Muffaletta Stuffed Pizza Rustica

So we’re going away from 365 this week a bit.  Being a work at home mom, I get to watch the Rachael Ray daytime talk show every day and get great ideas for meals. 

Last week she made this fantastic stuffed pizza.  Now, I did take the liberty of changing a few things here.  First, I don’t like olives much, let alone an olive tapenade, so I took out that whole section and replaced it with a jar of pesto.  I think next time I’d still use the pesto, but maybe only half a jar. 

I was also in fridge clean out mode, so I used whatever toppings I had on hand.  I think I used pepperoni, genoa salami, and pancetta.  For the cheese I used a mix of mozzarella and Colby jack.  The hubby gets made that I always seem to buy cheese every week and our cheese drawer is overflowing.  I caved this week and decided to use up what I had.  For the record, there was only one partially used bag that was expired.

I’ll say that in the end this pizza was OK.  I think ours cooked a little too long and was a little too brown.  I used a thin crust pizza, so I think next time I’d use a thicker dough.  It ended up being a lot of greasy, salty meat, cheese and pesto … with just a little bit of dough.  I think thicker dough would balance out the the toppings much better.

I’ve got the recipe below with my own edits as to what I changed, but give the original a try if you want!

What do you need?

For the olive salad: **I skipped this whole section and used a jar of pesto**
About 1/2 cup pimiento-stuffed olives or pitted Sicilian olives About 1/4 cup pitted black olives
1 cup drained giardiniera (hot pickled vegetable salad)
1 tablespoon anchovy paste, optional
1 roasted red pepper, homemade or store-bought, chopped
2 large clove garlic, finely chopped or grated
A few leaves of basil
A scant handful of flat-leaf parsley

For the pizza:
2 1-pound balls pizza dough, homemade or store-bought
Flour, for rolling out dough
1/2 pound thinly sliced mozzarella or smoked mozzarella
1/3 pound sweet sopressata, thinly sliced
1/3 pound sliced hot ham, coppa or cappacolo
1/2 pound mortadella, thinly sliced
1/2 pound deli-sliced provolone cheese
EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for brushing
Sesame seeds

Yields: Serves 6-8

Now what?

Preheat oven to 450°F.

In the bowl of a food processor, add olives, giardiniera, anchovy paste, roasted pepper, garlic, basil and parsley. Pulse to form a finely chopped relish.

On a floured surface, roll out doughs into 2 thin rounds. Transfer the first to an oil-brushed baking sheet. Top with a layer of olive salad **or pesto**

then even layers of cheeses and meats, leaving a 1-inch edge.

Brush edges with water and top with remaining dough. Pinch all around to seal.

Brush with EVOO and sprinkle with sesame seeds. (Tip: Brush with egg wash for sesame seeds to really stick to the top!) Bake 20-25 minutes to deep golden. Let cool 10 minutes then cut into 8 wedges and serve with a green salad alongside.

How did yours turn out??

Until the next time…
~The girl behind the lama

6. Tex-Mex Mac-n-Cheddar with Beef and Peppers

Ok, so this one didn’t turn out quite as tex-mexy as I had anticipated.  I couldn’t find shredded white cheddar at the store and I wasn’t in the mood to shred my own (lazy I know!) so I used a mix of white and yellow cheddar.  I also got to cooking this and as it was the end of the week, I realized that I had either not purchased enough peppers this week, or poorly rationed them through earlier meals, thus no peppers.  It was the very last meal of the week so all I had left in the fridge was a bag of spinach, so wilted in spinach it was!

It actually ended up tasting really good, but a bit of a deviation from the original plan :)

**This recipe comes from Rachael Ray 365 – No Repeats.  Most of the recipes are directly from the book, but some I do change out ingredients a bit for things my family prefers. I’ll add my own comments in with a **.

What do you need?

