Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos

Inspired by the butternut squash enchiladas as Cactus restaurant here in Seattle, I threw together these tacos last week on a complete whim.  David was unsure about how these would turn out, but he went along with the plan (as long as I promised not to put any zucchini in as well).  These turned out to be pretty darn good and won even David's seal of approval.  Enjoy on homemade tortillas for an extra special treat.

Ingredients

8 homemade tortillas
1 shallot, diced
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and finely diced
1 medium head of broccoli, chopped into bite size pieces
1 can of black beans drainer
goat cheese for sprinkling on top

1. Drizzle olive oil into a large saute pan.  When oil is hot add shallot and cook 2-3 minutes.
2. Add potatoes and stir with shallot.  Then add broccoli and combine.
3. Let the veggies cook for at least 15 minutes.
4. After 15 minutes, sprinkle salt and black pepper on top for taste.
5. Next, stir in black beans to allow them to warm up with the other veggies
6. Once heated through, you are ready to serve.
7. Fill like you would any other tortilla and top with goat cheese and salsa as an extra treat!

Ginger and Soy Salmon

Full disclosure, I took this recipe from my mother in law Hilde and I am not sorry about it at all.  She made this for Christmas dinner, the dish is super gourmet but also very simple and easy to make.  You can also prep it ahead of time and keep cool in the fridge if you are worried about the timing of cooking the fish.

Ingredients

1 lb salmon fillet
1 chunk of fresh ginger root (about 4 inches)
1 bunch of scallions
1 lemon
1 lime
1/2 cup soy sauce
salt/pepper
1/2 cup vegetable oil

1. Peel ginger root and thinly slice.  Set aside.
2. Chop scallions into less than bite sized pieces
3. Thinly slice lemon and lime.
4. Clean the salmon filet and dab with paper towels.  Place in a dish with a lip so it can go straight into the oven.
5. Top the salmon with ginger root, scallions, lemon and lime.  At this point you can put the fish in the fridge until you are ready to cook and serve.
6. When ready, preheat oven to 450 degrees.
7. Pour soy sauce over fish and top with salt and pepper.
8. Cook in the oven until fork on the fish is firm but not too hard.  About 12 minutes.
9. Remove fish from oven.  Heat a small sauce pan over high heat and add oil.  When nearly smoking hot, remove from stove and carefully pour over the fish.  This is dinner theater so you can do this at the table, but just be careful of the hot oil.
10. Serve and enjoy!

Pizza Margherita

What better way to start the New Year than with this light and healthy pizza!  Don't worry, it is still tasty and delicious like pizza should be.  There is a lot of history behind the pizza Margherita and for good reason.  The very simple ingredients make for a quick pizza and accompanied with a salad, you have a superb and timely dinner.  If you haven't made your own pizza dough yet, please try this recipe.  I know it is hard to prep before you leave for work, but this literally takes five minutes in one bowl.  You don't even have to get your hands dirty!

Makes 1 14'' thin crust pizza

Ingredients 

Toppings:

2 small-medium on-the-vine tomatoes

2 medium bocconcini mozzarella balls

1 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced

Pizza dough:

1 teaspoon yeast

pinch of sugar

2 1/2 cups bread flour

1 teaspoon salt

1. Combine yeast and pinch of sugar in a 1/2 cup measuring cup.  Fill with warm water.  Let set for about  3-4 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, combine flour and salt in a medium bowl.  Stir with a wooden spoon to incorporate the salt.

3. Pour yeast mixture over the flour.  Fill up another 1/2 cup of warm water and pour over the flour.

4. Using your wooden spoon vigorously stir the ingredients together.  You are basically kneeding the dough with your spoon.  Mix until well combined, about 1-2 minutes.

5. Cover the bowl with a towel and let rest until doubled in size or you come home from work and want to make dinner.

6. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

7. Press out pizza dough onto parchment paper.  Trust me, it will not stick.

8. Thinly slice tomato and mozzarella.  I like to press the mozzarella in a paper towel first to get the excess water out.

9. Cover the pizza with the tomato and mozzarella.  Put in the oven to cook until crust is golden brown and mozzarella is bubbling and light brown.  This will take about 12-15 minutes but watch it carefully.

