Sausage, Asparagus, Bacon and Feta on Herbed Flatbread...A Pizza

Remember this little tutorial I gave on making your own pizza dough?  Well, you can use it once more to make this delicious treat.  Stick to the recipe except add 1tbsp of Demarle At Home Rosemary, Basil and Thyme herb blend to the dry ingredients.

 Once the dough has risen, separate it into two balls and roll out one onto a large Silpat. Save the other in the fridge for tomorrow or pop it in the freezer for next week.  Drizzle 2 tbsp of olive oil on the top of the rolled out dough and slide it into the oven for 5 minutes and bake at 400 degrees.

Take the partially baked crust out of the oven and top it with the following:

1 C finely grated mozzarella

1 lb ground mild Italian sausage, browned

2 C chopped asparagus sautéed with 2 cloves garlic, minced

6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

1/2 C Feta

1/4 C finely grated mozzarella

Put the pizza back in the oven and bake for about 20 more minutes.

Cut and enjoy!

Stromboli

I get a lot of requests for Stromboli as a rendezvous menu item.  What seems to impress people, aside from the flavor, is the dough that I make.  I was once intimidated by yeast, but now we have an understanding.  I assure you that you can easily make your own pizza dough for stromboli, or of course, pizza. 

For the yeast: 

1 C warm water

1 tsp sugar

1 package yeast or 2 1/4 tsp

Use warm water out of the faucet or warm it in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.  You want the water to be about 110 degrees.  I never measure the temperature though.  It should be just past luke-warm.

Let the yeast sit on your counter for about 5 minutes.  It should start to bubble and froth. 

Meanwhile, in your kitchen aid with a dough hook attachment add:

3 C bread flour 

1 tsp salt

3 tsp olive oil

(You can use all purpose flour, but I think the dough turns out much softer with bread flour.)

While you have the olive oil out, drizzle a little into the bottom of a mixing bowl.  This will be the resting place for your dough once it comes together.

 See how the yeast is frothy?  Yep, it's ready for action.

Pour the yeast mixture in with the flour.

Start the mixer on a low speed (2) and let the ingredients start to come together.

Once things have started to combine, turn your mixer up (4).

You might need to add a teaspoon or two extra of water or olive oil here.  If it seems too dry add one or the other.  Usually, I put a few drops of water into the yeast container once I've emptied it.  I give it a little swirl motion to get the extra froth off the sides and that's what I use if I feel the dough needs a little extra moisture.  Let the mixer do the work.  Sit back and relax for 2-3 minutes.

The dough will become shiny and smooth.  It's ready to rest.

Place the dough in the bowl drizzled with olive oil, cover and let it sit for about an hour or until it doubles in size.

I turn on one of the elements on my stove for a few seconds, then turn it off.  It becomes slightly warm.  That's where my dough sits until it's ready.  Be careful though, this only works if you have an 18/10 grade stainless steel bowl.

After an hour or so, your dough will be ready.  Punch it down and fold it over on itself a few times.

The Roul'Pat is one of my favorite products.  I use it when making sugar cookies, cinnamon rolls, scones and stromboli.

Side note: if you want to use this dough to make pizza, just roll it out on the Silpat, top it, and bake.

 Place the dough in the center and roll it out.  The rectangular Roul'Pat is the perfect size to make a large stromboli.  You can separate the dough into two even balls and make smaller versions with different fillings too.

See how it goes to the outer edges?  This means the dough is the perfect thickness and ready to top.

For this stromboli I used salami, sausage, turkey pepperoni, mozzarella, Parmesan, and Rosemary, Basil and Thyme blend.  My favorite combination is salami, black forest ham, pepperoni, provolone, Parmesan and the herb blend. 

1/4 lb salami, sliced thinly

1/4 lb black forest ham, sliced thinly

1 package pepperoni

1/4 lb provolone, sliced thinly

1/2 C grated Parmesan

1 tsp Rosemary, Basil and Thyme blend

1/2 C mozzarella, shredded

Roll up the stromboli. Fold the edges up.

Place the stromboli seam side down and bake at 425 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

If you want, you can warm marinara in the microwave for dipping.  I like to cover things going in the microwave with the Octagonal Silpat to prevent splatter.

Once the stromboli is ready, use your cake server knife to cut it.  Remember, you don't want to use knives on your products.

See how easy that is?  It's a crowd please too. Enjoy!

Bacon and Apple Brussel Sprouts

1 pound brussel sprouts, washed, trimmed and halved

1 large Granny Smith apple, diced

6 slices bacon, cooked and diced

1/4 C olive oil

1 tbsp honey

1 tbsp Mediterranean Fig Balsamic Vinegar

Salt and Pepper

Combine brussel sprouts, apple and bacon in a bowl.

In a separate bowl whisk olive oil, balsamic, honey salt and pepper and pour over brussel sprout mixture.  Dump mixture onto Silpat on a perforated baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.

