Super Stuffed Pizza Bread

Holy Cow WOW this is the best appetizer I have made in years (okay besides gougeres and pretzels).  Anyway this is essentially a pizza stuffed and wrapped like a baguette and it is downright tasty and impressive to look at.  Fill with whatever you would normally put on a pizza, here we have made some adjustments to make it vegetarian.

Toppings

1 cup tomato sauce
3-4 sundried tomatoes finely chopped
1 cup pesto sauce
1 cup feta cheese
1/2 cup shaved parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped capers
1 egg white

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

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons rapid rise yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

about 2 cups luke warm water

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!).

Making the stuffed pizza

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Place a cookie sheet length of parchment on a standard size cookie sheet.

3. Carefully roll out dough to cover most of the parchment

4. Use a pastry brush or back of a spoon to evenly distribute tomato sauce on the dough, repeat with pesto sauce.

5. Evenly sprinkle feta cheese, capers, sundried tomatoes and parmesan on top. 

6. If you have someone who can help you roll up the dough it will be easier.  Fold one side of the dough hot dog style until it covers slightly more than half the distance to the other side.  Then fold over the other sides and pinch the seams together, being sure to tuck in the ends of the loaf so the sauce doesn't fall out.

7. Brush egg white mixture over the dough.

8. Place the bread into the oven and cook about 25-30 minutes until golden brown and crust is cooked through (you can tell by seeing the bottom of the loaf that it is not white and soft).

9. Allow to cool for an hour before cutting into slices and serving to friends and family.

Lamb Chili

Don't let the word "lamb" get in your way of trying this hearty chili recipe.  If you can't get a good source for lamb, of course you could do pork or beef, but please try and get some lamb if you can!  Serve this with some of our fresh homemade bread and you will not be sorry!

Ingredients


olive oil
1/2 yellow onion finely chopped
2 jalopenos seeded and chopped
3 cloves garlic peeled and chopped
1/2 pound ground lamb
1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 can diced tomatoes
1/3 cup tomato paste
2 cans pinto beans, drained
salt (to taste)

1. Set a deep heavy pot on medium high heat.  When hot, add swirl or two of olive oil.  Then add onion, jalopeno and garlic.  Stir to coat and let cook about 3 minutes.
2. Add lamb and stir with spoon to break up the meat
3. After five minutes, add cumin and stir for another minute.
4. Add tomatoes, paste and beans
5. Let sit over medium heat for 20 minutes until heated through
6. Serve with bread, sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese!

Arizona Tradewinds Cocktail (inspired by the Dutch Tradewinds)

This recipe is really a cocktail called the Dutch Tradewinds, but the box of lemons came to us in the middle of a snowstorm from my aunt in Arizona so we decided to name it the Arizona Tradewinds.  It's amazing what a box of citrus in the middle of a storm can do to sooth the cold weather blues.

Ingredients for 2 drinks

2 shots jenever (Dutch gin)

1 shot triple sec or orange liqueur

1 shot fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons sugar

1. Fill cocktail shaker with ice
2. Mix sugar in with lemon juice
3. Combine all ingredients in the cocktail shaker and shake about 30 seconds
4. Pour into chilled martini glass and garnish with a twist of lemon

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.

Butternut Squash "Winter" Rolls

Winter Roll here does not refer to your body...it's actually my version of a Spring Roll made with Winter veggies.  You can use any of your favorite squash here.  I had some left over pulled pork so I put that in but you could add any type of meat like roasted chicken (or even leave meat out!).  The intention here is to use leftovers so don't go too crazy looking for these items.  However the squash is essential!

Ingredients

2 cups peeled and bite size diced squash
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup garbanzo beans (drained)
1 cup pork or chicken leftovers
1 small head of cabbage peeled and chopped finely
1 small salad onion thinly sliced
Spring roll wrappers (available on the Asian foods aisle)
rice noodles (optional - need to be prepped during step 1 per package direction)

1. Preheat oven to 375.  Toss squash with soy sauce, sesame oil and olive oil.  While oven is heating let these marinade.
2. Put squash on a cookie sheet and roast about 20 minutes
3. Meanwhile prep other items (cabbage, onion, etc.)
4. Combine beans and meat, set aside
5. Remove squash and add to bean and meat mixture
6. On the table, set up a plate where you can soak the wrapper in hot water for 30 seconds.  These will need to be done one at a time when everything else is ready.
7. Serve family style, fill to your liking and top with hoisin sauce!