Red Pepper & Corn Risotto with Seared Scallops

Risotto is something that takes time. And love. And more time. It's not something that can be rushed and should more than likely be made on a weekend night while sipping a glass of wine. Or two. Or three.

The hubs has gotten to the point that his risotto is pretty much perfect. Its taken lots of practice (and more nagging from me than he would like because it does take so long to make), but the end result is so worth it. It's definitely possible that the first time you try cooking risotto, it could be an utter failure. I encourage you not to give up. Risotto is a dish that warms the soul and its worth all of the time and effort that goes into it.

For this version, we made a red pepper and corn risotto served with seared sea scallops. The recipe below is for a larger group, but can be scaled down to accommodate a smaller crowd; however I recommend making the risotto as is because you just can't go wrong with leftovers.

Red Pepper and Corn Risotto

1 cup diced red pepper
1 cup corn, removed from ear
8 cups chicken stock
Bouquet garni (Rosemary, thyme and bay leaf in cheesecloth)
1 medium shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T butter
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine (We use chardonnay)
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 T fresh basil chiffonade

In medium skillet over medium heat, add olive oil, red pepper and corn until cooked through. Remove from heat and set aside. 

Add chicken stock and bouquet garni to a large saucepan and heat over medium heat until simmering. In a separate large saute pan over medium heat, add olive oil, butter and shallots. Cook shallots until soft, for 5 minutes, then add garlic, stirring frequently. Add arborio rice to shallot and garlic mixture and continuously stir until rice is toasted, about 5 minutes. Add white wine and stir as wine is absorbed into rice. Add one ladle of stock at a time, while continuously stirring. Continue to add ladles of stock every 5 minutes or until rice is fully cooked. Add red peppers, corn, and Parmesan stirring to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add to plate and sprinkle basil on top of risotto. Serve alongside scallops.

 

Seared Scallops

18 large sea scallops

Extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt
Fresh cracked pepper

Start by rinsing scallops under warm water. Pat completely dry. Season each scallop liberally with salt and pepper. Add olive oil to a cast iron skillet over high heat. Once pan is to temperature, add scallops and sear each side for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and serve with risotto.

Serves 6



Balsamic Chicken with Mushrooms

I love me some balsamic vinegar. I put it on my salads as a dressing, dip my bread in it on wine and cheese (and bread) night and use it whenever the chance presents itself. I had marked a recipe in my Google Reader for a Balsamic Chicken that Julia's husband had made for her a long time ago. Since it was my night to cook and we had all of the ingredients on-hand, I decided to try it out for an easy weeknight meal. And I'm sure glad that I did.

This chicken was delicious. It was tender and had the best flavors of not only balsamic, but garlic as well. I actually let mine marinate for about an hour before cooking, as I was waiting for the hubs to get home. Whenever we make this next, I will do the same as I think it added even more to the flavor of the dish. The mushrooms and mashed potatoes were a great compliment to the chicken. This will definitely be added to our recipe rotation.

Balsamic Chicken with Mushrooms

from Two Novice Chefs, One Tiny Kitchen

2 tsp Olive Oil

6 T Balsamic Vinegar

3 T Dijon Mustard

2 garlic cloves

Dash of salt and pepper

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 cups Portabella Mushrooms, sliced

1/3 c. dry white wine

1/4 t dried thyme, mince

In a medium bowl, mix 4 T. balsamic vinegar, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper. Add chicken and marinate from 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on how strong you would like the balsamic flavor to be.

Heat oil in skillet and transfer chicken to skillet, discarding the marinade. Saute chicken until cooked through, about three minutes on each side. After cooked through, transfer chicken to a platter to keep warm.

Add remaining balsamic vinegar, white wine and thyme to the skillet, scraping brown bits from the bottom. Reduce to 1/4 cup and add mushrooms. Cook until tender. Serve mushrooms and sauce over chicken, with a side of mashed potatoes.

Orange Peel Shrimp

There is a certain chain restaurant that has my heart. If you know me well, I avoid chains at all costs. If I'm spending my money on going out to eat, I like to support locally-owned restaurants if at all possible. For this one dish, I'll make an exception. From what I've found, the best Orange Peel Shrimp is from at P.F. Changs. Since the hubs and I don't eat out that often, I wanted to recreate this favorite dish so that I can make it at home whenever I have a craving for it.