Borrowed from Back To Her Roots

Baked Teriyaki Chicken

Baked Teriyaki Chicken

3 boneless chicken breasts or 12 thighs

1/2 C soy sauce

1/2 C brown sugar

1 clover garlic, minced

1 tbsp water

1 tbsp corn starch

1/4 C cider vinegar

1/2 tsp ground ginger

pepper

2 C rice, cooked

1 head broccoli, chopped

1 container sliced mushrooms

1 tbsp olive oil

Sesame seeds

Combine all ingredients except the chicken in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Stir until thickened. Pour over chicken in a grande mold, but reserve 1/4 C for dipping. Bake at 350 for 1 hour, flipping after 30 minutes.

Cook rice according the directions on the package.

Saute the broccoli and mushrooms in the olive oil until tender.

This is what I love about the product! Baked teriyaki sauce on a 9 X 13 pan would need to soak in the sink for hours with hot soapy water. Baked teriyaki sauce in a Demarle mold will either peel or wash right off.

Quinoa Salad

This bowl of delishiness has been my dinner for several days. I love the crunchy ingredients paired with the scrumptious dressing. Healthy and full of fiber and protein, this salad is a meal on its own or would be a delicious side dish.

Quinoa Salad

1 C quinoa

2 C water

1 cucumber, peed and diced

1 red pepper, diced

3/4 C cilantro, chopped

2/3 C feta

1-2 green onions, diced

1 C broccoli, diced

1/4 C Mediterranean Fig or Spiced Apple Pear Balsamic Vinegar

1/3 C olive oil

salt and pepper

1 tbsp dijon mustard

2 1/2 tbsp honey

Cook quinoa according to the directions on the package. Spread quinoa out on a Silpat and let sit for 7 minutes to cool.

In a mixing bowl combine cucumber, red pepper, broccoli, feta, green onion and cilantro.

In a mason jar combine balsamic vinegar, oil, mustard, honey, salt and pepper. Shake.

Add dressing and quinoa to vegetable mixture and combine.

Ham and Penne Bake

Ham and Penne Bake

16 oz penne

2 C ham steak, chopped

4 oz Swiss cheese, shredded and divided

2 C milk

1 C sour cream

3 green onions, diced

1/4 C roasted red pepper, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp flour

salt and pepper

Cook penne until half way done. Set aside.

In a large saute pan melt butter and add garlic, peppers, and onion. Whisk in flour and cook for 2 minutes. Add in milk and half of the Swiss cheese. Cook until it thickens. Remove from the heat and add in sour cream.

Combine sauce with pasta and add in ham.

Pour into sunflower mold and sprinkle with remaining Swiss cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Waffles

Remember how I used the waffle tray to make eggs for breakfast sandwiches? Well, it's also great for making waffles. Whodathunkit? I like using the waffle tray because this means we all get to eat the same time and I don't have to stand over a waffle iron for minutes on end. I paired the delicious waffles with some breakfast cups, but this time I used the round tray.

Waffles

2 C flour

1 tsp salt

4 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 C milk, warm

1/3 butter, melted

1 tsp vanilla

In a mixing bowl combine flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar. In a separate bowl beat the eggs, pour in the milk, butter and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients in to the dry and combine. Ladle into wells, filling them 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown.

Notes: If you want the tops to be flat, fill them half full and lay a Silpat on top before baking. This recipe makes just enough batter to fill all 12 wells. The waffles reheat perfectly in the toaster.

French Toast Casserole

French Toast Casserole

1/2 loaf french bread (about 5 cups)

4 eggs

1 1/2 C milk

4 tbsp sugar, divided

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

1 tbsp butter, softened

1 tsp cinnamon

Cube bread and place in daisy mold. Set aside. In a mixing bowl add eggs, milk, 2 tbsp sugar, salt, and vanilla. Combine and pour over bread. Dot with butter. In a separate small bowl mix remaining 2 tbsp sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.

If you need to feed a crowd double the recipe, use a whole loaf of french bread and the sunflower mold.

Chili and Honey Corn Bread

Chili

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

1 large onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

28 oz can crushed tomatoes

15 oz can tomato sauce

6 oz tomato paste

1 C strong brewed coffee

1 C dark beer

1 C beef stock

3 tbsp brown sugar

1 1/2 tbsp cumin

1 tsp oregano

1 tbsp chili powder

1/4 tsp cayenne

1 tsp coriander

1/2 tbsp un-sweeted cocoa powder

1 Anaheim chili pepper

3 cans kidney beans, drained

1 can pinto beans, drained

Brown hamburger in the bottom of a large stock pot. Add onion and garlic. Saute until translucent. Add remaining ingredients except 2 cans of kidney beans and simmer for 2 hours. Pour in remaining 2 cans of beans and simmer for 30 more minutes.

Honey Corn Bread

1 C flour

1 C corn meal

1/4 C sugar

1 tbsp baking powder

1 C heavy cream

1/4 C vegetable oil

1/4 C honey

2 eggs, lightly beaten

Combine flour, corn meal, sugar, and baking powder in a bowl. Pour in cream, oil, honey and eggs. Stir until combined. Pour 1/4 C into the Gold Fish Tray or Crown Tray slots and bake at 400 degrees for 13 minutes.

