Tag: Cheese

Pasta Rustica with Smoked Mozzarella

If you follow my Facebook page, you may have seen that my recipe for Wild Mushroom Truffled Pizza Topped with a Runny Egg won a recipe contest hosted by Cooking Planit and sponsored by Formaggio Cheese! Not only is my recipe now available through Cooking Planit, but I also won some snazzy prizes, including an amazing assortment of Formaggio products. My fridge is now happily filled with cheese, so I will be posting a few cheesy recipes over the coming weeks.

One of the first products I noticed in the basket was Smoked Mozzarella. I’ve had smoked mozzarella in the past and found the flavor to be a bit… overwhelming… so I was interested to see if I could get it to work well in a recipe instead of becoming the only flavor you can taste. But Formaggio’s smoked mozzarella was a pleasant surprise! The smoky flavor is present without being overpowering and works to enhance other flavors instead of covering them up.

I found this recipe for Pasta Rustica with Smoked Mozzarella on Bon Appetit and altered the amounts of the ingredients to fit my taste.

 

Ingredients:

  • 16 oz package frozen cheese tortellini
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, sliced
  • 12 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup dry vermouth
  • 1 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
  • 1 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 8 oz smoked mozzarella, cut into small cubes

Continue reading Pasta Rustica with Smoked Mozzarella

Bacon, Tomato, and Arugula (BLT) Pizza

I haven’t made a pizza recipe on here in a while (since October! Wow!) so it’s about time I rectified that! I honestly would not have typically chosen this recipe from my latest Cooking Light magazine, but my boyfriend spotted it on the cover and put in a special request. He typically eats whatever I decide to make without complaint, so I figured I could make something out of my typical repertoire just this once 🙂

This BLT Pizza is pretty self explanatory: pizza with bacon, “lettuce” (arugula), roasted tomatoes, and even a mayo base. It does take some time to make though (~1 hour) so either plan accordingly on a weeknight or save this recipe for a weekend!

This is also the first time I used a pizza stone (very exciting, I know). I’ve apparently had this little guy for a while but completely forgot about it! If you don’t have a pizza stone, just use a large cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound ripe tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 cup canola mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
  • 2 garlic cloves, grated
  • 4 center-cut bacon slices, cut in half
  • 10 ounce fresh pizza dough
  • 1 tablespoon cornmeal (if needed)
  • 2 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • 1 cup baby arugula

Continue reading Bacon, Tomato, and Arugula (BLT) Pizza

Peach-Glazed Chicken with Peach-Studded Bulgur

My boyfriend loves peaches so I am always keeping an eye out for any recipe that incorporates peaches into it. This recipe from Cooking Light not only included peaches two ways, but it also used a wheat product I’ve never used before: bulgur.

Bulgur is a fast cooking whole grain that’s been parboiled, dried, and cracked. One cup of bulgur is only 150 calories and includes 8 grams of fiber and almost 6 grams of protein. Sounds like a good addition to any meal!

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/3 cups water
  • 3/4 cup uncooked bulgur
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar, divided
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
  • 2 cups chopped peaches
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
  • 1 ounce goat cheese, crumbled (about 1/4 cup)
  • 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
  • 1/2 cup unsalted chicken stock
  • 1/4 cup peach preserves
  • 2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard

Continue reading Peach-Glazed Chicken with Peach-Studded Bulgur

Pappardelle Pasta with Snap Peas

 

Last Sunday, my boyfriend ran in the ODDyssey Half Marathon. So the Friday before, I wanted to make a pasta dish for him to “carb load,” but I didn’t want to give him our normal protein-heavy meat sauce.

 

 

This recipe from Food Network was a perfect choice! It uses fresh veggies and herbs to deliver the flavor instead of meat and tomatoes.

 

 

Ingredients:

  • Kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 bunch scallions, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 cup of chopped scallions)
  • 1/2 pound sugar snap peas, roughly chopped
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
  • 1 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 bunch fresh chives, thinly sliced (about 3 tablespoons)
  • 1/2 pound dry pappardelle pasta
  • 3/4 cup crumbled ricotta salata
  • ground pepper, to taste

Continue reading Pappardelle Pasta with Snap Peas

Gemelli with Brown Butter Beet Sauce and Herbed Citrus Ricotta

I had a craving for beets … of all weird things to get a craving! Anyway, as I was searching for a yummy beet salad recipe, I came across a recipe for Cavatelli With Brown Butter Beets, Ricotta and Pistachios.