Orange Peel Shrimp

1 lb. large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 large egg whites

1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup sesame seed
Coarse salt and pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 T chopped garlic
Peel from one orange
1 cup orange juice
1/3 cup tomato sauce
2 T soy sauce
1 T sugar
2 T Sriacha
4 Scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced, 2 T reserved

In a large bowl, whish together egg whites, cornstarch, sesame seed and pinch of salt & pepper. Add shrimp, toss to coat.

Heat 1/4 cup of vegetable oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook shrimp until golden and crisp. Transfer to paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Once all shrimp have been cooked and transferred to plate, add garlic, orange peel and scallions to skillet. Sautee for 1-2 minutes, careful not to burn the garlic. Add tomato sauce, orange juice, soy sauce, sugar and Srachia and bring to a boil. Simmer 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally until sauce thickens. Add shrimp to pan and cook until heated through and coated with sauce. Top with remaining scallions and serve over brown rice.

Makes 4 servings.

Romesco Shrimp & Goat Cheese Polenta

Polenta was something that I had eaten a few times while out at fancy dinners, so I assumed it was difficult to make. It's one of those things that can be a major failure if you don't get the right consistency so I had always shied away from attempting it at home. The more I read about it, the more I got the courage to at least try making it once. The funny thing is that I couldn't have been more wrong. Polenta is actually very easy to make. Another plus is that it can take on so many different flavors, depending on how you prepare it.

I was inspired by a post that I saw from Cara's Cravings, pairing goat cheese polenta with shrimp in a romesco sauce. I made a few changes to her version but was still very happy with the results.

Shrimp in a Romesco Sauce with Goat Cheese Polenta

adapted from Cara's Cravings

Shrimp in Romesco Sauce:

1 lb uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 large red pepper

1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 large tomato, cored and seeded
1 slice white bread, crust removed
2 tablespoons sliced almonds
1/4 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1/3 cup chicken broth

Start by roasting the red pepper. I set my oven to 450 degrees and placed the pepper directly on the oven rack and roasted for 10-15 minutes. Once roasted, place in a bowl and allow to cool (I put mine in the fridge). Peel the skin from the pepper and remove the seeds and then chop into pieces. The alternative is to buy jarred roasted red peppers and skip this step entirely.


While the red pepper is roasting, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat, and cook the onions until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the roasted pepper pieces, and continue cooking for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peppers are very soft and the onions are caramelized. Add the the tomato, bread, garlic and almonds, and cook for about 5 minutes, until the almonds are lightly browned and fragrant. Add the paprika, red pepper, parsley, vinegar, and chicken broth and simmer for a few more minutes, to blend flavors. Use immersion blender to combine ingredients into a chunky sauce. Add shrimp to sauce and simmer until cooked through.

Goat Cheese Polenta:
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup yellow cornmeal
2 oz goat cheese
Salt
Pepper

Heat chicken broth in medium saucepan until boiling. Remove from heat and slowly whisk the cornmeal to the broth until smooth. Stir in goat cheese and season to taste with salt & pepper.

Divide polenta among serving plates and top with shrimp, romesco sauce and chopped parsley. Enjoy!

4 Servings

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Spice Cake

There are good things and bad things about celebrating birthdays at work. The good--the abundance of treats and goodies. The bad--the abundance of treats and goodies. Wait, did I just repeat myself? Luckily, I'm not in a huge department so we don't typically celebrate birthdays more than once or twice a month.

Since it's cooling down and the temps are feeling a bit more like fall, I felt like breaking out one of my favorite things--pumpkin! The birthday girl requested chocolate, so what's better than pumpkin and chocolate together?

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Spice Cake

adapted from Duncan Hines

1 package Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Spice Cake Mix

2 large eggs

1 cup water

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 tub Whipped Cream Cheese frosting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour Bundt pan. Combine cake mix, eggs, water and pumpkin in large bowl, beating for two minutes with an electric mixer. Stir in chocolate chips and then add to pan. Bake 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool for at least 30 minutes and invert onto serving plate (I used my cake stand). Cool completely before frosting.