Coarse Salt
1 pound elbow macaroni or cavatappi (corkscrew-shaped pasta) 
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) (Once around the pan)
1 pound ground sirloin
1 red or yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into thin strips
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
3 cups whole milk
1 cup chicken stock or broth
3 cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Freshly ground black pepper

Now what?

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add salt to season the cooking water, then add the pasta.  Cook for 8 minutes or until the pasta is cooked al dente .  Drain well and return to the pot.

While the pasta cooks, preheat a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add a drizzle of EVOO and the beef.  Brown the meat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon.  Add the peppers and cook together for 5 minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

**I actually changed the making of the sauce a bit for this recipe.  I wasn’t in the mood to dirty yet another pan, so I went ahead and cooked the onions with the beef.  I removed it from the pan and used that very same pan to make the cheese sauce – I had to make use of all the caramelized bits at the bottom of the pan!**

While the beef cooks, heat a medium sauce pot over medium-low heat.  Add the EVOO and heat with the butter until it melts.  Add the onions and cook for 3 to 5 minutes to sweat them out and turn the juices sweet.  Raise the heat a bit, then whisk in the four, cayenne, and paprika.  Whisk together until the roux bubbles up, then cook for 1 minute more.  Whisk in the milk and stock and raise the heat a bit higher to bring the sauce to a quick boil.  Once it bubbles, drop the heat back to a simmer and cook until the sauce thickens, 3 to 5 minutes. **I whisk in about half of my liquids to see how thick it becomes, then keep adding in more until my sauce is the perfect thickness. **

 

Add the cheese to the thickened sauce and stir to melt it, a minute or so.  Stir in the mustard and season the sauce with salt and pepper.  Pour over the  cooked pasta and toss to combine.   Fold in the beef and bell peppers.  Adjust the seasonings, transfer to a large platter, and serve.

 

4-6 servings

How did yours turn out??

Until the next time…
~The girl behind the lama

12. Spiced Lamb Chops on Sautéed Peppers and Onions with Garlic and Mint Couscous

If you’ve never had couscous before, you are missing out!  It’s a very tiny little pasta and just about goof proof.  Use equal parts broth and couscous.  Bring the broth to a boil,  stir in the couscous, cover, take it off the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes.  Voila!  It’s a little bland when you just use water so I always try to use broth and stir in some kind of vegetable or spice to give it a little flavor.  I also like serving it as a base under whatever my main food is so that is soaks up the juices.

We made a few changes here.  We don’t really like lamb, so we swapped in some New York strip steaks.  We also don’t really like mint in our couscous, so we just took that out and added some parsley.

**This recipe comes from Rachael Ray 365 – No Repeats.  Most of the recipes are directly from the book, but some I do change out ingredients a bit for things my family prefers. I’ll add my own comments in with a **.

What do you need?

8 lamb loin chops **we used 2 strip steaks**
Coarse salt and coarse black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin (1/3 palmful)  **I skipped all spices and just used seasoned salt**
1 teaspoon ground coriander (1/3 palmful)
1 teaspoon sweet paprika (1/3 palmful)
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
2 green bell peppers, cored, seeded and cut into 1 inch squares
1 large yellow onion, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 cup grape or cheery tomatoes
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley (a couple of handfuls), chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups chicken stock or broth
1 1/2 cups couscous
5 or 6 sprigs of fresh mint, finely chopped (about 3 tablespoons) **I skipped this and used some more parsley)
3 tablespoons pine nuts (I skip this as well)

Now what?

Cove the chops with wax paper or plastic and whack each chop with the heel of your hand to flatten it out.  **Not necessary for steaks** Season the chops on both sides with salt and pepper.  Combine the cumin, coriander, and paprika and sprinkle the mixture evenly over the chops.  Pat the spices in place and wash up.  Let the chops stand for 15 minutes. 

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of the VOO.  When the oil is hot, ad the peppers and cook together for 5 minutes, then add the tomatoes and continue to cook until their skins begin to burst.  Add half of the parsley to the skillet and toss.  Transfer the vegetables to a platter and cover loosely with foil to keep warm.  Do not wash the skillet.