I was intrigued; I’ve never thought to use beets as a sauce for pasta!

What’s great about this recipe for Gemelli with Brown Butter Beet Sauce and Herbed Citrus Ricotta is that it doesn’t take that much time to make! Beets are typically roasted for 45ish minutes in the oven, but this recipe grates the beets before sauteing to cut down on their cooking time.

I changed the method a bit but the general idea is still there. The result is a beautiful brightly colored pasta with great flavor. It reheats wonderfully as well!

Ingredients:

  • 3 beets, peeled and finely grated in a food processor
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta
  • 1/4 teaspoon finely grated orange zest, more to taste, plus more for garnish
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage, plus more for garnish
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, more as needed
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, more as needed
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 16 oz box gemelli (or other pasta of your choice)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • 1/4 cup chopped pistachios

Continue reading Gemelli with Brown Butter Beet Sauce and Herbed Citrus Ricotta

Stuffed Mushrooms

Stuffed mushrooms are one of my favorite appetizers, they always hit the spot! So when Jimmy Dean contacted me about their new Fully Cooked Sausage Crumbles, I knew I wanted to use the crumbles in stuffed mushrooms.

I adapted this recipe from one I found on the Jimmy Dean website. It comes together very quickly, in about 30 minutes. It’s simple enough to whip up when you need an appetizer in no time!

Ingredients:

  • 12 oz medium sized mushrooms, stems removed
  • 1 package Jimmy Dean® Sausage Crumbles, Original
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 2 eggs
  • ¾ cup dry Italian bread crumbs, divided
  • ½ cup (2 ounces) grated Parmesan cheese, divided
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
#spon: I’m required to disclose a relationship between our site and Jimmy Dean. This could include Jimmy Dean providing us w/content, product, access or other forms of payment.

Continue reading Stuffed Mushrooms

Pesto Pasta with Peas

Yes, it’s technically spring. But. It snowed last night here.  So it’s not time just yet to delve into super springy recipes. Sigh.

So this recipe for Pesto Pasta with Peas is a happy medium. The bright green color is a nod that spring weather is (hopefully) not too far away. It is still a warm dish though, so it is good for colder nights. (This recipe from Inda Garten is originally a pasta salad, so it can absolutely be eaten cold as well)

Ingredients:

Pesto:

  • 1/4 cup walnuts
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts
  • 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
  • 3 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Pasta:

  • 3/4 pound fusilli pasta
  • 3/4 pound bow tie pasta
  • fresh pesto (see recipe below), to taste
  • 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
  • 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • Grated Parmesan, to taste
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas, defrosted
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Continue reading Pesto Pasta with Peas

Asparagus with Tomato and Feta

It can be tough to prepare a side dish to go with your dinner on busy weeknights. It’s just one more step you probably don’t want to deal with when you get home and you just want to eat. But this recipe for Asparagus with Tomato and Feta is so simple, you can easily make this delicious side to go with sauteed chicken breasts or seared salmon in no time!

This side can be made in about 15 minutes and cooks in the oven, leaving the stovetop free for you to cook the rest of your meal.

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups halved grape tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound trimmed asparagus
  • 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 ounce crumbled feta cheese

Continue reading Asparagus with Tomato and Feta

Baked Black Beans with Chorizo

You can never have too many party appetizers in your cooking arsenal. I wanted to try something a little different than the apps I’ve been posting recently. This dish is a layered dip with black beans, chorizo, tomatoes, and cheese and would be perfect for watching the game or any other party!

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup diced Spanish chorizo
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, sliced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 5 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3/4 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup chopped seeded tomato
  • 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

Continue reading Baked Black Beans with Chorizo

Stuffed Chicken and Herb Gravy with Creamy Polenta

I am seriously starting to think that Cooking Light has a way to read my thoughts. It’s like they know exactly what ingredient I want to work with next, or a particular product I might be craving, like this recipe for Stuffed Chicken and Herb Gravy. And I don’t mind that one bit.

