chicken breast, chopped into cubes
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1 cup bleu cheese crumbles
  • ½ medium red onion, sliced
  • ½ red bell pepper, sliced into strips
  • ½ yellow bell pepper sliced into strips
  • ¼ cup parsley or cilantro, chopped

Directions:

Preheat the oven to according the directions on your store bough pizza dough.

Roll out the dough into a thin, oblong shape and place on an oiled baking sheet. (Pro-tip: sprinkle course cornmeal on the baking sheet to help prevent the pizza dough from sticking)

Pour half the BBQ sauce on the surface of the dough and spread with the back of a spoon or a pastry brush in an even layer right up to the edges of the dough. Sprinkle the mozzarella and bleu cheese crumbles evenly over the pizza.

In a medium bowl, toss the cooked chicken in the remaining BBQ sauce and distribute evenly across the surface of the pizza. Arrange the sliced red onion and bell peppers all over the pizza.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until the dough is cooked golden and the cheese is melted and bubbling. In the last few minutes of cooking, sprinkle with the parsley or cilantro.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool a few minutes. Cut into rustic squares and serve!

 

Follow the directions for your dough, and make sure to put it on a floured surface.
Roll, roll, roll it out!
I like a rustic, perfectly imperfect shape.
Toss the chicken in the BBQ Sauce.
Colors and flavors!
Spread the remaining BBQ sauce over the pizza, as if it were pizza sauce.
Sprinkle with the CHEESE!
Arrange with the BBQ chicken.
Arrange with the onions and peppers.
Bake for 15-20 minutes until the crust is golden and the cheeses are gooey! In the last few minutes sprinkle with the herbs.
Slide onto a cutting board.
Look at that PIZZA!
Cut rustically and serve!

Chicken Bellagio

Years ago when I was a teenager, the cool thing to do for us youngsters was to go to the Cheesecake Factory for dinner before catching a movie. A favorite dish of my friends and I was their Chicken Bellagio; pesto spaghetti, breaded chicken, prosciutto, and a lemon arugula salad – simple yet completely delectable! It is so simple, in fact, that one night while scarfing down the dish before running off to an 8 o’clock film, I had a culinary epiphany: I could totally make this at home for probably less money and for more people. And so, two days later I called on my Italian ancestors to guide me and I created a Copycat Chicken Bellagio Recipe that is to this day a friend and family favorite!

When I was the co-author of my first foodie blog, Confessions of Two College Foodies, this copycat recipe was by far our most popular and most well-read; we even made it on a local access cooking show (which I will not link to here because the 20 year old incarnation of me is much more tragic than the 25 year old one). Anyway, people love this recipe because it is so tasteful and quite elegant despite utilizing simple ingredients.

Chicken Bellagio 14

Chicken Bellagio is a meal that gives you everything you need on one plate: carbs, protein, and greens. Rich and fresh pesto spaghetti is topped with a piece of tender and crunchy breaded chicken, which is then topped with slice of salty and delicate Prosciutto, which is then finished with a tangy and peppery arugula salad. All of these flavor profiles – the herbal freshness from the pesto and the arugula, the saltiness from the prosciutto, and the tanginess from lemon – make this such a magnificently balanced dish.

It is a little bit of work to time everything and get it all assembled, but once you’ve got the meal plated, it is really delightful and presents so beautifully. Furthermore, you can make this very elegant meal for friends and family for about $25-$35 for 4-6 people, which would easily run you over $100 when going out to eat; make this a winner in not only flavor, but in price.

This is going to be your new go-to when craving a restaurant quality meal, right in your own home!

Chicken Bellagio

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: intermediate
  • Print

Ingredients:

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders or cutlets
  • ½ cup flour
  • 2 tablespoons garlic powder
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tablespoons cream or half & half
  • 1 cup Italian seasoned Panko breadcrumbs
  • ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese, plus another 2 tablespoons
  • 1 pound spaghetti
  • 1-1/2 cups store bought or homemade pesto (click here for a reliable homemade pesto recipe)
  • 4 slices Prosciutto
  • 3 cups arugula
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • Juice of 2 lemons
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • Salt and Pepper

Directions:

For the Chicken –

Pound the chicken breast tenders or cutlets until very thin. Season both sides with about a ½ teaspoon of salt and pepper each.