For this cake, I wanted to achieve the above look of the frosting pooling off the cake. I actually heated about 1/4 cup of the frosting in the microwave for 30 seconds and tempered another 1/4 cup into the heated mixture to thin out the frosting. Once it comes to the right consistency, spoon one tablespoon over the top of the cake and let run down the sides. Continue this process with the remainder of the frosting in the container. The first layer or two may be thinner than desired, but with the addition of each layer, it will become thicker and reflect the above consistency.

Before frosting cools completely, top with additional chocolate chips and enjoy!

Great Summer Recipe: Ceviche

I’m always looking for great recipes that are light and healthy during the summertime that are easy to make and won’t heat up the kitchen. Ceviche is the perfect dish for that and can be altered to act as a main dish, appetizer or a great party dish. The hubs and I were craving seafood last weekend and made this version alongside our Basil Mojitos. The spin on this version is the addition of a little bit of spice—specifically by adding a bit of Sriracha and red pepper flakes.

Ceviche

½ cup orange juice
1 cup fresh lime juice (about 6 limes total)
1 T Sriracha
½ t. red pepper flakes
1 T extra virgin olive oil
½ cup red onion, chopped
1 cup roma tomatoes, chopped
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
½ pound cleaned squid, cut into ¼ inch rings (bodies only)
½ pound bay scallops
½ pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 whole avocado, peeled and cut into small cubes
1 cup cilantro, chopped
Salt

Combine orange juice, lime juice, Sriracha, red pepper flakes, EVOO and salt into a large, non-reactive bowl and stir to combine. Add chopped onion, tomatoes, cucumber, squid, scallops and shrimp to marinade. Marinate, uncovered and chilled, for at least 3 hours. Add cilantro and avocado to mixture and chill for another 30 minutes. Serve in wonton cups.

Wonton Cups

Nonstick cooking spray
24 wonton wrappers
Extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray muffin tin with cooking spray. Add each wrapper into a section within the muffin tin and brush with EVOO. Bake for 8-10 minutes until browned and crisp.

Enjoy!

Easy Weeknight Meal: Bierock Casserole

Growing up, if my parents needed to pick up a quick dinner in a pinch they would drive through the Bierock Kitchen, instead of stopping by Burger King or Pizza Hut. When I came across this recipe for a bierock casserole, it took me back to my childhood and the memories of eating a meat-filled pocket pastry when we were on the go. While the casserole isn't an exact replica of the German dish, it does feature the same hearty taste and flavor that everyone looks for on a cool Fall night.

Bierock Casserole

-1/2 cup chopped onion

-1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef

-1 (16 oz.) can sauerkraut, drained

-2 (8 oz.) cans refrigerated crescent rolls

-1 (8 oz.) package shredded Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown onion and ground beef in a large skillet over medium high heat; drain extra fat out of skillet, then stir in drained sauerkraut. Heat through and set aside.

Press 1 package of crescent roll dough into the bottom of a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Spread beef mixture on top, sprinkle cheese on top, then lay 2nd package of crescent roll dough over the top of the beef mixture. Press dough seams together. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

Menu Planning Update

So, a little over a week ago I posted this entry on how my goal for the fall is to plan our weekly meals out in advance. Let's review how that went:

Sunday: Planned on Wine, Cheese & Shrimp Cocktail. Delish!
Monday: Planned on Philly Cheesesteaks. We ate Philly Cheesesteaks. Win.
Tuesday: Planned Garlic Pork Chops with Savignon Beurre Blanc with mashed potatoes. We had Spicy Cajun Pork Chops with mashed potatoes. Close enough.
Wednesday: Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Pasta. Made it. Cooked it. Was.Not.Edible. I'm not sure what it was, but this dish was not good.
Thursday: Westside Local outing. Fantastic beer list. Wonderful wine. Yummy food. Restaurant review to come soon.
Friday: Planned Manale Shrimp. Ordered Sushi. It was a long week and neither one of us felt like cooking.

So, out of five nights of planned cooking we actually did cook four of those nights. Not too shabby, if I do say so myself. This week, however, is a different story. No menu planned + a busy workweek = little cooking, frozen food and takeout.

Next week, I'm back in the planning saddle and will not only be featuring the Warren weekly menu, but will also be coming up with some recipes for my lovely friend, Chasing Davies. Stay tuned!

Hummus among us...