Spaghetti Sandwiches

I love it when an impromptu meal turns out to be a yummy creation. Meatball subs were on the menu this week, but I forgot to purchase meatballs and I forgot to take the hamburger out of the freezer to thaw so I could make my own. With lunch quickly approaching, I wondered why I couldn't just use the ground beef. Enter the spaghetti sandwich. With this little baby now in the menu rotation, meatball subs will be kicked to the curb.

Spaghetti Sandwiches

1.5 pounds ground beef

1 1/2 C chopped mushrooms

1/2 small onion, diced

4 C your favorite spaghetti sauce

6 French rolls

1/2 C cheddar, mozzarella, and Parmesan blend

Brown hamburger, add in onions and mushrooms and sauté until tender. Pour in sauce and heat through.

Cut the French rolls in half and hallow out the middle. Place them on a Silpat. Fill the wells with the meat mixture and sprinkle with cheese blend. Bake at 400 degrees for 6-8 minutes.

The great thing about using the Silpat is that the outside of the bread will get crispy, while the inside stays moist. Close them up, cut them in half, and serve them up with a salad for a complete meal.

Give them a try! I think next time I'm going to add some shredded carrots and diced zucchini into the meat sauce for an extra dose of veggies.

P.S. Don't you think we can count these as low carb since the meal isn't made of pasta AND bread? Oh, and don't forget we hallowed out the French roll. For now, I'm going to pretend they are low carb.

Family Tuscan Pizza Bowl

We love pizza at our house and this recipe allows us to enjoy it while getting in a dose of veggies. I altered the original recipe found in the Demarle catalog and added a pound of browned Italian sausage for my husband, Mr. Meat Eater.

Did you know that Demarle sells all natural food products as well as flexible bake wear?

To make this recipe I used 1 package Demarle in the Kitchen Herb Pizza Dough Mix which requires 1 cup of milk and some olive oil. Once the dough is ready to use roll it out on your Roul'Pat and lightly baste it with oil. Place a grande mold upside down on a perforated baking sheet and lay the dough on it, oil side down, and bake for 12-15 minutes at 425 degrees.

While the crust is baking, prepare the vegetables. Chop 6 stalks of asparagus, 1 red pepper, 1 yellow pepper, 7 green onions, 1 cup of spinach, 1 vine tomato, and 1/2 cup fresh basil and place in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon Demarle in the Kitchen Sel Gris Sea Salt and 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
Place the chopped ingredients into the crust on a perforated baking sheet. Top with 2 cups shredded mozzarella, 1/4C shredded Parmesan and 1 tablespoon Demarle in the Kitchen Roasted Garlic and Chive Herb Blend. Sprinkle on 1 pound of browned Italian sausage (optional).
Bake for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Removed from the oven and drizzle with Demarle in the Kitchen Apple Pear Balsamic Vinegar. Slice and Enjoy!

Avocado Chicken Pita Pizza

This is a huge hit every time I make it! It's delicious and on the healthier side, so the kids are happy and so is mama.

Remember how I showed you to roast a chicken? Use some of the leftovers for this recipe. Dice up a tomato and shred some Monterey Jack cheese. In a small bowl smash up two avocados and add some salt, garlic powder, lemon juice and a few teaspoons of taco sauce.
Place the pitas on a Silpat and bake them at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. (note: if you are using a regular baking sheet you will need to brush them with oil before baking)
Once they have a crisp outside top them with the avocado mixture then layer with a bit of cheese, chicken, tomato and little more cheese.
Bake for an additional 8 minutes or until the cheese is completely melted.
Slide them onto a cutting board and cut into the 4 pieces. Enjoy!

Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Pot Pie

1 Pie Crust (top and bottom)

1/2 C butter

1/2 C flour

3 C chicken broth

3 C cooked chicken, chopped

1 1/2 C mushrooms, sliced

1/2 onion, diced

2 carrots, finely chopped

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

2 potatoes, diced

1/2 C frozen peas

salt and pepper

In a sauce pan saute onions, potatoes, carrots, and mushrooms until slightly tender.

Add in celery and stir.

In a separate sauce pan melt butter, add in flour. Stir.

Add in broth until combined and boil until thickened. Season with salt and pepper.

Combine vegetable mixture, sauce, chicken and peas.

Place one pie crust into the Pie Mold and cover with pot pie mixture.

Cover with second pie crust.

Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until top is golden brown.

Let cool slightly before serving.

Stuffed Shells

Stuffed Shells

1 lb sausage

1/2 onion, chopped

15 oz container Ricotta

1 C cottage cheese

2 eggs

1/4 tsp. salt

pepper

1 tsp. Rosemary, Basil and Thyme Demarle Herb blend

12 oz box jumbo shells

4 C marinara sauce

1 C. Parmesan

2 C. Mozzarella

Boil shells to directions on box, or until 3/4 of the way cooked, set aside cool.

In large pan brown sausage, add onion, set aside to cool.

In bowl combine, Ricotta, cottage cheese, egg, herb blend, Parmesan, salt and pepper

Add sausage and onion to cheese mixture. Using the green Demarle spoon, stuff a scoop into each shell and place in Sunflower or flower mold coated with marinara sauce. Once shells are stuffed, layer with remaining sauce and top with Mozzarella. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.