Condiments

Longhorn Pizza

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This pizza will be called the Longhorn Pizza because even though our beloved Horns (and Cubs and Red Sox) lost in the College World Series opening day, D and I still won. In a BIG, grandslam kind of way. This pizza was awesome. It had a perfect crust, had excellent flavor and was just completely satisfying. All for a whooping price of $4.33, which represents the cost of the dough that I purchased from Rounders. Short background, D and I both were craving pizza and cannot spend money because we are savings for our upcoming trip to the Yucatan. We had been game-watching with wonderful friends at a bar downtown and they had a pizza menu – I tried it and it was not good. Mediocre at best, but the damage was done….I wanted some pizza! I needed to use up some stuff at home – mainly two tomatoes. I also had a small sprinkling of other items that had been previously purchased and needed to be used. So….stopped by Rounders on the way home and got to prepping. End result…AMAZINGNESS!!!! This was hands down the best pizza that I have made, ever (and I like my pizzas that I have made before). Let’s just go ahead and add pizza to the growing list of things I cannot eat out anymore. Shucks but my belly sure was happy. I served this with Garlic Knots that were made from the leftover dough (since there is enough for at least two ten inch pizzas)!

Favorite Pizza Dough
1/2 cup Basil Pesto
Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper
One Shallot, thinly sliced
Six Cloves Garlic, minced
2.5 tablespoons of Crushed Red Pepper
3/4 cup of Monterrey Jack, shredded
3/4s cup of Mozzarella, shredded
One half chicken breast, previously cooked with a salt, pepper, thyme, and cayenne crust – sliced roughly
Handful of baby spinach (I had every intention of using this, but forgot to add it – feel free to keep or omit)
8-10 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
2 beefsteak tomatoes, sliced into quarter-inch pieces and seeded

Roll dough on a flat surface to desired thickness (I prefer thin crust so I roll mine somewhat thin). Place dough on an aerated pizza baking tray (I have found that my aluminum pizza tray with holes in the bottom makes the best crust, crunchy on the outside and chewy inside, but feel free to use your traditional stone or a cookie sheet if that is what you prefer). Spread the Pesto in a circular motion around the dough. Salt, pepper, and sprinkle dough with crushed red pepper. Sprinkle the sauce with garlic and shallots, followed by spinach if you are using this ingredient. Then top with cheese, followed by the chicken. Place tomatoes on the dough until entire surface is almost covered. Salt and pepper (and crushed red pepper) to taste and place in a 400 degree oven. Bake until the Crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted and the tomatoes are good and roasted. Upon removal from the oven, add the basil leaves and serve immediately.

Basil Pesto Chicken Pizza

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One of my favorite pizzas and it is so easy to make yourself. I do not eat tomato or pizza sauce, so I have to get creative with my pizzas. My favorites are Alfredo sauce, basil pesto, truffle oil, 3-cheese sauce. Here is one version.

Store bought or homemade pizza dough of preference
Shredded or chopped chicken (can be freshly cooked – I almost always use up leftovers)
Black olives – sliced
Mushrooms – Sliced
3 or 4 cheese blend – shredded – I like to use Mozzarella, Fontina, Asiago, and Pecorino
Fresh cracked Pepper

Preheat oven to 400.

On a floured surface, roll out pizza dough with a roller pin. Once you have achieved your desired thickness (or thinness), shape and size, spoon pesto directly onto dough and spread to cover. Go around the pie with a pepper mill and crack fresh pepper over it. Then add the cheese, spreading evenly over pie (again add desired amount). Then top with black olives and mushrooms and chicken (and tomatoes if using). Crack more pepper, add a small sprinkling of cheese and a drizzle of truffle or basil olive oil if you so desire. Bake on 400 for about 12 minutes or until the crust is done and remove from oven. Slice and serve.

Grilled Ham and Cheese Cornbread Sammies with Cilantro-Jalepeno Pesto

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Over Easter weekend, D and I scored the jackpot (because his parents were generous enough to give us the leftovers) and bring home, not one, but two spiral hams. One was destined for soups (and had a hock the size of my forearm) and the other was destined to be enjoyed on its own – or maybe my favorite way – in sandwiches. My mom had given me these giant corn bread muffins a while back so I pulled them out of the freezer for a quick meal.

Cornbread sandwich

  • Two slices of corn bread, one side of each buttered
  • One thick slice of spiral ham
  • One slice of Fontina or Monterrey Jack cheese
  • Small handful of Arugula
  • Two slices Avocado

Assemble sandwich and place on a panini maker. Grill until nice, dark marks appear and cheese is melted.

Cilantro-Jalapeno Pesto

  • Half Bunch of Cilantro
  • One half of a roasted Jalapeno Pepper
  • One half of 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
  • One half of 1/4 cup Good Quality Olive Oil
  • Squeeze of lime juice if available

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

Serve with Tomato soup.

Scallop-Pesto Pasta

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Maybe this deserves a better name, but ever since I have started making it this, it’s been called Scallop-Pesto Pasta. It is pretty straight forward and makes me happy when I say it. I dare say this is one of my signatures…it is wonderful and incredibly easy for a weeknight. This can also be a cupboard meal fairly easily. I buy scallops by the pound when they are on sale and throw them in the freezer. Pesto can be bought up to a week in advance and everything else is pretty much in my pantry or fridge at all times. Ergo, as long as you take the scallops out of the freezer you can whip this up without going to the store! FYI, in case you are budget shopping, Whole foods (even though I don’t love their fish) has scallops that are cheaper than Central Market’s. They should be $7.99 per pound at WF and Central Market is at least $9.99 (the price changes with the type of scallops being offered at that time).

This should serve four with leftovers adjust amounts to taste or quantity needed.

Approx. a cup of Central Market Basil Pesto
One pound bay scallops
one pound mushrooms
3-4 garlic cloves
3 medium shallots
about a tablespoon of cream or half and half (full fat or fat free) mixed with about a tablespoon of regular milk (if you do not care about fat content feel free to double up on the cream) – if you would like a thinner sauce feel free to add more cream or milk
Pepper/Salt
Pecorino or Parmesan Cheese (grated) to taste
One package linguine or fettuccine (whole wheat, regular, fresh or dried – go crazy)

Scallops can be fairly watery if they are frozen – to reduce this I put mine in between paper towels for about 20 minutes before I cook them and throw them in a strainer after I sear them.

Boil pasta water, cook about ten minutes (to package instructions – if using fresh pasta cook 3-6 minutes).

Whilst waiting for the pasta water to boil, saute shallots and garlic – in oil or butter – (with pinch of salt) until glassy. Add mushrooms and saute until brown (if the pan gets dry feel free to add a cap full of white wine). Remove mushroom mixture to a strainer. Heat a bit of oil in the same pan and once hot, sear scallops (about three minutes) and remove to same strainer as mushrooms. Return the pan to the stove and heat the pesto and cream together, salt and pepper to taste. Add mushroom mix and scallops to the warm pesto and simmer. Strain pasta and return to pan. Combine Scallop Pesto with Pasta, fresh ground black pepper and cheese and proceed to eat entirely too much (expect to sneak to the fridge for a midnight snack)!