I was fortunate enough to have a very diverse upbringing. My great-grandparents immigrated over from Lebanon before my Jidi was born and the Lebanese traditions, food, culture, and even what we called our grandparents (Jidi and Sitti) have been a huge part of my life. Some of my favorite memories are the time that I spent in the kitchen with my Sitti, learning how to make all of my favorite Lebanese dishes. 

I was raised in the Orthodox faith and each year, my hometown church holds an annual dinner that features the cuisines that my siblings and I all grew up with. This year is the 76th Annual celebration and will feature all of my childhood favorites: Kibba, Stuffed Grape Leaves, Roos and Yakhnee (Rice with Meat and Green Beans in a Tomato Sauce), Salad and Baklawa. While I won't get to be at home to enjoy the food and festivities, in honor of the annual dinner, I'd like to share one of my favorite Middle Eastern recipes-- hummus.

See, the thing is, you just can't go wrong with hummus. Whether serving as an appetizer at a dinner party, making it for a potluck dish or taking it to work for someone's birthday, I actually don't know if I have ever met a person who doesn't like hummus! The best thing about it is that you can make it your own. I prefer mine with a bit more tahini and a definitely more lemon juice. So, the lesson here is...feel free to use the guidelines below, but remember to make your own adjustments as necessary.

Hummus

-2 cans chickpeas, drained

-2-3 tbsp. minced garlic

-1/2 c. tahini

-1/3 c. olive oil

-1/4 c. lemon juice

-Dash of kosher salt

-Dash of pepper

Combine the chickpeas, garlic and tahini in a food processor. While it’s pureeing, add equal parts of olive oil and lemon juice through the top thing on the food processor until it reaches a smooth consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Simple Suppers: One Dish Chicken Skillet

Growing up, one of the my most favorite things my mom would make was Chicken and Stovetop casserole. As I was driving home in the rainy, cool weather this afternoon Dave and I were talking about what we could have for dinner and a recipe from the most recent Kraft Foods Magazine popped into my mind. I had seen a recipe in the publication that was so close to the casserole that I grew up with and knew that we had to try it. One of the reasons why my mom made the dish is that we have a big family and it could easily feed all seven of us, which makes it not as practical for a family of two. The Stovetop One-Dish Chicken Skillet recipe was a perfect solution for how I could make one of my favorite childhood dishes and not have leftovers for days.

As I made a few changes to the recipe, here is a somewhat step-by-step pictorial of tonight's supper:

Step 1: Set oven to low broil setting.

Step 2: Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Add to greased skillet (I used EVOO) and cook on each side for five minutes:

Step 3: While chicken is cooking, combine stuffing packet, 2 tbsp. butter and 1 1/2 cups of hot water in a separate bowl. (I used my 4 cup measuring cup). Make sure stuffing mix absorbs water and set aside.

Step 4: In a separate bowl, combine 1/3 cup of fat free sour cream and one 10 oz. can of reduced fat cream of mushroom soup. Set aside.

Step 5: Remove chicken from skillet and cut into 1/4 inch or so cubes. This will allow for an easier distribution of the meal and for chicken to remain for leftovers!

Step 6: Combine sour cream mixture with chicken in skillet.

 

Step 7: Distribute stuffing mix on top of sour cream and chicken mixture. Place in oven for 3-4 minutes on broil setting until stuffing on top is lightly browned. (I like for my Chicken and Stovetop to have a nice crisp on top, hence using the broiler)

Check out that crispy goodness!

Step 8: Serve and enjoy!

All in all, it's an easy dinner that can be throw together in less that 30 minutes and is definitely a crowd pleaser!

Sunday Night Dinner: Surf and Turf

Sunday evenings are the time of the week Dave and I have decided to reserve for each other. It's a great opportunity for us to catch up before the busy week starts and spend some quality time together. Most Sunday evenings, we spend our time in the kitchen cooking a nice dinner and enjoy it with a glass (or two!) of wine. This past Sunday was no different.

I had ran errands on Friday and made a stop at Sam's to pick up dog food. Of course, no trip to Sam's is complete without perusing through the grocery area to try out a few samples and that's exactly what I did. Last time I was home, my mom had mentioned that Sam's offered fresh seafood on Friday's and Saturday's...low and behold as I picked up my pita chip with hummus sample, the seafood station was in sight. They had some lovely ahi tuna, shrimp and huge king crab legs.

