Chicken Caesar Pizza

HoLEE COW!

I’ve been seeing a lot of recipes lately for pizzas with lettuce toppings.  Not wanting to be left out of the loop, I thought I’d give Chicken Caesar Pizza a go.

I did it begrudgingly.  I blame food blog peer pressure.

However, despite my reservations going into this project, this pizza is a new favorite of mine.  Jay was late coming home from work and he’s lucky that I saved him some it was so good.

Like most of my recipes, you can make this as health conscious or as fatty as you want – I took it the healthier route and used my naan recipe for the crust and my Caesar dressing for the sauce.  I recommend those since that’s the taste I had last night that knocked my socks off, but if you don’t have the time for all that, then any prepared pizza crust or dressing will do the trick.

Let’s take a look at what you’re going for without the lettuce barrier:

Beautiful, huh?  Okay, here’s the idea…

Chicken Caesar Pizza

• Pizza crust (prepared or homemade, I used my Naan recipe)
• Caesar dressing (mine was incredible for this and can be found HERE)
• Shredded chicken (amount depends on preference, the pizza pictured has about 1 1/2 breasts worth of meat)
• Tomato, sliced very thin (light should shine through thin – this will make it become a part of the sauce, if you want more tomatoes you can chunk them and add them later)
• Spinach, shredded (about 1/4 cup or more according to taste)
• Onion, thinly sliced
• Mozzerella Cheese
• Parmesan Cheese
• Romaine lettuce, torn

Beforehand, shred the chicken and seal it in an air tight bag with enough dressing to coat the chicken.  Let chill in the fridge until it’s time to cook.  Prepare crust according to its directions.  Smear crust with Caesar dressing, then lay the thin tomato slices on top of the sauce.  Next lay down the spinach and onion slices.  Top veggies with the prepared chicken, then cover everything with the two cheeses (if you’re trying to save on calories, use a fine shredded cheese and keep it light).

Bake according to the directions for your pizza crust (mine baked at 350 for about 12 minutes).

Remove pizza from oven, top with torn lettuce and additional dressing if desired.

Happy Cooking!

Creamy Honey Dijon Dressing (fat-free)

I’m really not a mustard person – I won’t touch the plain stuff, but a little honey dijon, put in the right places and dilluted properly, can really do wonders.

Like this salad dressing for example.  I cannot sing its praises enough.  Sweet and tangy, but no fat to worry about.  Jay said it had a bit too much kick for him, but I think that may have more to do with the brand of honey dijon that I was using (French’s, the store was out of the Jack Daniel’s that I usually get) than with the dressing itself.

Works great for traditional salads, sweeter salads, or as a broccoli slaw dressing.

Creamy Honey Dijon Dressing (fat-free)
adapted from AllRecipes.com

• 1 (6 oz) container of plain yogurt (fat-free, or normal if you don’t care about that kind of thing)
• 1 Tbs honey dijon mustard
• 1/4 c honey
• 1/4 tsp. celery seed

Blend all ingredients together with wisk or spoon.  Refrigerate at least one hour before serving.

Happy Cooking!

Gnocchi (Italian Potato Dumplings)

Gnocchi isn’t a meal that I order – I’m more a pasta girl, but I have seen Jay eat it from time to time and he’s always pleased.  When I saw this recipe I decided to make it to impress my man, but it impressed me too.  This was fun to make and the freshness of homemade gnocchi pleased my palate just as much as my men (even Cee partook).

What’s great about gnocchi is its versatility.  I just went with a simple marinara meat sauce, but these could be made with pesto, alfredo, with primavera veggies, or in soups.  This recipe will be a repeat in our house for sure.

Gnocchi (adapted from AllRecipes.com)

• 1 cup dry potato flakes
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 Tbs shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Slow Cooker Mac & Cheese

At my house growing up, Mac and Cheese came from a little blue box.

But at Grandpa’s house it changed into a delicacy of big noodles, glob-y cheese, and secret spices.

This is a recipe to make my Grandpa proud.  It’s full of flavor, full of secrets, and you don’t even have to cook the noodles!  Main dish or side dish, this was a crowd pleaser in our house.

Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese
(Adapted from Recipezaar.com)

• 1/4 c. flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 of an onion, chopped fine
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 celery heart, cut fine
• parsley
• 3 c. milk
• 2 c. grated cheddar cheese (use less if using a sharp cheese)
• 2 c. uncooked elbow macaroni

In your biggest saucepan saute the onion, salt, pepper, and paprika.  Meanwhile, combine the milk and flour and wisk or shake until no lumps are left.  Pour the milk into the saucepan with the onion and spices.  Heat slowly until the mixture thickens and bubbles.  Add cheese and celery, stirring until melted.  Remove from heat and stir in the macaroni, sprinkle with parsley.  Dump contents of saucepan into your slow cooker and cook on low for about 2 hours.*

Kim’s notes:

1. KNOW YOUR SLOW COOKER!  My slow cooker tends to go faster than recipes indicate,  and after 2 hours my noodles got a little mushy.  If you’re like me, scale the time back and check those noodles.
2. Jay didn’t even notice the celery – HA! Veggie successfully snuck!
3. Even with a crock pot liner, the noodles stuck a little bit. Spraying your crock pot or liner ahead of time can help with that.

Happy Cooking!

Veggie Joes

Love Manwich?  Then do not read this post.

Love meatless chili? Then you might be intrigued.

I found a recipe for vegetarian Sloppy Joes, I made it my own without oil and with extra veggies, but then I served it up on brown rice and had a meal that even my healthy brother could eat.  It’s tasty, but it has a bit more of a kick than I expected, so watch for that if you’re sensitive.  We aren’t super spicy people around here but Jay and I devoured it, no prob.

If anyone tries this on buns I’d love to hear about how it holds up.  I also think it would be great with the rice I used but also in lettuce wraps and with a glob of sour cream.

Veggie Joes (adapted from Allrecipes.com)

• 1/2 c chopped onion
• 1/2 c chopped celery
• 1/2 c chopped carrots
• 1/2 small zucchini, cubed into small pieces
• 1/2 bell pepper (I used yellow), chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 Tbs tomato paste
• 1 Tbs white-ish vinegar (I used rice vinegar)
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• Rice, rolls, buns, lettuce wraps, whatever you plan to serve it with

Homemade Soft Pretzels

Confession time:  When I was pregnant with Cee all I wanted to eat were soft Pretzel Bites from the mall.  I drove by a mall on my commute and had to force myself with all my pregnant-lady rationality (which wasn’t much) not to go there everyday and blow my paycheck.

So, when I saw this recipe over at My Kitchen Cafe (a favorite food blog that I stalk), I got so excited.  Just think of all the money I’ll save if those same cravings come back in my next pregnancy? Woo!

Now, as a connoisseur of soft pretzels, let me say just a couple of things.  First, these pretzels were not like Pretzel Time in the mall – more like soft pretzels at sporting events, which made them a little too pretzely for my liking.  I think that I will lessen the amount of baking soda in the wash next time to see if I can soften them up a touch.

Second – since these pretzels cook very hot (500 degrees!) this recipe has a HIGH SMOKE WARNING! The pretzels were perfect, but the cooking spray that I greased the pan with set my fire alarm off when I opened the oven for the first batch.  I’d suggest making these on parchment paper to save yourself the smokey headache.

Homemade Soft Pretzels

Dough:
2 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons instant or regular yeast
7/8 c. warm water (can use up to a cup in needed)

Topping:
1/2 cup warm water
2 tablespoons baking soda
salt, you can just use plain table salt, or get some coarser salt for a fun look
3 tablespoons butter, melted

Place all of the dough ingredients into a bowl and beat until well combined. Knead the dough, by hand or machine, for about 5 minutes, until it is soft, smooth, and quite slack. Lightly flour the dough and cover it.  Let dough rest for 30 minutes or longer if not using instant yeast (dough should almost double).

Preheat your oven to 500°F. Prepare two baking sheets by spraying them with vegetable oil spray, or lining them with parchment paper (I’d say paper over spray – note my high smoke warning).