10. Remove from the oven and top with sliced basil, cracked pepper and sprinkle a touch of sea salt.

11. Serve immediately.

Roasted Squash and Goat Cheese Sandwich

We regularly make squash enchiladas this time of year but one night a few weeks ago, we had a delicious loaf of bread and decided to make squash and goat cheese sandwiches instead.  The marinade for this squash needs to become part of your rotation; Smitten Kitchen is truly a genius with the squash marinades.  Serve with your favorite chips or coleslaw and you will have a truly special meal.

Ingredients (4 sandwiches)

1 acorn squash
1/2 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
8 slices toast
2 cups arugula
1/2 cup goat cheese

1. Rinse acorn squash.  Dry thoroughly with a paper towel.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
3. Cut squash in half and remove seeds.  Chop into 1 inch thick slices
4. Place squash on a cookie sheet and use two tablespoons of the olive oil to coat the squash.  Let cook 25 minutes in the oven.
5. Combine the rest of the olive oil, garlic cloves, lime juice, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper in a small dish.  Whisk to combine.
6. When squash is done, remove from oven and cut away skin.
7. Place squash meat in a bowl and add lime juice dressing, toss to coat.
8. Toast bread until nicely brown in a toaster.
9. Remove from toaster and spoon equal amounts of squash on the bread.  Top with arugula and goat cheese.
10. Serve and enjoy!

Celery, Raisin and Garbanzo Bean Salad

I needed a protein heavy snack one afternoon and put this together based off something I saw on the menu for "Tavolata".  I've never had their version of the salad, but if it is anywhere near as good as the one I made (and chances are it is better) than I can't wait to get there for a dinner.  If you have pickled celery lying around (we did) then I definitely encourage you to swap it in for the regular raw celery.

Ingredients

1 stalk celery (finely diced)
1 15 oz can garbanzo beans
1/2 cup raisins
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
pinch of salt to taste

1. Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl and stir to coat evenly.  Serve immediately or let the flavors marinate for an hour or so.

Sesame Seed Kale Chips

I've been making kale chips all summer, but I finally decided to brighten up the dish with some of my favorite flavors...tahini and lemon!  These chips are irresistible so be prepared to add this to your weekly grocery list.  You will never look at kale the same way again (and that is a good thing!)

Ingredients

1 lb kale, leaves torn from stems
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon tahini
1 small lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Pull out two cookie sheets.  You do not need to pre-grease these.
2. Whisk olive oil, tahini, lemon juice and salt together in the bottom of a large bowl.
3. Add kale and use tongs to evenly toss the dressing over the leaves
4. Lay out on cookie sheets so the leaves are not overlapping each other
5. Sprinkle with sesame seeds
6. Cook 20-25 minutes until leaves are dry and crispy.
7. Devour!

Poached Salmon Sliders + Curry Aioli

Here is one of those meals that comes to being when the stars align and everything is in it's right place.  Salmon is so quintessentially Northwest that sometimes we take it for granted.  This salmon was given to us by my husband's family, caught in Alaska and immediately frozen to preserve the flavor.  Whether you make this for date night or game day, this will become a classic recipe in your house.  Thanks Hilde and Chi for the salmon!

Ingredients

1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
1 small shallot, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup beer or wine (whatever you are drinking)
2 cups water
1 lb wild caught salmon fillet, cut into four equal pieces
3/4 cup mayonnaise
 3 tablespoons curry powder
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 small green onion chopped
1-2 cups arugula or other lettuce
8 rolls (we used Macrena bakery olive rolls)

1. Heat large sauce pan over medium heat, add a tablespoon or so of olive oil.
2. When hot, add the carrot, shallot, cumin, curry, red pepper flakes and saute 5 minutes
3. Add beer and let cook down 1 minute
4. Add water and bring to a boil
5. When boiling add salmon fillets (skin side down) and cook 4-5 minutes
6. Immediately remove from heat and use a slotted spoon to remove the salmon from the hot liquid.  There is nothing worse than overcooked salmon.
7. Meanwhile, prepare aioli.  Mix mayonnaise, curry powder, lime juice and green onion.
8. Carefully peel salmon meat away from the skin
9. Cut the rolls in half add a few leaves of arugula, add salmon and serve with the mayonnaise.