Create a breading station using 3 bowls. In the 1st bowl, mix the flour, garlic powder and a pinch of salt and pepper each. In the 2nd bowl, beat the eggs with the cream or half & half till completely mixed. In the 3rd bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and ¼ cup parmesan cheese. One by one, dip the chicken cutlets on both sides in the flour making sure to shake off excess, then the egg mixture making sure to let excess drain off, then in the breadcrumb mixture being sure to coat completely.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the breaded chicken cutlets. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side until the breading is golden brown.

For the Pasta –

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Reserve a cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta. Place pasta in a large bowl and add the remaining 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese and the pesto. Toss to coat, adding pasta water as needed to thin out the sauce and make sure all noodles are perfectly coated in the pesto.

For the Arugula Salad –

Add the arugula to a salad bowl. Zest 1 lemon directly onto the lettuce. Mix the juice of the 2 lemons, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper in a small bowl. Pour over the arugula and toss.

To assemble –

Place 1 serving (about 1/8th to ¼ of the total) of spaghetti into a wide pasta bowl or onto a plate. Place 1 piece of chicken atop the post. Lay 1 piece of the Prosciutto over the chicken. Top the chicken and Prosciutto with a ¼ cup or so of the arugula salad. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese and serve.

Zest the lemon right onto the arugula. Toss with the dressing before serving.
Pound the chicken very thin.
Make a seasoned flour with garlic powder, salt, and pepper in the flour.
Beat the eggs and cream.
Mix the seasoned breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese.
Season your chicken on both sides then follow the breading process.
Cook the chicken 3-4 minutes per side….
….until golden brown.
Add your pesto to the spaghetti.
Toss very well, using pasta water to thin out sauce as needed.
To plate – add the spaghetti…
…top with a piece of chicken….
….top with a piece of Prosciutto….
….and finish with the lemon arugula salad!
Whoop there it is!

Kitchen Republic Review

To the naked foodie’s eye, the Bella Terra Shopping Mall in Huntington Beach, CA is a sea of casual dining chain restaurants that offer decent to good standard meals but not much in the way of originality. If you sail through this island of entertainment a little more carefully, however, you will happen across a new gem of a restaurant that satisfies the craving for a unique dining and tasting experience amongst the flavors of the chain establishments: Kitchen Republic. Located across from the ever popular Cheesecake Factory and next to the polarizing Buffalo Wild Wings, the fairly new Kitchen Republic offers a space that is hip, cool, authentic, and welcoming with drinks and dishes from a tapas style menu to match.

Kitchen Republic 1

Continue reading →

Pasta Primavera

Sunday March 20th 2016 marked the bringing of another spring!

flower

YAY Spring is here!

Traditionally for the Spring Equinox, I always make my Pasta Primavera, and this past equinox was no exception. Pasta Primavera is a traditional Italian dish – Primavera means spring in Italian – and this dish is made all throughout the spring to celebrate the fresh produce that has come into season and harvest after the winter. I love making Pasta Primavera because it is simple, it is elegant, it supports seasonal eating, and it is actually quite healthy since it is loaded with lots of fresh vegetables and herbs.

food jennifer lawrence

Because a season change just means an excuse to eat more foods.

Sound good? I know you want to make it. Great! Well, you should make MY recipe for Pasta Primavera. Whereas many other recipes for this springtime dish call for boiling, steaming, or sauteing the vegetables within it, I roast them to really intensify the flavors because roasting brings out the best in vegetables. I also add goat cheese to this dish to bring a bright tang that I think is indicative of spring which gives the dish a slight richness and definite creaminess.

It is so simple and inexpensive, yet so fresh, bright, and absolutely delicious; I think you should definitely make my Pasta Primavera, and make it often! Buon Primavera!