The latest issue has a recipe for Stuffed Chicken and Herb Gravy with Creamy Polenta that upon seeing in the magazine, I immediately put on my boots, coat, hat, scarf, gloves, etc. etc. and headed for the supermarket, despite the slippery and freezing walk I had ahead of me (it’s a whopping 5 blocks away, but I still managed to almost fall a good 3 times). And I have to tell you, it was worth it.

(I posted this photo to Instagram before I left for the supermarket. hehe)

Chicken breasts stuffed with prosciutto and provolone, over creamy polenta, topped with an herb gravy… What’s not to like? The recipe suggested making it with bacon green beans, but we had some Brussels sprouts in the freezer that I wanted to use so I substituted them in instead.

Ingredients:

CHICKEN AND GRAVY:

  • 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
  • 2 very thin prosciutto slices (about 1/2 ounce), halved
  • 4 (2/3-ounce) slices reduced-fat provolone cheese
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons minced shallots
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 1/2 cups unsalted chicken stock, divided
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon

POLENTA

  • 2 cups 1% low-fat milk
  • 1/3 cup unsalted chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup uncooked polenta (I just used yellow corn meal)
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • BACON BRUSSELS SPROUTS
  • 12 ounces frozen Brussels sprouts
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 2 bacon slices, chopped
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Continue reading Stuffed Chicken and Herb Gravy with Creamy Polenta

Wild Mushroom Truffled Pizza Topped with Runny Eggs

.Pizzas are a great weeknight meal option; it’s easy to make it out of products in your pantry and can be customized for whatever you’re in the mood to eat that night (or what you need to clean out of the fridge!) There is a pizza place near me in Philly called Nomad Pizza that has one of my favorite pizzas: their Truffle Pecorino pizza. The pizza is topped with cheese, garlic, shiitake mushrooms, truffle oil, and a runny egg.

I wanted to try out a version of this pizza for myself. I used a mixture of baby bella, maitake, and shiitake mushroom caps and made a quick garlic truffle oil to drizzle on for extra flavor to make this recipe for Wild Mushroom Truffled Pizza Topped with Runny Eggs.

Ingredients:

  • 1 store bought pizza dough
  • 1/4 cup olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon, divided
  • 2 garlic cloves crushed
  • a drizzle of white truffle oil
  • 1 package of sliced shiitake mushroom caps
  • 1 package of sliced baby bella mushrooms
  • 1/4 cup maitake mushrooms (or any wild mushroom you prefer)
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 4 oz ricotta
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • 4 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 4-6 oz brie (I used Champignon German Brie with mushrooms)
  • 2-4 oz Boschetto al Tartufo (Boschetto with Truffles) – you can also just use any mild cow cheese you’d like
  • 2 eggs

Continue reading Wild Mushroom Truffled Pizza Topped with Runny Eggs

Cheese Ravioli with Roasted Tomatoes

Ravioli is a favorite of mine for weeknight meals when you just don’t have the energy to cook. You just throw them in the pasta pot and then toss them in a sauce. This recipe involves a bit more than just reheating sauce from the freezer, but it’s still really simple. I love ravioli in a traditional tomato sauce so this recipe for Cheese Ravioli with Roasted Tomatoes sounded great!

Roasting tomatoes brings out flavor you never even knew tomatoes had. When paired with balsamic vinegar to balance out their sweetness, roasted tomatoes are truly delicious.

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound cherry tomatoes
  • 2 shallots, cut into wedges
  • Cooking spray
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 12 ounces cheese ravioli
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Continue reading Cheese Ravioli with Roasted Tomatoes

Meatball Subs

When I know I have a busy week coming up, I try to think of quick dinners I can make during the week. If I can make a huge batch of something on Sunday and just reheat the meal on a weekday, even better. So this weekend, after a visit to the Italian Market, I decided to make a bunch of meatballs so that we could have meatball subs later in the week. The tomato sauce is basically a more chunky version of my normal tomato sauce. I also added sausages to the sauce so that we could also make Sausage and Pepper Sandwiches if we so choose. The best part is that you can make a huge portion of this, freeze it, and use when needed. The sauce, although heavy on the meat, would also work as a yummy pasta sauce.