NOTE - You might have to cut the fillet into half again (thus having 8 pieces) depending on the size of your rolls.

Roasted Corn and Tomatillo Enchiladas

I've never been so excited for a dinner to come out of the oven on an 80 degree day.  It was totally worth turning the oven on and the meal came together surprisingly fast.  I love enchiladas but rarely make them at home so this recipe was a nice surprise!

Ingredients

3 ears of corn
1 shallot
1 lime, juiced
1 15 oz can pinto beans, drained
6-8 tortillas (these homemade tortillas are the best!)
2 cups tomatillo sauce
2 cups Mexican style cheese
Toppings - Salsa, Sour Cream, Hot Sauce

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Remove corn husks and corn silk.  Take a sturdy butcher knife and remove the corn kernels from the cob.
3. Finely chop shallot
4. Heat skillet over medium high heat.  A a swirl or olive oil.  When hot add the shallot and corn and cook about 10 minutes.
5. Add beans to the veggies and squeeze lime juice over the veggies and remove from heat.
6. Take about 1/3 cup of tomatillo sauce and pour in bottom of 9''x13'' pyrex or other dish you will be using for the enchiladas.
7. Take a tortilla and fill with about a scoop of veggies.  Fold tortilla "burrito" style and lay in the dish.
8. Repeat with remaining tortilla and filling
9. Cover with remaining tomatillo sauce and then sprinkle the cheese over the dish.
10. Cook in the oven until cheese is bubbling, about 20 minutes.
11. Serve with salsa, sour cream, hot sauce and Corona beer!

Eggplant and Zucchini Parmesan

I didn't know there could be a meal as good as this.  The fresh tomato sauce mixed with dainty zucchini and firm eggplant is the most amazing combination of food I've had in a really long time.  I know eggplant is not a favorite veggie for many people, I am no different.  However, this recipe takes eggplant and transforms it into the most utterly delicious purple food on the planet.  Open a bottle of your favorite Syrah and say "Ahhh".  This is definitely a Sunday or Entertaining dinner, unless you make the tomato sauce in advance and have it on standby.  You could use another tomato sauce, but then we can't be friends anymore.

Tomato Sauce

1 lb mixed heirloom tomato or tomato on the vine, roughly chopped

3 cloves garlic, crushed

2 carrots peeled and chopped

1 onion cut into half

1 tablespoon oregano

salt/pepper

1. Heat a deep pot over medium high heat
2. Swirl a few tablespoons of olive oil in the bottom of the pan
3. When hot add chopped tomatoes, garlic, carrots and saute about 5 minutes until tomatoes start to break down.
4. Add onion halves to the tomato mixture, then stir in oregano, salt and pepper
5. Let simmer over medium heat for at least 45 minutes.
6. When finished, remove onions and use an immersion blender to blend the ingredients.
7. Use as your would any other tomato sauce

Eggplant and Zucchini Parmesan

1 medium sized eggplant
1 small zucchini
2 eggs
1 cup bread crumbs
1 tablespoon oregano
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
6 oz mozzarella
2 cups tomato sauce (see below)
12 basil leaves

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper

2. Slice zucchini and eggplant into 1 inch thick rounds.

3. Whisk two eggs together in a small bowl

4. Combine breadcrumbs, oregano, red pepper flakes and salt in a pie dish or similar sized plate

5. Dip the eggplant and zucchini in the egg mixture and then dredge in the bread crumb mixture and lay on the parchment paper

6. When oven is preheated, drizzle a touch of olive oil on the eggplant and zucchini and then put it in the oven and let cook 15 minutes.

7. After 15 minutes, turn the oven up to broil and broil on each side about 5 minutes until browned and crispy, then remove from the oven.