Pasta Primavera

  • Servings: 3-4
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients:

  • 2 large broccoli crowns, cut into small florets
  • 1 red bell pepper, sliced and cut into 2 inch strips
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced and cut into 2 inch strips
  • 2 large carrots, sliced and cut into 2 inch sticks
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 tablespoon crushed or minced garlic
  • 10 medium thick asparagus spears, cut to two inches
  • 15-20 sugar snap peas
  • 1 cup basil, julienned
  • ½ pound Farfalle (bowtie) pasta or other short cut pasta
  • 1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons Herbs de Provence
  • ¼ cup goat cheese
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan Cheese
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400̊F.

Arrange the broccoli, bell peppers, carrots, and cherry tomatoes on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle with the salt, pepper, Herbs de Provence, and garlic. Toss until all the vegetables are well coated and spread into a single layer. Roast for 25-30 minutes, tossing once half way through, until vegetables are tender.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In the last 1o-12 minutes of the vegetables cooking, add the pasta to the water and cook till al dente, about 10-12 minutes.In the last 2 minutes of the pasta cooking, add the asparagus and the sugar snap peas to the water with the pasta as well. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain the pasta, asparagus, and sugar snap peas.

Add the roast vegetables to a large pasta bowl, followed by the pasta. Add the goat cheese and parmesan cheese on top of the pasta and toss thoroughly until the cheeses melt and coat all the pasta and vegetables, using the pasta water as needed to help spread the cheese out. Toss in the basil.

Serve into individual pasta bowls and sprinkle with additional basil and parmesan cheese!

 

All the vegetables!
Drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle with the salt, pepper, Herbs de Provence, and garlic. Toss it well and mix it up! So many colors!
Pasta Mustache! But seriously, farfalle is the best for this.
Boil the pasta.
Get your asparagus and sugar snaps ready.
Toss the asparagus and sugar snap peas right into the pasta water the last few minutes of cooking.
Add the tender roast vegetables to the pasta bowl.
Add the drained pasta, asparagus, and sugar snap peas.
Add the cheeses and basil, toss well until the cheese is melted and everything coated and it is creamy!
Mmmmm fresh and creamy! Hello spring!

Shepherd’s Pie

Saint Patrick’s Day is tomorrow! Besides good beer (Guinness anyone????), comforting Irish food is one of the best parts of this previously-religious and now fully-universal cultural holiday! Fish n’ Chips, Corned Beef and Cabbage, and most importantly: Shepherd’s Pie!

irish tonight.gif

Years ago, I used to author the now extinct blog “Confessions of Two College Foodies” with my dear friend Nicole. At that time, we developed a Shepherd’s Pie recipe that was out of this world, Celtic-god worthy divine. It has now become a St. Patrick’s Day staple among my friends and I.

While Confessions of Two College Foodies no longer exists, I used to guest write for the Los Alamitos-Seal Beach Patch and we posted the Shepherd’s Pie Recipe on their blog…which is still live! Meaning: you can get the recipe by clicking here!  And because I’m really nice, I took the recipe and reposted below so you can also get it here!

You have today and tomorrow to get the ingredients and make this for your St. Patty’s Day dinner! And it will probably last you well into the weekend. Enjoy it my friends!

Shepherd's Pie

  • Servings: 8-10
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients:

  • For the Potatoes and Cheese layers:
  • 8 medium Yukon Gold Potatoes
  • ¼ cup milk
  • ¾ stick of butter
  • 1 tablespoon crushed garlic
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 ½ cups grated aged white cheddar
  • 1 ½ cups grated smoked cheddar
  • For the Meat and Vegetable layer:
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 4 carrots, chopped
  • 5-6 ounces white mushrooms, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons crushed garlic
  • 1 ½ pounds ground beef
  • ¾ of a bottle Guinness beer (the ¼ cup remaining, is left for you 🙂
  • ¼ cup tomato paste
  • 1 lb bag frozen peas

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

For the Potatoes: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Quarter the potatoes and add to the pot. Cook until fork tender, about 20-25 minutes. Drain and return potatoes to the pot. Using an electric hand mixer or potato masher, begin creaming the potatoes. Add the milk and butter and combine together. Combine the grated cheeses in a bowl until well mixed. As you are blending, add 1 cup of the cheese. Keep blending until the potatoes are smooth and creamy. Salt and Pepper to taste. Set aside.