Place a tablespoon of the EVOO (just eyeball the amount) in a small pot for the couscous.  Heat the oil over medium heat and add the garlic.  Sautee for 1 minute, then add the chicken stock and bring to a boil.  Add the couscous, remove from the heat and cover the pot.  Let stand for 5 minutes.

Fluff the couscous with a fork and stir in the mint, the remaining parsley and the pine nuts.  The couscous makes a nice bed for the veggies and lamb to catch the juices.

Return the skillet you cooked the veggies in to the stove and add another tablespoon of EVOO, once around the pan.  Add the lamb chops and sear for 2 to 3 minutes on each side for medium rare, 4 minutes each side for medium well.  Arrange the chops on top of the peppers and onions.

4 servings

How did yours turn out??

Until the next time…
~The girl behind the lama

A new approach to keeping my house clean- All you need is 15 minutes!

I’ll admit that I’m never one to keep a really clean house.  It’s always tidy-ish, but never clean and I find my self franticly cleaning every time guests are coming over.  Life doesn’t have to be that way.

I also don’t want to miss out on spending time with my cutie 5 month old son, Jake.

More food mom!! Your squash is Yum-o!

Ah, Jake :)

Anyway, this cleaning thing!  So I’ve adopted a new practice and have been going strong for about 3 weeks now and it seems to really be working! 

It’s all about 15 minutes.  My friend Sara commented the other day that if you’re just dreading cleaning your house, break it into 15 minutes.  Clean for 15, then do something fun for 15.  Set a timer and go!

My strategy is all based on nap time.  Jake usually takes about 2 or 3 good naps a day.  So for the first 15 minutes of each nap I clean.  I pick one room or cluster of rooms per day and focus just there.  Rather than dreading dusting the whole house or vacuuming every single room, one or two rooms a day doesn’t seem all that bad! 

The best part is that once you start, it gets easier because you just cleaned that room a week ago.  In theory you can’t have created that much of a mess in a week, so it’s not the deep cleaning you have to do when you only get to it once a  … month?  If I finish before my 15 minutes is up, then it’s just more time I can do something fun. So today in my first 15 minutes I picked up all the baby and dog toys strewn across the living room, picked up all my random knitting projects, dusted the living room and even had enough time to sit down and write this blog post.  The only thing left to do is vacuum, which can easily be done during nap #2 and, voila!  My living room is clean! 

Easy enough since Jake isn’t destroying my house on a daily basis, but you work with what you’ve got right?  Start small, it really works!

Until the next time …
The girl behind the lama
~LMM

13. Saucy BBQ Chicken Sammies with Pepper and Scallion Potato Salad

Who doesn’t love a good shredded BBQ chicken sandwich?  This one will definitely not disappoint!  We weren’t a huge fan of the potato salad, but it was pretty good.  I think I would have preferred roasted potatoes, but this was a pretty good side kick!

**This recipe comes from Rachael Ray 365 – No Repeats.  Most of the recipes are directly from the book, but some I do change out ingredients a bit for things my family prefers. I’ll add my own comments in with a **.

What do you need?

2 1/2 pounds small potatoes, such as baby Yukon Gold or red-skinned
2 ounces jarred hot pepper rings, drained and chopped, about 3 tablespoons (reserve the juice) **I skipped this because I forgot to buy them at the store**
1 small red bell pepper cored, seeded and chopped
4 scallions, chopped
3 tablespoons cider or wine vinegar (eyeball it)
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup chicken stock or broth
1 cup Mexican beer (or more chicken broth)
4 6 ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 ground cloves, chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (eyeball it)
1 tablespoon hot sauce, such as Tabasco
2 tablespoons grill seasoning blend such as McCormick’s Montreal Steak Seasoning (2 palmfuls)
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar, packed
4 tablespoons tomato paste
1 large sour pickle, chopped  **We skipped the pickles on top and just had them on the side
6 to 8 sweet bread and butter pickle slices chopped **not a fan, so I skipped this**
6 soft burger buns

Now what?