Divide dough into eight equal pieces. Allow the pieces to rest, uncovered, for 5 minutes. While the dough is resting, combine the 1/2 cup warm water and the baking soda, and place it in a shallow bowl or pie plate. Make sure the baking soda is thoroughly dissolved; if it isn’t, it will make your pretzels splotchy.

Roll each piece of dough into a long, thin rope (about 28 to 30 inches long), and twist each rope into a pretzel. Dip each pretzel in the baking soda wash (this will give the pretzels a nice, golden-brown color), and place them on the baking sheets. Sprinkle them lightly with salt. Allow them to rest, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Bake the pretzels for 7 to 8 minutes, or until they’re golden brown. I only baked one baking sheet at a time and let the other rest while the first is in the oven.

Remove the pretzels from the oven, and brush them with the melted butter. Eat the pretzels warm, or reheat them in an oven or microwave.

Happy Cooking!

Thai Coconut Stir-Fry

I knew I had to try this recipe when I stumbled across it on the Better Homes and Gardens website.  With a couple of little tweaks it was SO Jay that I couldn’t wait to make it for him.

Which meant I made it while his Mom was in town visiting us.

This is kind of an “out there” recipe for down-home Ohio types, but the flavor was subtle enough to get great reviews from everyone (even Cee).

When you read this recipe over, you might not believe me when I say that it is subtle, but it really is!  I think I just might up the Chili Powder next time to take the flavor up a notch.

Thai Coconut Stir-Fry (adapted from Coconut Chicken Chili on BHG.com)

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut to bite size pieces
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 Tbs flour
• 1 can (14 oz) coconut milk
• 1 Tbs. Peanut Butter
• 1 c. water
• 1 can cannellini beans, drained, rinsed
• matchstick carrots (about half a bag, 2 c.)
• 2 celery stalks, sliced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbs fresh cilantro, chopped
• cooked rice

In a large saucepan combine the first 6 ingredients and saute until chicken is no longer pink (don’t worry about oil, just a little cooking spray will do).  Next stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute more.  After the minute is up add the coconut milk, water, and peanut butter, stir until blended in and bring mixture to a boil.  Add all remaining ingredients, mixing until blended.  Return to a boil, reduce heat to med-low and simmer for 10 minutes or until veggies have softened and liquid has thickened.  Serve over cooked rice.

Happy Cooking!

Challah Bread (Jewish Braided Loaf)

Challah is a traditional Jewish bread that is famous for its braided texture.  Though the shape is truly unique, the texture and flavor is close to a homemade French bread – white and springing with a browned crust.  I felt up for a challenge, so when I found this recipe from Betty Crocker, I thought I’d give it a whirl.

Only there was one problem – this recipe is a Bread Machine recipe.

Bread Machines are not always found in an Average Pantry, so I took Betty’s recipe and messed with the instructions, until I was able to turn my oven into a bread machine.  Hope you enjoy!

*And in case you’re curious, Challah is pronounced like HA-Lah.  Just drop that ‘C’ to call your bread by it’s true and authentic name.

Challah Bread

• 3/4 c. + 1 Tbs warm water
• 1 egg
• 2 Tbs butter or margarine, softened
• 3 1/4 c. flour
• 2 Tbs sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp yeast (I used bread machine yeast, but any would be fine)
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 Tbs cold water
• poppy seeds, optional

Dissolve yeast in warm water for about 10 minutes or until water becomes milky.  Preheat oven to 200 degrees, once it reaches that temp turn the oven off while you finish combining the bread ingredients.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter, sugar, salt, and egg.  Stir until well mixed, then add the yeast water.  Next add the flour, cup by cup, stirring between each addition.  Knead dough until it has a smooth consistency.  Remove dough from bowl, spray bowl with cooking spray, return dough to the bowl, cover with a towel and put the whole thing into the warmed oven.  Allow to rise for about 1 hour or until doubled.

Spray a large cookie sheet, or line it with parchment paper.  Remove the dough from the oven, sperate it into 3 equal pieces and roll them into long ropes (about 13 inches).  Place the ropes side-by-side, then gently and loosely braid them, pinching the ends and tucking them under to seal the loaf.  Place loaf on the prepared cookie sheet.