For the Meat: Heat 3 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, mushrooms, and garlic. Season with ½ teaspoon of each salt and pepper. Stirring often, cook until the carrots are tender, and the onions translucent about 5 minutes. Add the beef. Using a wooden spoon, break up the meat into small chunks, cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Pour in the Guinness and allow to evaporate into out, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste. Stir in the frozen peas and cook until warmed through, about 3 minutes. Season with additional pepper. Remove from the heat.

To assemble: Spray a 9×13 inch-baking dish with non-stick cooking spray, or you bake in individual gratins. Spread the meat and vegetable layer in an even layer at the bottom. Spread the potatoes in an even, flat layer over the top of the meat. Cover the potatoes with the remaining cheese mixture. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, until the cheese begins to bubble and turn golden. Remove and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Cut into squares and serve.

Potatoes!
Mash em and mix em with cheese!
Meat and beer!
Meat, veggies and Beer!
Meat layer!
Followed by potato layer!
Followed by cheese layer and baked!

Butternut, Brussels, and Bacon Pizza

I am a human being, and therefore, I LOVE PIZZA! I love it all; round pizza and oblong pizza, thick crust and thin crust, plain cheese and the works, and so and so on.

eat pray love pizza

However, I have a particular pro-potency for rustic, artisanal pizzas; pizzas whose dough has been rustically rolled and topped with quality toppings in unique and artistically flavorful ways. I have a few artisan style pizzas that I make at home when I haven’t had pizza in a minute and will die if I do not get some in my system, and this Butternut, Brussles, and Bacon Pizza is quite possibly the best of them!

Butternut Brussels Bacon Pizza 2

BAM! Look at that!

Roasted butternut squash and Brussels sprouts, crispy bacon, caramelized onions, balsamic reduction, and mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses all come together to create a fully-loaded and totally delectable pizza. Sweet balsamic reduction, caramelized onions, and tender butternut squash are contrasted by smoky, salty, and earthy bacon bits and Brussels sprouts which are married by mild gooey mozzarella and of course the ever distinctive Parmesan. It’s crispy, crunchy, and hearty all at once. Honestly, this is a pizza that could be served at a high-end restaurant off the “fancy” (boogie) pizza menu for a pretty penny, but you can make this in your home for under $15 for 4 people.

Ever since making this pizza this past winter, it has become an instant go-to for pizza night because it so deeply enjoyable! Serve with a nice salad and a glass of wine, and you are in for the perfect pizza experience!

Butternut, Brussels, and Bacon Pizza

  • Servings: 3-4 people
  • Difficulty: intermediate
  • Print

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound your favorite pizza dough (I use Trader Joe’s Whole Wheat Dough)
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cups Brussels Sprouts, quartered
  • 1 ½ cups butternut squash cut into small cubes
  • 4-5 strips bacon
  • 2 yellow onions, sliced thin
  • 1 ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • ½ cup parmesan cheese, grated
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze (I use Trader Joe’s)
  • Salt and pepper

Directions:

Prep work on the toppings for the pizza –

Preheat the oven to 425̊F. Place the Brussels sprouts and butternut squash on a baking sheet, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Toss together, roast for 25-30 minutes until the squash is tender and the Brussels sprouts are crispy.

Cook the bacon your favorite way until crisp. Cool and break into ½ inch bits. (I cook my bacon on a baking rack in the oven, so much easier!)

In a medium pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions. Sprinkle with a pinch of both salt and pepper. Cook for 25-30 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are caramelized. (Tip: Add a tablespoon of water if the pan starts to get too sticky)

Assembling the pizza –

Turn up the heat to 450̊F. Roll out the dough into a 12-14 inch long rectangle or oblong shape, making the thickness about ¼ inch thick (that’s quite thin).Place on a baking sheet that has been sprayed or rubbed with a bit of oil and sprinkled with a couple tablespoons of cornmeal.

Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over the surface of the crust followed by the balsamic glaze. Using the back of a spoon, spread the oil and glaze all over the crust evenly.