Chunk up the potatoes, cutting them into large bite-sized pieces, and place them in a pot with water to cover.  Bring to a boil, then simmer until tender, 10 to 12 minutes.  Drain the potatoes and return them to the hot pot to dry them out.  Add the hot peppers, bell peppers, scallions to the pot, then dress everything with a splash of the hot pepper juice and the vinegar.  **Before I added the seasonings, I added all the veggies and then just put the cover on while the rest of dinner cooked so the peppers steamed a bit** Toss to combine, then drizzle with 1/4 cup of the EVOO to coat the salad evenly.  Season with salt and pepper.

While the potatoes work, bring the stock and beer to a simmer in a small or medium skillet.  Slide in the chicken breasts and gently poach them for 10 minutes, turning once after 5 minutes. **my chicken breasts were HUGE so it took mine an extra 10 minutes to cook**

While the chicken poaches, heat a second medium skillet over medium-low heat.  To the hot skillet, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of EVOO, the garlic, and the onions and gently sauté until cooked through.  Turn off the heat and set the pan aside.

Combine the Worcestershire, hot sauce, grill seasoning, brown sugar and tomato paste in a medium bowl.  Add 2 ladles of the poaching liquid to the bowl and mix well.  Transfer the chicken breasts to the bowl, then use two forks to shred the meat, and combine it with the seasoning.  Stir the shredded chicken into the pan of sautéed onions and garlic and combine well.  Reheat together for 5 to 10 minutes, adding some more of the poaching liquid to make your chicken as saucy as you like.

Combine the sour and sweet pickles in a small bowl.  Split the rolls and fill with scoops of shredded chicken.  Top with pickle relish and serve with the potato salad.

6 servings

How did yours turn out??

Until the next time…
~The girl behind the lama

17. Honey Nut Chicken Sticks

We are a chicken finger loving family.  I would make them any time.  Put them on a salad, in a wrap or just dip in some honey mustard.

I happened to have some extra potatoes on hand so I diced them up and coated them with some EVOO, parmesan cheese, and Penzy’s Sandwich Sprinkle (one of the most useful seasonings ever!) and roasted them at 400 for 45 minutes.  A very tasty side dish!

I’m very perplexed by my missing pictures on this one.  I took pictures while I cooked, yet the only picture on my SD card is of the final meal, which I guess is better than nothing right? 

**This recipe comes from Rachael Ray 365 – No Repeats.  Most of the recipes are directly from the book, but some I do change out ingredients a bit for things my family prefers. I’ll add my own comments in with a **.

What do you need?

2 pounds chicken tenders (**I used one package which was 1.33 pounds)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 eggs
A splash of milk
2 cups Honey Nut Corn Flakes (**For the life of me I couldn’t find the honey nut corn flakes at the store, so I just used plain old corn flakes)
1 cup bread crumbs
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
2 tablespoons grill seasoning, such as McCormick’s Montreal Steak Seasoning (2 palmfuls)
1/2 cup vegetable oil (eyeball it)

Now what?

Preheat the oven to 400 F

Season the chicken tenders with salt and pepper.  Place the flour in a large, shallow dish.  Coat the chicken in flour.  Beat the eggs and milk in a shallow dish.  Combine the cereal, bread crumbs, paprika, poultry seasoning, grill seasoning, and vegetable oil in a food processor.  Transfer the breading to a shallow dish. 

Place a nonstick baking sheet near the chicken breading station.  In batches, dip the flour-coated chicken into the egg mixture and then in the breading and place on the nonstick cookie sheet. **I like to place a cookie cooling rack onto my cookie sheet and bake the chicken right on the rack.  It helps the heat get around the chicken so it’s crispy all over** When all the tenders have been coated, bake them for 15 minutes, or until evenly browned and cooked through.  Cool enough to handle and serve, or pack up for a picnic!  This chicken may be served hot or cold.

