Pizzas

Menu:
Cheese Pizza with Avocado
Italian Sausage Pizza
on Cybros Spouted Wheat Pizza Dough

Cheese Fondue

Menu:
Cheese Fondue
Granny Smith Apples, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Carrots and French Bread

Pasta with Smashed Peas

Menu:
Pasta with Smashed Peas || Real Simple
Arugula Salad with Winter Radish, Avocado and Endive

Ingredients
1 pound pappardelle, tagliatelle, fettuccine, or linguine
1 16-ounce package frozen peas, thawed
3/4 cup ricotta
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Directions
1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions.

2. Meanwhile, pulse the peas in a food processor or blender until chopped but not pureed. Add ½ cup ricotta, salt, and pepper and pulse to combine.

3. Drain the pasta, reserving ⅓ cup of the pasta water, and return it to the pot. Add the peas and reserved pasta water and toss.

4. Divide the pasta among individual bowls. Top with the remaining ricotta, a sprinkle of chives, and a drizzle of oil.

Gruyère and Parmesan Cheese Soufflé

Menu:
Gruyère and Parmesan Cheese Soufflé
Mixed Greens with Red Wine Vinaigrette

Chorizo Stuffed Acorn Squash

Menu:
Chorizo Stuffed Acorn Squash || Real Simple

Ingredients
2 acorn squashes (about 1 1/2 pounds each), halved and seeded
1/2 cup bulgur
4 ounces manchego, grated (about 1 cup)
3 ounces cured chorizo, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 head red leaf lettuce, leaves torn (about 6 cups)

Directions
Heat oven to 450° F. Place the squash halves cut-side down in a baking dish, add ¼ inch water, cover with foil, and bake until tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the bulgur according to the package directions. In a medium bowl, combine the bulgur, manchego, chorizo, parsley, 1 tablespoon of the oil, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper.

Turn the squash halves cut-side up and, dividing evenly, fill with the bulgur mixture. Bake until the filling is warmed through and the manchego is melted, 8 to 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Add the lettuce and toss to combine. Serve with the squash.

Pasta with Kale and Walnut Pesto

Menu:
Pasta with Kale and Walnut Pesto || Real Simple
Cucumber Salad
Dry Italian Sausage
Pinot Grigio with Peaches

Pasta with Kale and Walnut Pesto
Serves 4

Ingredients
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons walnuts
1 bunch kale, thick stems discarded and leaves torn (about 12 cups)
1 cup grated pecorino (2 ounces), plus more for serving
1 small clove garlic
kosher salt and black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
3/4 pound fusilli, penne, or some other short pasta

Directions
Heat oven to 350° F. Spread the walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and toast, tossing occasionally, until fragrant, 6 to 8 minutes; let cool. Chop 2 tablespoons of the walnuts and set aside.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the kale and cook until bright green, 30 seconds. Transfer the kale to a colander (reserve the cooking water); squeeze dry when cool enough to handle.

In a food processor, combine the kale, pecorino, garlic, the remaining ⅓ cup of unchopped walnuts, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Process until finely chopped. With the machine running, add the oil through the feed tube in a steady stream.

Bring the reserved cooking water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking water; drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Add the pesto and ¼ cup of the reserved cooking water and toss to coat (add more cooking water if the pasta seems dry). Serve the pasta sprinkled with the pecorino and chopped walnuts.

Asparagus, Potato & Goat Cheese Pizza

Menu:
Asparagus, Potato & Goat Cheese Pizza || Inspired by Every Day Food
Cheese Pizza

Movie:
Nacho Libre

Asparagus, Potato & Goat Cheese Pizza

Ingredients:
All-purpose flour, for rolling
1 pound pizza dough, thawed if frozen, divided in half
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium Yukon Gold potato, peeled and thinly sliced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 bunch asparagus (1 pound), trimmed and shaved with a vegetable peeler
4 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled (1 cup)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 500 degrees, with racks in middle and lower thirds. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into two 6-by-16-inch ovals and transfer to two parchment-lined rimmed baking sheets. Brush each with 1 tablespoon oil. In a medium bowl, toss potato with 2 teaspoons oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange potatoes on dough, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Bake until edges of crusts are golden and potatoes are beginning to crisp around edges, about 12 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through.