Sprinkle with 1 cup of the mozzarella and ½ of the parmesan. Spread the caramelized onions over the cheese. Spread the butternut squash and Brussels sprouts over the onions. Sprinkle the bacon bits over the vegetables. Top with the remaining cheeses.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the outer rim of the crust is golden brown.

Remove to a cutting board, slice into rustic squares, and serve!

 

Roast butternut squash and Brussels sprouts 25-30 minutes until squash is tender and sprouts are crisp….
Cook the bacon, cool, break into half inch bits….
Caramelize the onions….
Pizza dough!
Roll the dough into rectangle or oblong shape, 1/4 inch thickness, place on oiled baking sheet that’s been sprinkled with cornmeal….
Drizzle dough with olive oil and balsamic glaze, spread with back of spoon….
Top with cheese….
Top with caramelized onions….
Top with squash and Brussels sprouts…
Top with bacon….
Finish with cheese!
Bake 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted and gooey and the outer rim of the dough is golden brown…
Slide onto cutting board….
Cut and serve in rustic slices!

The American Food System: Grocery Shopping in Europe vs. USA

There is a lot to be improved upon in America when it comes to food; the way we look at food, grow and raise food, treat food, value food, and much more. If I wanted to critique all of the many different facets that there are to food and what we could do better at (meaning what we do completely wrong), well then, I’d be writing a full on critical book. As much fun as that might be, since this is a blog, I will focus on one aspect at a time that I would like to commentate on. Today, I am writing about how we structure our food system in terms of selection and pricing of whole, natural foods versus junk foods.

I have thought a lot about the way we select, place, and price our food here in the United States after visiting Europe in 2014 and again in 2015 and seeing how the Europeans do so. Now, my intention is not to sound pretentious or unpatriotic for glorifying Europe over the USA, but they really do food better overall.

Let’s talk about grocery shopping in the United States versus in Europe, namely France and Italy where I experimented with grocery shopping during my travels.

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Here’s me buying local, organic fruit at a market in Verona, Italy.

Shopping for Produce in Europe – Fresh fruits and vegetables are displayed without stickers on their skins with digitated codes. Rather, they are left naked and pure, some of them still showing signs of the soil from which they were pulled. I know I don’t have to worry about GMO vegetation or certain heavy brands of pesticides on these fruits and vegetables because these practices and chemicals are not permitted in the European Union. The primary selection of these fruits and vegetables have come from local or semi-local farms from the country side; very little has been imported from outside of the country. Because of this, I can leave the produce market with enough fruits and vegetables for a week for only about 20 euro – and it’s mostly organic, local, and seasonal. Yay!

produce with stickers

Shopping for Produce in America – There is every type of fruit or vegetable imaginable available for the taking, regardless of season. Therefore, I must comb through the produce, reading the little labels stuck to the food that I will have to peel away later and wash the skin. Nope, that one is genetically modified. Nope, that one isn’t organic and is in the dirty dozen. Oh great, an organic apple, that’ll be $3 for 1. I make my selections, buying enough vegetation for the week ahead. I don’t buy everything organic; I’m an American peasant after all, but any fruit or veg that is part of the “Dirty Dozen” I have purchased organic. I get a week’s worth of produce for $40 to $60 depending. If I was in Europe, I could’ve saved $20-$40 and used that money towards savings for a condo! But I am in America trying to be healthy, so I will accept the penalty for my choices and continue being a peasant.

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Fromagerie in Paris selling fresh, local cheeses.

Shopping for dairy in Europe – Firstly, cheese in Europe is unrivaled by anywhere else in the world. It is all so pure and so fresh or so artfully aged. It’s incredible. America doesn’t stand a chance. But this isn’t just about taste. I go to the local cheese shop to select my cheeses. I am allowed to sample as I shop so I can make a better selection (#winning). Reading the labels and talking to the cheese monger, I learn that there is really nothing to the cheese except milk and the other flavor fixings. The milk is pure and unaltered, no added hormones, chemicals or America’s favorite – sugar. It’s just milk from a cow; a cow roaming widely over green pastures. Also, the cheese has come from a nearby dairy farm, so it too is local. I am able to purchase a hulking wedge of both the creamiest brie and the tangiest bleu for a mere 5 euro. 2.50 euro for gourmet cheese?! How is this possible? I am going to eat all of it now and come back tomorrow for more, life can never be this good again.