As I was taking a look at the crab legs, the person working the station had just pulled together a one-pound bag and said "I would jump on these if I were you, they're the best ones of the day." She must have seen my huge eyes and knew that she could take advantage of my weak moment. But, hey, it was a holiday weekend and at $16.99/lb I figured it would be a good meal to celebrate the end of summer. Or at least that's what I told myself at the checkout line.

Cooking crab legs really isn't all that difficult, as most people just steam them for a few minutes and serve with butter or lemon juice. While that is a great method of preparation, we were looking for something a bit more unique that would give the meat even more flavor. That's when I stumbled upon Emeril Lagasse's Drunken Alaskan King Crab recipe on Food Network. Seriously...what could be better than crab steamed with beer? Since crab is the one of the components in Steak Oscar, it was decided that we would go all out for the evening and splurge on filets as well and serve them with a side of homemade mashed potatoes and roasted asparagus. Dave happened upon this Wolfgang Puck recipe and used it for inspiration for our meal.

In keeping with the fancy theme, the night started with dirty martinis to enjoy while we were prepping in the kitchen (or just waiting for water to boil).

Olives. Vodka. Yummy.

Next, came the choron sauce prepartion. While I am a lover of anything that is vinegar-based, the aroma from reducing the wine and vinegar combination was too much for me to handle. Luckily, Dave is much tougher than me and manned the kitchen while I was trying to catch my breath outside.

Sauce. Reducing.

A couple drinks and about an hour later, the masterpiece was complete.

While it was a lovely Sunday meal, I think that it was a bit too much food for us (and we even split the filet pictured above!). I would definitely recommend Emeril's method of steaming the crab with beer rather than water and we'll probably be trying it again in the near future. Next time, we'll just save the steak for another night :)

Are you ready for a Throwdown?

As I mentioned in my previous post about our latest kitchen purchase, Dave was challenged to a Bobby Flay style pizza throwdown by our good friend Brian. On Saturday night, the battle commenced. And it was good.

One thing you should know...I'm all about a theme. Dave will attest to the fact that when it comes to entertaining, I go all out. Since this was pizza throwdown, I felt it only appropriate that our dining room make a transformation into an Italian-style pizzeria. I scoured online for the perfect appetizer recipes, picked up a chef's coat for Dave and parmesan shakers from our local restaurant supply store, and found the perfect red and white checked runner for our dining room table.

To start the evening, we served a few appetizers including bruschetta three ways, minted pea bruschetta, Arancini, white bean dip and Salami, Mozzarella & Tomato-Basil skewers. Brian and his lovely wife Natasha contributed to the Italian spread by bringing marinated eggplant--which I need to get the recipe for because it was delish!

While the boys were preparing their competition pizzas, we also premade some other entrees for sampling. First, the classic margherita that Dave cooked on our baking stone on the grill:

And next, a tasty red pepper, prosciutto, mushroom and fresh mozzarella:

After an hour or so of snacking on appetizers and enjoying some wine (or for me, a couple of vodka tonics), the pizza was ready. We started off by explaining the judging criteria to our guests. Each person would submit an anonymous score sheet that picked a winner in the five previously determined categories: taste, crust, toppings, originality and overall.

We started off with serving Brian's pizza, a deep-dish style, chipotle-flavored crust topped with caramelized red onions, chopped kalamata olives, prosciutto and a sour cream drizzle, taking the place of the usual cheese.

Following that, Dave served his thin-crust pizza with a fire-roasted tomato sauce that featured a hint of Sriracha and a variety of toppings: sweet Italian sausage, roasted red and yellow peppers, sliced portabella mushrooms, fresh mozzarella, crumbled goat cheese, crispy pancetta and a garnish of fresh basil.

Since both pizzas had great flavor, toppings and crust, I knew that it would be a tough decision for our guest judges. Who would win this epic throwdown?

After such a hard-fought battle, I'm happy to report that Dave came out victorious in the end! And if you're out there Mr. Flay, I can put you in touch with a pizza master that is ready for a challenge any day....

I must send out a huge thanks to Natasha for capturing these wonderful pictures of the fun-filled evening. Make sure to check out the Pizza Throwdown from Brian's perspective at Table Hopping.

