Dan and I had some friends over for recently for dinner, and while that’s usually an excuse for me start ripping through cookbooks and narrowing down the endless list of recipes I’ve been meaning to try, all I wanted to eat was pizza.  I’d been sick all week, had just spent the morning at those not-to-be-named big box home supply stores on South Philly picking out bathroom tile and shower heads, and it was a cold Saturday night.  I wanted pizza.  Totally fair, right?  But could I order up a couple of pies from Marra’s or FrancoLuigi’s and not feel like I was shirking my hostess responsibilities?   Was that totally lame?  How do I reconcile my pizza passion with wanting to provide a fun, tasty, home-cooked meal for my guests?   The answer came to me in a cloud of Theraflu and gray floor tiles: Make-your-own pizza party. Brilliant.  It would be fun, creative, and delicious – totally perfect for a Saturday night with friends. To start, roll out some dough – store bought or hand made – into personal sized pizzas.  We pre-baked ours on a pizza stone at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. [caption id="attachment_516" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Bakin' some dough"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_517" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Cooling and waiting for toppings"][/caption] The toppings are the real fun part – so use what you like.  Based on what was hanging around in our cupboards, we laid out: heart of palm, crispy tempeh bacon, red onions, kalamata olives, steamed broccoli, sautéed mushrooms, tomato sauce, pea shoot and walnut pesto (vegan, see below) and mozzarella cheese (of both the whole milk and vegan varieties).   We didn’t have any on hand, but roasted brussels sprouts would have been a slammin’ addition to the topping bar.  I love them on a pizza mixed with a little veggie bacon. [caption id="attachment_572" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="A color palette"][/caption] When guests arrive, invite them to take a pizza shell, add desired toppings, and put back in the oven for 10 – 15 (we did up to 20 minutes (depending on how crispy you like your crust). [caption id="attachment_573" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Pizza with salad gets thumbs up"][/caption] We served the pizza with a green salad, (though in this case, I think the salad was just an excuse to toast up some gigantic croutons) and some cookies and cream (vegan) cupcakes. [caption id="attachment_512" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Really just a crouton vehicle"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_513" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Icing the cupcakes (and, of course, Dan got to lick the spatula)"][/caption] And the recipes: Pea shoot and walnut pesto:In a food processor or blender combine pea shoots (roughly 2 handfuls), basil (again, 'bout 2 handfuls), garlic (2-4 cloves) and pulse until roughly combined.  Add toasted walnuts (I used about half a cup) and pulse until walnuts are just chopped and incorporated.  With motor running, slowly drizzle in olive oil; blend until well combined. Scrape pesto into a bowl. [caption id="attachment_575" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Vegan pesto"][/caption] Green salad with roasted tomatoes and croutons For the Dressing

• 1 small shallot, minced
• 2 -3 tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 tsp. mustard
• ½ tsp. sugar
• Large pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper
• olive oil

For the Salad

• 5 or 6 slices good bread, cut into 1-inch pieces (I used focacia)
• Olive oil
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Good balsamic vinegar
• 12 tomatoes – cherry, strawberry, or roma
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 12 basil leaves, julienned or torn
• 3-4 handfuls lettuce leaves
• ½ cup ricotta salata or feta broken into big crumbles (optional)

Make the Dressing Mix shallot, lemon juice, mustard, sugar, salt and pepper in a wide mouth jar or other salad dressing making vessel.  Add the olive oil to taste.  Cover and shake or mix like hell with a whisk or fork.  Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary. Make the Salad Preheat the oven to 375ºF.  Place the bread cubes on a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle a large pinch of salt over top and a few grinds of black pepper.  Toss well with your hands.  Place in the oven and bake until starting to turn golden brown, about 10 minutes.  Set aside to give time to firm up a bit. Turn the oven up to 425ºF.  Slice each tomato in half.  Set aside a few of them of them and seed the others (though I didn’t take the time to seed mine and it was just fine…).  Place on small baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, sugar (to help with caramelization), salt and a couple grinds of pepper.  Toss gently with your hands.  Carefully drizzle on just a bit of balsamic vinegar.  Bake until dark, caramelized and slightly collapsed, about 25 minutes.  Remove and set aside. Place the croutons in a salad bowl.  Scrape the tomatoes and any juices over top.  Chop up the raw tomatoes and add them to the bowl along with the basil and the lettuce.  If using cheese, scatter it over top.  Dress the salad according to your taste, and toss carefully.  Add more dressing as needed. Recipe for the vegan cookies and cream cupcakes can be found at the Peas & Thank You blog, a great resource for all kinds of vegan ideas. In fact, here I am with the computer on the kitchen island following that recipe: [caption id="attachment_574" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="A work in progress"][/caption]

 

 

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon pressed garlic
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 pounds red cabbage
• 1/4 cup parmigiano-reggiano
• Freshly ground black pepper

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon pressed garlic
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 pounds red cabbage
• 1/4 cup parmigiano-reggiano
• Freshly ground black pepper

We made these tacos twice in the past two weeks. This recipe is adapted from the Sweet Potato Quesadillas recipe found in (Animal, Vegetable, Miracle). They are simple, delicious, use in-season, local foods, and are incredibly healthy . . . who can ask for anything more!!

SWEET POTATO QUESADILLAS  (TACOS)

• 2 medium sweet potatoes


• 1/2 onion


• 1 clove garlic


• 1 tbsp oregano, 1 tbsp basil, 1 tsp cumin, chile powder to taste (Adjust seasoning to what you have on hand.)


• olive oil for sauté


• flour tortillas


• Brie or other medium soft cheese


• Swiss Chard, or other greens - clean and chop (Be generous with the amount as the greens will shrink significantly!)