american dairy

Shopping for dairy in America – My cheese selection is stressful. I have to really read into the labels to see where the cheese is coming from and if the milk it is made from was overly treated with chemicals and hormones. Also, finding cheese from a grass-fed, free roaming cow is an Olympic challenge. Oh yay, I found some great selections. That’s $5.75 for a medium sized wedge, that’s $7.25 for an average block. Well, there’s go $13. It’s okay I guess, cheese is worth it, but I know the truth; this cheese could never measure up to the cheese in Europe, and that would’ve costed me ¾ of what this cheese costs for a lot more. Oh well, I knew life would never be that good again, like I said. This is the life of an American peasant.

Fish market on the streets of Paris.
Cured meats vendor in Paris.

Shopping for meat in Europe – The meat is fresh, it has not been frozen. Here again, the meat has come from a nearby farm or ranch. Due to the normal European practices when it comes to meat, I know that the beef is from rolling pastures and was grass-fed, I know the chicken was free-range, I know that the fish was not fed coloring. The meat has not been sprayed down with chemicals and preservatives, it doesn’t need to be because they have taken good care of it and are selling it fresh after the catch or kill (sorry veggie friends). This is quality meat, this is the way meat is meant to be treated and eaten, this is somewhat sustainable. The meat – again being grass-fed/free range/wild caught/not treated etc. – costs maybe three quarters of what the same quality of meat would cost in the United States. Also, the Europeans don’t sell you huge cuts and chunks, servings are much smaller so that even though you are eating meat, you are eating less and really enjoying it.

meat america

Shopping for meat in America – There are lots of meat selections, and of those selections, a very small percent of it comes from good, healthy practices. If you want grass-fed, free- range, not color treated, you have few choices and they are expensive. That filet mignon that comes from the ranch in the center of California where the cows are standing in their own dung and have cancerous puss on their faces costs a reasonable amount, but why would I eat that? Gross. No, if I am going to have beef, it is going to be from a cow that was treated right in its life. Oh hot damn, that single filet mignon is $14; but damn it, I am going to buy meat that is quality because I support the meager amount of sustainable ranching we do in this country. At least the cost keeps me from eating too much red meat, right? But what about the fish? Yup, that salmon was fed pink dye through it’s feed – yummy! No thanks, I’ll go with the wild salmon. *Deep sigh* It’s $13.99 a pound and I’m feeding four people, so I need a pound; so now that’s another $14 after my $45 worth of semi-organic produce and my $13 of cheese, and we haven’t even gotten the most important item on the grocery list – wine; maybe I shouldn’t go to the movies tomorrow after all.

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What about the junk food – Oh yeah, let’s not forget that food group! Europe has junk food just like us, a lot of the same brands in fact, though some of their products are banned because they put additives in the foods that are not permitted in the EU, but America doesn’t seem to find anything wrong with them! The big difference, however, is that you have to really go out of your way to get it. The normal everyday markets don’t have it; they’re too busy selling real, whole foods at decent prices and supporting the local economy. If you want sugar laden bags of cookies and sodium rich chips, you’ve got to go to the convenience store, like a liquor store or gas station; you won’t find it at the markets. In America, the processed, sugar filled, chemically laden stuff is mixed in right next to the good foods, and it’s cheap, so it’s easy to gravitate towards all the junk and skip the good food choices because it is right there and it is cheaper than the $3 organic apple.

Also, Americans like stuff. If you’re spending too much money on healthy foods, you can’t buy as much superfluous stuff. So naturally, they make dinner a sodium and sugar frozen entrée and go shopping for poorly made clothing from China.

In conclusion – here’s the big difference between Europe and America when it comes to groceries: Europe makes healthy, nutritious eating accessible and America does not. Sure, America is the richest country in the world and we have access to everything, but because of the way we price the good food and then place it next to the bad food, and because of normal American saving and spending habits, shoppers make the in-nutritious and downright unhealthy choices.