8. Meanwhile take a 9 by 13 pyrex dish and ladle a small bit of tomato sauce on the bottom of the dish.

9. Layer the zucchini and the eggplant in the dish, top with remaining tomato sauce and place a piece of mozzarella on each piece of zucchini and eggplant

10. Return to broiler and broil until brown spots appear on the cheese and it is bubbling

11. Remove from the oven and serve with some sauce drizzled around the veggies.  Top with fresh basil and parmesan cheese

12. Serve with crusty bread and salad.

Summer Squash Rice Quiche

I made some Korean tacos recently and made a boatload of rice.  Trying to figure out what to do with the leftovers, I started thinking about arancini (Italian fried rice) and decided to try and turn this rice into a crust of sorts for a summer dinner quiche.  Don't let the word "quiche" fool you here, this is not a heavy dinner by any means.  It is perfect with a simple salad and glass of white wine.  This is summer in a pan!

Ingredients


2 1/2 cups cooked and chilled white rice
1/4 cup melted butter
2 eggs
1/2 onion finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
salt/pepper
1 lb summer squash (zucchini or yellow squash)
1/2 cup goat cheese crumbles

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Butter or spray a springform pan (or other cake pan).
2. Combine 2 1/2 cups plain cooked rice with 1/4 cup melted butter.  Place in pan and evenly compact.
3. Beat 2 eggs.  Add thyme, salt/pepper, onion and stir to incorporate.
4. Pour egg mixture over the rice.
5. Thinly slice squash and place evenly across the top of the egg and rice mixture.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle salt and pepper on top.
6. Put in the oven and cook about 20 to 25 minutes.
7. Remove and sprinkle goat cheese on top and put under the broiler another 5-10 minutes until goat cheese is nice and browned.

Goat Cheese and Basil Stuffed Mushrooms

I've never made a stuffed mushroom recipe before and it was surprisingly easy.  I don't know what I was so worried about (maybe removing the stem from the cap?).  These are a great meat free alternative in a tapas style dinner.  Served with cheese, good bread and olives you have a really special dinner that isn't too heavy on a summer night.  I can imagine endless possibilities with different fillings, so if you don't have exactly what is in this recipe, use whatever you have on hand.

Ingredients

16 cremini mushroom caps, stems removed
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup goat cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
16 basil leaves thinly sliced
2-3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Lightly oil a cookie sheet.
2. Place mushroom caps on the cookie sheet with the stem side facing up.
3. Combine bread crumbs, goat cheese, salt, pepper, basil, garlic and sun dried tomatoes in a bowl and mix until goat cheese is well incorporated
4. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the mixture and stir to combine again
5. Using clean hands, stuff each mushroom cap with an equal amount mixture.  Don't be afraid to overstuff as it will look nice to have the filling browned on top in the oven.
6. Place in the oven and cook about 18 minutes until tops are golden brown and mixture is heated through.
7. Serve (devour!) immediately

Single Girl Dinner #3 - Strawberry and Bleu Cheese Salad

I haven't posted in this category for a while.  For those of you new to this blog, the "single girl" dinners are meals that I eat when David is out with his friends and it is just me for dinner so I can experiment and do different things.  This salad is so fresh and delicious and perfect for the upcoming summer nights.  Of course anyone can make it, but this recipe is just for one salad so make sure to multiply the ingredients as necessary.

Ingredients

1 small head butter or red lettuce

1/2 English cucumber, thinly sliced

1 small salad onion, thinly sliced

1 cup fresh strawberries, tops removed

1/3 cup bleu cheese crumbles

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

fresh black pepper

1. Clean and rinse lettuce and rip or cut into desired size.  Place on plate.

2. Top salad with cucumber, salad onion, strawberry and bleu cheese.

3. Drizzle olive oil and then vinegar over the veggies

4. Top with fresh black pepper

5. Enjoy with a delicious glass of white wine!

Hummus - With several variations

I've been holding off on buying tahini for quite a long time, but I finally found a good deal at Safeway and decided I would try making my own hummus.  I have to say it was totally worth it and I can't believe I waited this long.  The basic recipe is pretty easy (especially using canned chickpeas) and the variations you can add are endless.  Here are some of my suggestions plus a pretty picture of the hummus on some homemade pita bread stuffed with cucumber, tomato and pepprocinis.  Delish!

Ingredients for basic hummus

1 can drained chickpea or garbanzo beans
1/4 cup tahini paste
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves
salt/pepper

1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.  If still chunky, add a bit more olive oil at a time to get a nice puree.
2. Serve as you wish!
3. Keep in the fridge in an airtight container up to one week.