**I've also been chopping the stems of the chard and sauteing them with the garlic and onion

Cut sweet potatoes into chunks, cook in steamer basket until soft, then mash. Chop and sauté garlic and onion in a large skillet. When just about done to your likeness, toss in the greens and steam. Add spices and sweet potato and mix well.

Warm tortillas in oven or broiler (check out Tortilleria y San Roman, 951 S. 9th Street, in the Italian Market for fresh tortillas . . . only available on the weekends!) Fill warm tortillas with sweet potato mixture and top with soft cheese.

Enjoy!

We made these tacos twice in the past two weeks. This recipe is adapted from the Sweet Potato Quesadillas recipe found in (Animal, Vegetable, Miracle). They are simple, delicious, use in-season, local foods, and are incredibly healthy . . . who can ask for anything more!! SWEET POTATO QUESADILLAS  (TACOS)

• 2 medium sweet potatoes
• 1/2 onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tbsp oregano, 1 tbsp basil, 1 tsp cumin, chile powder to taste (Adjust seasoning to what you have on hand.)
• olive oil for sauté
• flour tortillas
• Brie or other medium soft cheese
• Swiss Chard, or other greens - clean and chop (Be generous with the amount as the greens will shrink significantly!)

**I've also been chopping the stems of the chard and sauteing them with the garlic and onion Cut sweet potatoes into chunks, cook in steamer basket until soft, then mash. Chop and sauté garlic and onion in a large skillet. When just about done to your likeness, toss in the greens and steam. Add spices and sweet potato and mix well. Warm tortillas in oven or broiler (check out Tortilleria y San Roman, 951 S. 9th Street, in the Italian Market for fresh tortillas . . . only available on the weekends!) Fill warm tortillas with sweet potato mixture and top with soft cheese. Enjoy!

A friend and I have been doing the Bon Appetit Food Lover's Cleanse for about a week now, and since we haven't yet broken into Paesano's in the middle of the night, I thought I'd mention it here.

She’s doing it in preparation for her February wedding, and I’m doing it to cast out the demons of Hanukkah brisket, Christmas cookies, hanging-out-with-an-old-girlfriend meatballs, and about half a pound of mortadella at 3AM on New Year’s Day.

I‘m usually iffy on diets and cleanses, but this is more of a set of guidelines to give your digestive system a rest after holiday indulgences. The recipes are sourced from popular  everyman-foodie blogs like 101 Cookbooks and Orangette. The term “weight loss” is never used.

My cleanse buddy and I are each cooking a few dishes from the program and sharing them with each other. Here’s a seasonal recipe that I really loved. For the sake of budget and convenience, I used extra virgin olive oil instead of the oils listed. I also shredded the celeriac in my food processor instead of breaking out the mandoline during a hangover.

PS: Even though the program suggests it, we are NOT giving up coffee. That would require a medical emergency. Have any of you tried a cleanse? Share your success/horror stories/out-of-body experiences below.

A friend and I have been doing the Bon Appetit Food Lover's Cleanse for about a week now, and since we haven't yet broken into Paesano's in the middle of the night, I thought I'd mention it here.

She’s doing it in preparation for her February wedding, and I’m doing it to cast out the demons of Hanukkah brisket, Christmas cookies, hanging-out-with-an-old-girlfriend meatballs, and about half a pound of mortadella at 3AM on New Year’s Day. I‘m usually iffy on diets and cleanses, but this is more of a set of guidelines to give your digestive system a rest after holiday indulgences. The recipes are sourced from popular  everyman-foodie blogs like 101 Cookbooks and Orangette. The term “weight loss” is never used. My cleanse buddy and I are each cooking a few dishes from the program and sharing them with each other. Here’s a seasonal recipe that I really loved. For the sake of budget and convenience, I used extra virgin olive oil instead of the oils listed. I also shredded the celeriac in my food processor instead of breaking out the mandoline during a hangover. PS: Even though the program suggests it, we are NOT giving up coffee. That would require a medical emergency. Have any of you tried a cleanse? Share your success/horror stories/out-of-body experiences below.

The thing that I love about making chili is that it really is one of those "everything but the kitchen sink" recipes. Just start with a basic recipe and add what you have on hand!

1/1/11 version of vegetarian chili

Dice the onion, garlic, and jalapeno and saute it in a tablespoon or so of olive oil until golden. Add carrots, rutabaga, and zucchini and saute until soft. Add the remaining ingredients. Let simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally. Yum!

• 1/2 onion


• 2 cloves of garlic


• 1/2 jalapeno


• bunch of carrots


• 1 rutabaga


• 2 zucchinis


• 1/2 bag of corn kernels (frozen from summer's bounty)


• 1 tablespoon of cumin


• a bunch of chili powder (to taste)


• 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes


• 28 ounce can of kidney beans


• 3 bay leaves


• olive oil

Best wishes for a happy & healthy new year!!

SPFC

The thing that I love about making chili is that it really is one of those "everything but the kitchen sink" recipes. Just start with a basic recipe and add what you have on hand! 1/1/11 version of vegetarian chili Dice the onion, garlic, and jalapeno and saute it in a tablespoon or so of olive oil until golden. Add carrots, rutabaga, and zucchini and saute until soft. Add the remaining ingredients. Let simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally. Yum!

• 1/2 onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 jalapeno
• bunch of carrots
• 1 rutabaga
• 2 zucchinis
• 1/2 bag of corn kernels (frozen from summer's bounty)
• 1 tablespoon of cumin
• a bunch of chili powder (to taste)
• 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes
• 28 ounce can of kidney beans
• 3 bay leaves
• olive oil

Best wishes for a happy & healthy new year!! SPFC

Sardines, a delicious and sustainable treat, perfect for the Feast of Seven Fishes. Here's an easy recipe from Mark Bittman.