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  While the oven heats, combine the egg yolk and the water in a small bowl.  Beat together until well combined. Brush or spoon the egg mixture onto the loaf, covering it entirely (I didn’t need to use all of my egg wash).  Sprinkle with poppy seeds if using them.  Bake loaf for about 20 minutes, or until well browned and cooked through.

Happy Cooking!

Half-the-Butter Oatmeal Cookies

I love cookies. LOVE them!  Growing up with my parents, how could I not?  My mom is a cookie artist and my Dad is a Cookie Monster.  What I don’t love are the cookies that are SO buttered that they leave grease behind on your fingers or napkin.

Here’s a little secret – you can half the butter on LOTS of cookie recipes.

I even used low-cal butter.

That being said, the flavor was perfect.  Not too sweet, smooth inside and slightly crisp on the outside.  Fierce.

Half-the-Butter Oatmeal Cookies

• 1/4 c. butter/margarine, softened (I used light Blue Bonnet)
• 1/2 c. packed brown sugar
• 1/4 c. white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 c. flour
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 1/2 c. quick oats
• 1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used the mini-chips and they were great)

Cream together the soft butter, brown sugar, white sugar, egg, and vanilla.  Add dry ingredients all at once, then stir until well blended.  Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheets.  Bake at 325 for 13 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet, then transfer for racks.  Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Happy Cooking!

Valentine Cupcakes (3 Color and Heart Shaped Cupakes)

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Valentine’s Day!  For a special surprise, I made Valentine cupcakes for my sweetheart.  They were a combination of ideas that I’d seen, and I was VERY happy with the results.I’m not a baker and I’m not a decorator, but these are just cute, don’tcha think?

AND the ideas used on these cupcake could be applied to other holidays/events, so let’s check these ideas out:

What you need:

• 1 cake recipe or one cake box mix
• 1 frosting recipe or 1 can frosting
• food coloring
• marbles
• plastic bags

To make the heart shaped cupcakes, line the baking pan with cupcake papers, fill them according to your recipe’s directions (about 2/3 full is normal), then slide a glass marble between the paper and the wall of the pan.  It will look like this:

Bake the cupcakes according to your recipe’s instructions (mine baked at 350 for 18 minutes).  Be careful of the marbles when you remove the cupcakes – they pop out and are HOT!

Here’s a good view of what the marbles actually do to the cupcake:

I looked at these and said to Jay, “I think they look like little Pac Man heads more than hearts.”  He said that made them all the better Valentine for him.

IDEA for OTHER USES:  Make these into Pac Man cupcakes with yellow frosting and chocolate eyes!  Or use some green and white for little dinosaur heads with open toothy mouths.

To Make Three Color Cupcakes: To make the tri-color cupcakes as seen here, start with a white-colored cake (mine was a type ofvanilla).  After the recipe is mixed together take about 1/4 of the mix and put it in a plastic bag with food coloring.  Squish the bag until it is evenly colored.  Do the same thing with another 1/4 of the mix adding a new color, or a darker shade of the first color.

Fill the cupcake papers about 1/2 full, then snip the corner off the plastics bags and funnel the colored cake batter one at a time onto the center of the white batter until filled about 2/3 full.  Try not to let the colors mix together very much, just layer them.  Bake according to recipe directions.

IDEA for OTHER USES:  Use any color combo you want, or add some flavor extract to make flavor layers to your cupcakes!DECORATING:

I won’t ever pretend to be an expert on this, so if you’re like me here are some ideas:

• To get that smooth frosted look, warm up your icing.  A few moments in the microwave makes frosting much more liquidy, you can then dip your cupcakes in the frosting and let them dry for a no-stroke iced finish.  NOTE: If there are bubbles in your icing just be patient and wait for them to clear on their own.  If you dip them too soon the bubbles show on your cupcakes.
• No frosting funnels? No PROB! This is the average pantry after all – just spoon some frosting into a plastic zip bag, snip a very small piece off of one corner and squeeze away for easy decorating with no special tools (that is was I did for all cupcakes pictured).

Happy Cooking!