 

Ingredients (serves 8; with added sausage, serves 12):

  • 2 lbs ground sirloin
  • 1 lb sweet Italian sausage, cut from its casing
  • 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons dried basil, divided
  • 2 tablespoons dried parsley, divided
  • 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1.5 lbs sausage (optional)
  • 1 can (28 oz) strained tomatoes  (or 1 box of Pomi strained tomatoes)
  • 2 cans (28 oz) chopped tomatoes (or 2 boxes of Pomi chopped tomatoes)
  • 1/3 cup dry red wine
  • 8-12 Italian rolls/subs
  • Provolone cheese, optional

Continue reading Meatball Subs

Grilled Mission Figs with Mascarpone and Spiced Honey

I mentioned in my previous post (Prosciutto, Fig, and Arugula Flatbread with Balsamic Reduction) that I have quite a few fresh figs at the moment. No complaints here, but I do want to use them all and not waste any, figs are delicious, and grilled mission figs are the best!

Not only are grilled mission figs super tasty, but they are good for you too. (I love when that happens!) According to California Figs, one serving of fresh figs (1/2 cup or 3-4 medium figs) delivers 5 grams of fiber (20% of your suggested daily value), 354mg potassium (10% DV), and 53mg calcium (6% DV) with just 120 calories. Figs are also fat, sodium, and cholesterol free.

Dried figs are available all year round, but fresh figs have a shorter availability period. Mission Figs, which I am using in this recipe, are available longer than most figs and can be found fresh from late May through as late as November.  Because they are mostly a summer produce, I just have to add them to the grill!

I also received a bunch of really awesome kitchen gadgets while at the conference. As I’ve mentioned in the past, I’m a huge fan of OXO and already had my own set of graters, so I actually have an extra set to give away! (Update: I actually have TWO sets to give away so there will be two lucky winners!) I use my set of graters all the time. The zester is my favorite, mainly because every time I work with any form of citrus, I make sure to zest it before juicing to add extra flavor to the dish. The coarse grater comes in handy with soft and semi-soft cheese, but can be used for anything that needs a larger grate. The medium grater is perfect for carrots, chocolate, and the like. What makes OXO stand out is the ease of use of these tools. After one use, you’ll know what I mean! So be sure to enter for a chance to win a set of these below.

Photos from OXO.com

This recipe for Grilled Mission Figs with Mascarpone and Spiced Honey is based off a recipe on Whole Living. The only large difference is that I grilled the figs beforehand.

Ingredients:

  • 4 large fresh, ripe figs, stems trimmed, halved lengthwise
  • olive oil (about 1 tablespoon)
  • 1 teaspoon fresh mint leaves, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar
  • 1/3 cup mascarpone, softened
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 4 sprigs fresh mint
  • lemon zest, to taste (optional)

Continue reading Grilled Mission Figs with Mascarpone and Spiced Honey

Prosciutto Fig and Arugula Flatbread

!This weekend, I attended a conference in Philadelphia. As a “local blogger” I received quite a few food perks due to my proximity to the conference. I was sent home with a case of Gerolsteiner Mineral Water, a whole watermelon (and a heavy one at that!), and a case of fresh California Mission Figs. Poor me, right? 🙂

So. Figs don’t last terribly long which means I might have a few fig posts in a row. But figs are so much more versatile than you expect and can be really quite fantastic in a savory dish, especially in this Prosciutto, Fig, and Arugula Flatbread!

Flatbreads are a great weeknight meal, although you have to let your dough sit out at room temperature for at least an hour. So, more specifically, they are great for nights where you get home in time to leave out the dough, go do some chores/errands, and then want to whip up a quick meal.

Whenever I think of figs, my mind immediately goes to bacon-wrapped figs (I’ve done a post in the past with bacon-wrapped dates which I used as a substitute for figs in case you have any interest), which can be easily translated from an appetizer into a main meal by turning the recipe into a flatbread. When visiting my boyfriend’s brother last summer,  they made us an absolutely delicious grilled flatbread with prosciutto, figs, and goat cheese which was my inspiration for this dish. I added some baby arugula and a balsamic reduction as well to give it a little more bite.

Ingredients (serves 2 as a main dish and 4 as an appetizer):

  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 8 oz dough, at room temperature
  • cornmeal for dusting (or flour)
  • olive oil
  • 6 oz crumbled goat cheese
  • 3-4 mission figs, thinly sliced
  • 1 oz prosciutto, torn into thin strips
  • 1/4 cup lightly packed baby arugula
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • grated Parmesan cheese, to taste

Continue reading Prosciutto Fig and Arugula Flatbread

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