Meanwhile, toss asparagus with 2 teaspoons oil and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to 450 degrees, remove sheets from oven, and top flatbread with asparagus. Return sheets to oven and bake until asparagus is crisp-tender, 5 minutes. Top with cheese and bake until cheese is warmed through, 3 minutes. Drizzle each flatbread with 1 teaspoon oil, then cut into wedges to serve.

Menu:
Hanger Steak
Fingerling Potatoes
Caprese Salad

Open-Faced Grilled Cheese with Apple & Bacon

Menu:
Open-Faced Grilled Cheese with Apple & Bacon || Every Day Food
Cabbage and Lime Salad with Roasted Peanuts || Smitten Kitchen

NOTE: The cabbage salad was supposed to be what we had for dinner last night, but we were out of town and didn't get around to making it. It was supposed to be served with potstickers, not a grilled cheese sandwich. Both recipes are delicious, but not what I'd normal serve together. Just an FYI.


Open-Faced Grilled Cheese with Apple & Bacon
 4 slices bacon
4 thick slices whole-wheat sandwich bread
8 ounces cheddar cheese, sliced
1 large red apple, quartered, cored, and sliced crosswise

Preheat oven to 350°. Place bacon on a rimmed baking sheet (lined with parchment paper for easy cleanup); bake until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels; tear each slice into quarters.

Place bread on clean baking sheet. Top with cheese, apple, and bacon. Bake until cheese has melted, 10 to 12 minutes.

Pork with Rhubarb & Bacon

Menu:
Pork Tenderloin with Rhubarb & Bacon
Green Beans
Roasted Yellow Beets
Salad with Melty Croutons || Smitten Kitchen

Acorn Squash Lasagna

Menu:
Acorn Squash Lasagna || Everyday Food, October 2005

Ingredients

Olive oil, for baking dish
4 cups Acorn Squash Puree, or 2 packages (12 ounces each) frozen winter squash puree, thawed
1/2 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 container (15 ounces) part-skim ricotta cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
8 no-boil lasagna noodles, half of an 8-ounce package

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush an 8-inch square baking dish with oil; set aside. In a medium bowl, mix squash puree with sage, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. In another bowl, mix ricotta with 1/2 cup Parmesan, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.
Lay 2 lasagna noodles in the bottom of prepared dish; spread with half the squash mixture. Layer with 2 more noodles, and spread with half the ricotta mixture. Repeat layering with remaining noodles and mixtures. Sprinkle top (ricotta mixture) with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan.
Cover baking dish with foil; place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until lasagna is heated through, about 45 minutes; remove foil, and continue baking until golden on top, 20 to 25 minutes more.

NOTE: Not the kids favorite, but Brian and I really enjoyed this.

Cheese Fondue

Menu:
Cheese Fondue
French Bread
Broccoli, Carrots, Celery, Apples
Salad

Grilled Chicken and Burrata

Menu:
Grilled Italian Chicken
Burrata with Tomatoes & Basil

Pasta and Burrata

Menu:
Whole Wheat Penne with Turkey Meatballs in Vodka Sauce
Burrata with Peaches

Cauliflower Cheddar Soup

Menu:
Cauliflower and Cheddar Soup || Jamie's Food Revolution
Topped with Crispy Prosciutto

Goat Cheese Omelet

Menu:
Goat Cheese Omelet || Real Simple, October 2009

Cheese Fondue

Menu:
Cheese Fondue
with bread, radish, carrots, celery, red pepper, apples and pears

Salads & Pizza

Menu:
Insalata Caprese
Melon & Prosciutto
Grilled Vegetable Pizza

Tortellini Soup

Menu:
Appetizer: Explorateur with French Bread
Mediterranean Salad with Prosciutto || Bon Appetit, November 2008 (we had leftover ingredients from Thanksgiving)
Whole Wheat Cheese Tortellini with Zucchini in Chicken Broth topped with Parmesan Cheese