4 servings

How did yours turn out??

Until the next time…
~The girl behind the lama

365 – Week 3

Lots to cook this week! It’s cold out there so a steamy bowl of home cooked food is just what we need. Here’s what I’ve got going for the week:

6. Tex-Mex Mac-n-Cheddar with Beef and Peppers –

7. Smoky Chipotle Mac-n-Cheddar with Tomato and Chorizo – I have no need for mac-n cheese more than once in a week, so we’ll try this one later!

12.  Spiced Lamb Chops on Sautéed Peppers and Onions with Garlic and Mint Couscous – we don’t really like lamb so we’re making this with steaks

13.  Saucy BBQ Chicken Sammies with Pepper and Scallion Potato Salad

14. Fiery Hot Texas T-Bones with Chipotle Smashed Potatoes and Hot and Sweet Pepper Salad – we made this once a few years ago and didn’t really care for it

15.  Super Tuscan Burgers and Potato Salad with Capers and Celery – we aren’t a fan of fancy burgers and hate capers, this one is out!

16.  Oregon-Style Pork Chops with Pinot Noir and Cranberries; Oregon Hash with Wild Mushrooms, Greens, Beets, Hazelnuts and Blue Cheese – We don’t care for mushrooms, kale, beets hazelnuts or blue cheese so this one just doesn’t seem like it’s for us

17.  Honey Nut Chicken Sticks

18.  Turkey Saltimbocca Roll-Ups, Mushroom and White Bean Ragout, and Spinach with Pancetta and Onions

So overall, 5 recipes this week! What are you cooking?

Until the next time …
~The girl behind the lama

11. Italian Sub Stoup and Garlic Toast Floaters

I love soup in the winter.  A steaming warm bowl just warms you up on a blustery snowy day. 

I’ll have to admit that I didn’t love this soup.  It was pretty good, but just not what I like in a soup.  The pepperoni and sausage needed a lot of straining to get all the fat off.  The flavor was great, but there is just something I don’t like about sausage in soup.  I like sausage in sauces …. or on a bun. 

Loved the croutons!  I don’t make croutons often, but I should, yum! I was so in love with the croutons and wanted to eat that I totally forgot to add the spinach.  Sad :(

**This recipe comes from Rachael Ray 365 – No Repeats.  Most of the recipes are directly from the book, but some I do change out ingredients a bit for things my family prefers. I’ll add my own comments in with a **.

What do you need?

Stoup:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) (twice around the pan)
3/4 pound (3 links) hot or sweet Italian sausage, removed from casings
1/4 pound piece pepperoni, diced ***(I don’t like big pieces, so I get the thinly sliced pepperoni and chop it)
1 ham steak, 1/2 to 3/4 pound, diced ***(Not a huge fan of ham in soup so I omit this)
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and quartered, and sliced
1 medium yellow onion, quartered and sliced
1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 cups chicken stock or broth
1 cup gemelli pasta or other shaped pasta
4 cups arugula (2 bunches, trimmed and coarsely chopped) ***I prefer to use a bag of spinach instead

Croutons:
1/4 cup EVOO
3 large garlic cloves, cracked from skins
5 cups crusty bread, cubed
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano0Reggiano (a couple of handfuls)
***I completely skipped the garlic, red pepper flakes and oregano and used Penzy Spice’s Sandwich Sprinkle (otherwise known as crouton seasoning)

Now what?

Place a soup pot on the stovetop and preheat to medium high. ***I love this cast iron pot from Rachael Ray***

Add the EVOO and the sausage.  Brown and crumble the sausage, drain off excess fat if necessary, then add the pepperoni and ham.  **While your meat is browning, cut up the veggies ** Cook for 2 minutes, then add the bell peppers and onions and cook for 2 or 3 minutes more. 

Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.  Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil.  Stir in the pasta and cook for 8 minutes. 

While the pasta cooks, heat the 1/4 cup EVOO in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Add the bread cubes, toss and toast the cubes for 5 or 6 minutes.  Season the toasty cubes with the red pepper flakes, oregano and grated cheese.

Stir the arugula (or spinach) into the stoup just before you serve it up.  Float several bread cubes in each bowl.

4-6 servings

How did yours turn out??

Until the next time…
~The girl behind the lama

5. Mac-n-Smoked Gouda with Cauliflower

This recipe is a swap out meal from recipe #4 (Mac-n-Cheddar with Broccoli).  Exact same method, different veggie, different cheese and voila!  A whole new meal!  I loved the flavor of the smoked Gouda in this one.

I also found that since we were out of town this week I definitely didn’t have whole milk on hand.  Usually I just use whatever milk I have instead of buying whole milk just for this dish.  I decided to use up a container of half and half and my oh my was this a good decision!  It was even the low fat version.  YUM!

Another good side note …. we use Fiesta dishes.  We have found that one cereal bowl full of dry macaroni is just enough pasta for the two of us in a meal … plus a little extra for snacking.

**This recipe comes from Rachael Ray 365 – No Repeats.  Most of the recipes are directly from the book, but some I do change out ingredients a bit for things my family prefers. I’ll add my own comments in with a **.

What do you need?

Coarse Salt
1 pound elbow macaroni or cavatappi (corkscrew-shaped pasta) 
1 head or bag of cauliflower florets  (Fresh if available, frozen if not in season)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) (Once around the pan)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
3 cups whole milk
1 cup chicken stock or broth
3 cups grated smoked Gouda
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Freshly ground black pepper

Now what?

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add salt to season the cooking water, then add the pasta.  Cook for 5 minutes, then add the cauliflower and cook for 3 minutes more or until the pasta is cooked al dente and the florets are just tender.  Drain well and return to the pot.

While the pasta cooks, heat a medium sauce pot over medium-low heat.  Add the EVOO and heat with the butter until it melts.  Add the onions and cook for 3 to 5 minutes to sweat them out and turn the juices sweet.  Raise the heat a bit, then whisk in the four, cayenne, and paprika.  Whisk together until the roux bubbles up, then cook for 1 minute more.  Whisk in the milk and stock and raise the heat a bit higher to bring the sauce to a quick boil.  Once it bubbles, drop the heat back to a simmer and cook until the sauce thickens, 3 to 5 minutes. **I whisk in about half of my liquids to see how thick it becomes, then keep adding in more until my sauce is the perfect thickness. **

Add the cheese to the thickened sauce and stir to melt it, a minute or so.  Stir in the mustard and season the sauce with salt and pepper.  Pour over the cauliflower and cooked pasta and toss to combine.  Adjust the seasonings, transfer to a large platter, and serve.

4-6 servings

How did yours turn out??

Until the next time…
~The girl behind the lama

365 – Week Two

My husband and I unfortunately were out of town unexpectedly for the week, so week two was a short one! Here’s what I’ve got going for the week:

5. Mac-n-Smoked Gouda with Cauliflower – This is a swap out recipe.

6. Tex-Mex Mac-n-Cheddar with Beef and Peppers – I have no need for mac-n cheese more than once in a week, so we’ll try this one later!

7. Smoky Chipotle Mac-n-Cheddar with Tomato and Chorizo – See #6

10. The T2 – Turkey Chili-Topped Turkey Chili Burgers with Red Pepper Slaw and Funky Fries – We really like our burgers plain. A good old fashioned beefy burger with cheese, ketchup and mustard. Try as we might, we have never been a fan of these fancy burgers, so we are skipping them all.

11. Italian Sub Stoup and Garlic Toast Floaters

So overall, 2 recipes this week! What are you cooking?

Until the next time …
~The girl behind the lama