Europeans can easily purchase fresh, organic fruits and vegetables, well cultured dairy, minimally processed grains and bread, and soundly raised and cared for meats without breaking the bank. In this way, even a struggling family can feed themselves whole meals. In America, if you want to make healthy choices, you are forced to pay a premium, as if you are doing something exclusive and risqué. Many Americans are unwilling and often unable to pay these premiums, so they make the unsound choices, and this leads them to being overweight, malnourished, and often sick, which ultimately feeds into the risen numbers of obesity, diabetes, and cancer that we are seeing in this country, which then all feeds into our wonderfully sound healthcare system (sarcasm). It’s a vicious cycle.

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We simply must evolve our food system to be one that supports the selling and eating of whole foods. If we can find avenues to make fresh and often organic produce, minimally processed diary and grains, and well cared for meats (while also lessening meat consumption), then we will be supporting a healthier and happier society overall, which I think is what we all ultimately want. It is going to take a lot of work; work within ourselves for how we look at food and value it, and work for how we go about growing, cultivating, and selling it.

Again, this is just one of the many critiques I and many others have for the American food system. Again, I wish not to sound unpatriotic (though I often feel that way). Keep in mind, however, that we are a country of free thinkers who are encouraged to critique in order to help us to become an even stronger and better nation; and that is probably something I will do until I die. Namaste.

Recipe Review: Giada’s Creamy Linguine with Lobster and Bacon

What do you think I do on my lunch breaks at the office? That’s right, I watch the Food Network. And if you haven’t already guessed it, my favorite Food Network Star is Giada De Laurentiis, who is my spirit animal as well. I’ve reviewed her restaurant and another recipe of hers, but it’s been awhile so I figured it’s time for another.

giada dance

My Patronus

Back during December, there was a “Holiday” episode of Giada at Home in which she cooked this Creamy Linguine with Lobster and Bacon.

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I can’t even.

I mean, hello, just listen to the name of the recipe. Watching it cooked on the screen was torture for my colleague friends and I. The sight of it inspired a deep need for it within us.

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Said Johnny and friends to the pasta.

Still, I didn’t see what made it traditionally “Holidayish”. But when Valentine’s Day came around, I thought it would make the perfect V-Day dinner! In my mind, shellfish and pasta are staples for a special Valentine’s Day dinner, and the addition of bacon makes everything much more romantic.

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Valentine’s Day = Food!

Of course, I am single – and Whole on My Own – and so is my mother and sister, so we had ourselves our own little fancy Valentine’s Dinner where we enjoyed this fantabulous recipe, along with a Kale and Roasted Beet Salad and some Prosecco.

After cooking the meal and taking my first twirl and bite, I knew it was a keeper. HOLY HELL PEOPLE!

the taste

My reaction after the first bite basically.

Tender sweet lobster, salty smoky bacon, delightful linguine noodles, rich tomato cream sauce, fresh herbs and peas, and of course, heavenly Parmesan cheese; this dish has everything going for it! All the flavors and textures play off each other perfectly. It is a luxurious and sensual dish. And though it sounds indulgent because of the cream and bacon, a moderate sized portion of this was actually just the right amount, no one felt weighed down or bloated, but perfectly satisfied. Remember people – moderation!

The recipe is pretty easy to follow. Giada has labeled the difficulty as “Intermediate”. That’s just because you do have to do quite a few things at once, and once you start there is no stopping, so you have to be prepared. Plus, if you buy a whole cooked lobster or two, you have to break open its shell which is no easy feat.

xena fight

Basically the effort it takes to break open lobster. Damn those spikes!

My advice is to do all the prep work before you start the cooking. Chop all the vegetables and herbs, have the tomato and cream measured out, have the lobster meat cut up into chunks and set aside in a bowl, and have everything readily assessable. This way, once you start, you’ve got everything you need to execute.

Ingredients for Creamy Linguine with Lobster and Bacon

Prepare everything ahead of time and lay it out.

I cut the ingredient portions in half because I was only cooking for 3 people while Giada originally intended the recipe for 6, but you could easily double this recipe or modify it for your friends and family as needed.

At any rate, you should absolutely 100% make this dish when you are feeling a little bit ritzy! Enjoy!

Also, here is a video of my lobster singing “Under the Sea”.

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