Variations

Jalapenos                               Roasted Red Pepper                      Eggplant
Cilantro                                  Feta                                                Roasted Garlic
Cayenne Pepper

Roasted Cauliflower and Onion Soup

There is nothing better than a delicious and easy homemade soup.  My friend Betsy recently told me about a roasted cauliflower soup she had so I decided to make my own version.  It literally is four ingredients (including the olive oil) so you have no excuse not to make this as your next weeknight quick dinner.  Serve with cheesy toasts and salad for a complete meal.

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower cut into bite size pieces
1 red onion diced
3 tablespoons olive oil
4-6 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Add chopped cauliflower and onion to a bowl and add olive oil.  Mix to coat evenly.
3. Evenly scatter on cookie sheet and bake in preheated oven until roasted and golden brown, which will be about 25 minutes
4. Remove from oven, let cook a few minutes and add to soup pan.
5. Cover with stock (about 4 cups) and use immersion blender to puree the soup.  If you want a more soupy consistency, add more stock.
5. Salt/pepper to taste and serve

Leek and Goat Cheese Bread Pudding - Post #100!

I'm finding it really hard to believe that this is my 100th post for Cooked in My Kitchen.  It's been such a joy to bring all these recipes to life and I look forward to sharing more recipes here in the years to come!

This bread pudding is the culmination of many of our featured items and favorite foods to cook with.  It is also an extremely easy and versatile recipe that you can serve for all groups and at any time of the day.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

5 cups bread cubes, from stale two or three day old bread

1 cup milk

2 eggs

1/3 cup heavy cream

3 large leeks, white parts chopped

2 tablespoons thyme

1 teaspoon pepper

salt to taste

3 oz goat cheese crumbles

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  

2. Combine milk, eggs, heavy cream in a bowl and whisk about 30 seconds to incorporate.

3. Add bread cubes to mixture and stir to coat evenly

4. Heat a saute pan over medium high heat, add a swirl of olive oil.

5. When hot, saute the leeks, thyme and pepper about 5 minutes.  Remove from pan and mix into bread mixture

6. Sprinkle with salt and stir to incorporate

7. Grease a bread pan or brownie pan and set a layer of bread mixture.  

8. Evenly cover with coat cheese and repeat making two layers

9. Cook in oven about 30 minutes or until goat cheese crumbles are slightly golden brown and bread pudding is steaming hot!

10. Serve with a friend egg and salad!

Spinach and Sweet Potato Lentils

It doesn't get much better than sweet potatoes and lentils...throw in a bit of spinach and cream and you have got a soul warming vegetarian dinner that won't disappoint even your meat eating friends.  We served this with brown rice but it would have been yummy with some pita bread too.

1/2 onion finely chopped
2 serrano chili peppers finely chopped
2 roma tomatoes finely chopped
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
2 tablespoons cumin
2 tablespoons curry or garam marsala powder
1 sweet potato peeled and chopped into bite size pieces
1/2 cup lentils
2 cups water
2 tablespoons cream
1/2 bunch of spinach
salt/pepper to taste

1. Prep all of the ingredients through the garlic cloves.  Set 2 tablespoons of cream in a container to allow to come to room temperature
2. Heat oil in deep pot over medium high heat, when hot add the veggies, cumin, curry powder and stir to coat...cook for about 5 minutes
3. Add sweet potato and lentils and cover with water (about two cups water)
4. Let cook about 20 minutes until lentils and potatoes are tender
5. Remove from heat and let sit about five minutes.
6. Add cream and stir to incorporate
7. Add spinach and let wilt about one minute
8. Salt and pepper to taste and add more curry if desired

Chickpea and Leek Pasta

Everyone has a pasta they can count on to satisfy at any occasion.  A few weeks ago I experimented with my favorite flavors of chickpeas, leeks and mushrooms and came up with this really simple pasta that was as satisfying as it was protein packed.  Pasta and beans is a surprisingly good combo and I think whole wheat pasta would also be great here.