Recipe Favorite: Bruschetta Three Ways

Dave and I really enjoy entertaining. We make it a point to have another couple or group of friends over on a monthly-or-so basis. Most of the time (as our friends would tell you) we may ask them to arrive at 7:00, but dinner may not be served until 8 or later. We really feel cooking is such a social thing and love spending time chatting in the kitchen as the main dish is prepared. Because of this, I have made it my goal to find easy appetizers that can tide our guests over until we actually sit down to dinner. That’s where this bruschetta comes in. All three recipes are quick, easy and have complex flavors that mesh well together. We’ve received nothing but compliments whenever they have been served, so add them to your menu next time you host a dinner party at your place! (And don’t forget to invite us!)

Bruschetta Three Ways...

from left to right: Olive Tapenade, Sweet Peppers and Creamy Gorganzola, Double Tomato

Olive Tapenade

Courtesy of the Food Network

1 cup black nicoise olives, pitted

1 tablespoon capers

3 cloves garlic

2 anchovy fillets

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup olive oil

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth.

Bruschetta with Sauteed Sweet Peppers and Creamy Gorganzola

Courtesy of the Food Network

1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon capers, drained

2 tablespoons julienned fresh basil leaves

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Baguette

3 ounces creamy Gorgonzola or other blue cheese, at room temperature

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the peppers and cook until soft, about 12 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle with the sugar and continue cooking for 2 more minutes. Stir in the capers and basil, and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Slice the baguette crosswise into 18 thin round slices. Brush the bread rounds lightly with olive oil on 1 side. Arrange them in rows, oil side up, on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and toast in the oven until lightly browned, about 7 to 10 minutes.

Top each toast round with a teaspoonful of the pepper mixture. Place 2 small pieces of Gorgonzola on top. Return the toast to the oven for 1 to 2 minutes and warm through.

Double Tomato Bruschetta

Courtesy of All Recipes

6 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil
3 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup fresh basil, stems removed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 French baguette
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat the oven on broiler setting.
2. In a large bowl, combine the roma tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, basil, salt, and pepper. Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes.
3. Cut the baguette into 3/4-inch slices. On a baking sheet, arrange the baguette slices in a single layer. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes, until slightly brown.
4. Divide the tomato mixture evenly over the baguette slices. Top the slices with mozzarella cheese.

Pizza this, pizza that...

A few weeks ago, our good friend Brian challenged Dave to a Bobby Flay style throwdown. The boys had been discussing doing this for a few months, so when the e-mail hit our inboxes with the challenge we weren't surprised. What did astonish me a bit is the dish that Brian chose to throwdown with. Dave worked at the same pizza chain for nearly 10 years and everyone knows his obsession with what he considers a delicacy. If it were up to him we would probably eat pizza on a more frequent basis, but we compromise by having it three or four times a month. More recently, he has been experimenting with unique ways to prepare the dish but I can't give those secrets away until after Saturday.

To further equip our already overflowing kitchen, Dave has been on the hunt for more pizza tools to add to the mix. It's not enough that we have a pizza stone, a pizza peel and a pizza crisper. He had to have this:

Yes, that's a pizza chopper. Because no throwdown win would be complete if your pizza pieces weren't cut perfectly straight.

Food Network Magazine

Magazines have always been my passion. I focused my journalism degree in magazine studies in college, learning the ins and outs of what it takes to start a career in the field. While becoming editor of Real Simple didn't pan out as I had originally thought, as part of my current 9-5 job I plan and purchase media at a local advertising agency. Last week as I reviewed proposals for a new client, I spoke with the new sales rep for the Food Network Magazine. Yes, I said magazine! She so kindly sent me copies of the first four issues and I have been diving into them ever since.

The first issue hit newsstands in October 2008 and already has a press run of over 1 million copies, which is super impressive in the print media world. To say this magazine will be a success is an understatement in my opinion. Personally, I love everything about it. The pages are thick--the colors and the photography pop right off the page--I just can't get enough! There are a couple of other unique features that I thoroughly enjoy, specifically the recipe index at the front of the book (sorted by dish with pictures!) and the bonus insert that includes 50 recipes that correlate with the theme for that issue.

If you're a foodie like me, rush to the grocery store now and pick up the latest issue. You won't regret it!

Welcome!

Welcome to our blog! For now, Bella says hi...she's anticipating our first cooking-related post, bruschetta three ways! Stay tuned...