Ingredients


1 lb fettucini pasta
1 can chickpeas drained
1 tablespoon cumin
1 leek thinly cleaned and thinly sliced
5-6 white or button mushrooms roughly chopped
2 tablespoons red pepper flakes
1 cup reserved pasta water
Feta cheese

1. Start a pot of water to boil on the stove, prepare pasta per package directions.
2. Meanwhile heat medium saute pan on medium high heat and add a swirl of olive oil.  When hot, add chickpeas and let sizzle in the oil.  Stir in cumin and let cook another 3 or 4 minutes.
3. Add chopped leeks and mushrooms to the chickpeas, stir to coat and let cook another 5 minutes then set aside.
4. When pasta is ready, reserve 1 cup of pasta water for later use
5. Drain pasta and return to pan, add chickpea mixture, red pepper flakes and pasta water, stir to coat evenly.
6. Serve on plates and top with feta cheese, salt and pepper.

Thai Sweet Potato Soup

Winter is really starting to limit my options for dinners, but sweet potatoes are still in season and are always delicious!  I love Thai Sweet Potato Soup but the versions available in the supermarket are always too sugary so this is my savory and delicious version for you!

Ingredients


1/2 onion diced
2 tablespoons curry powder
4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 can coconut milk
juice 1/2 lemon
salt/pepper to taste
1 handful cilantro (optional)

1. In a large soup pot heat olive oil over medium high heat.
2. When hot, add onions and curry powder stirring to coat and absorb the flavor
3. After five minutes add sweet potatoes and stir to coat
4. Fill pot with water until potatoes are covered, reduce heat to medium and let cook about 25 minutes.
5. When potatoes are tender, use an immersion blender to blend the soup.  Add coconut milk and lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.
6. Garnish with cilantro and serve!

Potato and Beet Pizza

Most of my friends know my favorite color is purple and it is no coincidence that this pizza is all purple too!  I had some extra purple potatoes, beets and kalamata olives so I decided to turn it into a delicious and healthy pizza.  I topped it with onions and feta cheese and served with a kale salad for a healthy finish.  Pizza is one of the most versatile foods and here is just one of the many recipes you can try!

Pizza Dough (prepare at least two hours before you are ready to make pizza)

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons rapid rise yeast
1 teaspoon sugar


Mix yeast and sugar in 1 cup measuring cup.  Add room temp water and let sit for five minutes.  Meanwhile add flour and salt to the food processor and process for 10 seconds to mix together.  When yeast mixture is ready, add to the flour while the processor is running.  If dough is still not combined add another 1/4 of water at a time until dough forms a ball.

Place dough in an oiled bowl and cover with kitchen towel.  Allow to rest for at least two hours (you can even let this sit for 24 hours!).



Pizza toppings


1 medium purple potato (or yukon gold if you have) peeled and thinly sliced
1 beet peeled and thinly sliced
6-7 kalamata olives pitted and chopped
1/2 cup feta cheese
1/2 cup olive oil + 1/4 cup olive oil


Putting it all together


1. Preheat oven to 425 greens.  Roll out pizza dough on parchment paper until about 3/4 inch thick.  
2. Brush 1/2 cup olive oil on the dough then top with potato slices and beet slices, brush oil on the veggies as well
3. Top with olives and feta
4. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, until crust is golden brown and veggies are golden as well.

Winter Pesto Two Ways

I'm obsessed with this winter pesto I just made.  I've had it twice now and I am still salivating over the flavor.  The first time is tossed it with a pound of japanese turnips and a few diced potatoes and roasted it for 45 minutes.  The second time I tossed it with day old bread and made it into croutons to put on squash soup.  If I had any left over pesto I would put it on a pizza for sure!  Peppercress is a nice peppery green but if you don't have it then go ahead add another handful of arugula.

Ingredients

2 handfuls arugula
1 handful peppercress
2 oz parmesan cheese (cut from a block of hard parmesan)
4 cloves garlic
4 tablespoons olive oil
salt to taste

1. Combine all ingredients and combine until smooth.  Add more olive oil if necessary.  Since you are using a chunk of parm it will give a nice hints of cheese in the pesto when you grind it in.  They will be smaller than pea size but melt perfectly!
2. Serve in any manner you would use pesto.  If you decide to save it, put in an airtight container and cover with a thin layer of olive oil until you plan to use it.