The Best Pizza Ever (Outside of Italy)

Ok... so, I've been posting about food a lot lately. And this isn't at all a food blog. Oops. I guess I didn't get the memo on that one. But the thing is, I just want to share these recipes because the food is so good! I just can't help it. I hope you don't mind. =)

Today's recipe is going to be for pretty much the best pizza... EVER. I'm so not even kidding. Granted, I haven't been to Italy, but let me share a bit of my train of thought as I took my first bites:

"Wow, did I really make this? Is this my doing? And is it really as good as I think it is? Hmm, I better take another bite just to be sure... and another... ok, this is ridiculously good!"

And that's pretty much the story. It was confirmed by both Josh and Jacob (my little brother who was visiting Philly at the time). It's beyond delicious. And it's not in the least bit complicated. In fact, I made it again just to be sure. I actually convinced myself before the second go-around that it wasn't as good as I remembered... but then I made it again, tasted it again, and decided that yes, I probably could exist eating just pizza if it tasted like this.

I found this recipe in Cooking Light, May 2010 (I've been making a lot of their recipes lately -- all very satisfying, by the way). I did make quite a few of my own tweaks, including using pre-made dough and sauce from Trader Joe's (delicious and huge time savers). My version is listed below, but for the original recipe (including dough and sauce), click the link above. However, I think my edits are better, easier, and faster. ;-)

Also, note: I did use a pizza stone and pizza peel to make this. I'm not sure the crust will come out the same without them, so I recommend picking them up if you don't have them. Together mine were about $20 from Target. You can buy them for much more than that... but I figure since I'm not running a restaurant, the cheap stuff is good enough for me. =)

Pizza Margherita 

... or, the Best. Pizza. Ever.

Makes: 1 pie (it "should" serve 5 people... but it's so good it'll really only serve 3)

Hands-On Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 45-55 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 lb pizza dough -- if you live near Trader Joe's, they carry three kinds of fresh dough (white, wheat, herb & garlic) which are all delicious and easy. They last about a week, and the best part? They're ready to go and only $0.99 each. Can't beat that! Also, I used the white both times I made this.
• 1/2 jar pizza sauce -- again, I used Trader Joe's. I think it's $1.89 a jar. Yes, I could probably make it more cheaply (and have at times), but it's a big time saver and lasts two pizzas. Also, since I'm convinced this is the best pizza ever and I made it the same way twice (using Trader Joe's dough and sauce), I'm a bit reluctant to try substitutions!
• 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1 Tablespoon yellow cornmeal
• 1 1/4 cups (5 oz) fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped -- the original calls for 1/3 cup, but we love basil and have a ton of it from our garden, so we pile it on!

Directions

1. There's a little bit of prep work involved here. But it's very easy. First off, if you're using the pizza dough from Trader Joe's (which I think you should), you have to pull it out to let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. At the same time, you can put your pizza stone in a cold oven, then preheat the oven to 500. Quickly slice your mozzarella cheese, then walk away for 20 minutes. See? Totally easy prep work.
   
2. Once the dough has been sitting out for 20 minutes, sprinkle a surface with flour and/or cornmeal. This is where I'm not an expert in the least, but have just figured out something that works for me. I tend to work and roll the dough into as best and as big of a circle as I can. I transfer my dough from the counter to the peel once I get it into a large circle. Crimp the edges to make a 1/2" border. Be sure to sprinkle the peel with cornflour so it doesn't stick. (This is pretty important.)
   
3. Once your dough is ready and on the pizza peel (or a well-floured cookie sheet without a lip), sprinkle the dough with the 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, then pour on 1/2 of the jar of pizza sauce and spread evenly over the dough, leaving about 1/2" border. Arrange the mozzarella slices evenly over pizza.
   
4. Very carefully, slide the pizza from the peel onto the heated pizza stone. A spatula can be very helpful here! This is by far the hardest part, and why you need to make sure to use cornmeal!
   
5. Bake at 500 for 12 minutes or until the crust is golden.
   
6. Remove pizza and sprinkle the fresh basil over the top. Slice and serve immediately... and get ready for some of the best pizza you've ever tasted! =)

I don't have any process shots... but, mmm, I've got some finished ones, and honestly, if I had the ingredients to make this RIGHT NOW, I totally would. It's just that good.

Fresh Summer Dinner -- Roasted Cherry Tomato Spaghetti

Some of you might remember when I wrote a while ago about my recovering relationship with spaghetti. Josh and I ate a lot of spaghetti at his house back in his bachelor days (in his defense, we were both teaching and it was cheap, quick, and easy). But since then, I've had a hard time really enjoying spaghetti like I used to. Every now and then, though, I find something fun that makes me give it a try again as I try to learn to love spaghetti once more.

That said... this recipe (adapted from one in Cooking Light, June 2010) is something that I could probably eat almost every day. My psychological block with spaghetti prevents it, but oh my goodness, this is so simple and so delicious. With summer coming in full swing, this is definitely going to be on our menu. The ingredients are simple, so be sure you use quality ones. This largely means make sure you have good tomatoes, fresh basil and parsley, and a cheese you like. Even once it's ready, it doesn't necessarily look like much, but don't be fooled! It's a whole bunch of deliciousy goodness, especially with a simple salad and garlic bread.

A word of warning: this meal could get expensive if you buy all the ingredients at the grocery store. This is definitely a seasonal meal, so enjoy it while these things are in season! Buying from the store, this could probably cost $10-$15. Which, for 6 servings isn't horrible, but it's definitely not great, either. However, if you have a garden, or at least an herb garden (which I definitely recommend), you don't have to pay an arm and a leg for the basil and parsley, which will significantly cut costs. And, pretty soon those cherry tomatoes will be ripe, too! (Ours are a tempting green right now... I just want them to hurry on up!) If you live in Philly, I recommend visiting Greensgrow Farms to pick up some plants, but you should be able to find them at any local nursery -- including somewhere like Home Depot.

I don't have any photos -- we ate it too quickly! I guess you'll just have to make it and see for yourself!



Quick-Roasted Cherry Tomato Spaghetti
Makes: 6 servings
Total Time:  25-30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 Tablespoon kosher salt*
• 12 oz spaghetti noodles (3/4 of a box)
• 2 pints cherry tomatoes
• 3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar (either is fine)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt*
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped or torn
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 3/4 cup (3 oz) feta or semisoft goat cheese

*If you use sea salt instead of kosher salt, cut the amount of salt used in half.


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450.
2. Bring about 4 quarts of water to boil in a large Dutch oven (a big pot, also known as a French oven). As you wait for the water to boil, combine the tomatoes, 1 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper in a bowl. Toss gently to coat tomatoes well. Place tomatoes on a jelly roll pan (basically a cookie sheet with a lip) and bake at 450 for 8-10 minutes, or until tomatoes are soft and lightly charred.
3. When water comes to a boil, add 1 Tbs salt and the spaghetti. Cook 10 minutes or until spaghetti is al dente (still a little firm). When spaghetti is done, reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Then drain the noodles and return them to the pot.
4. Add tomatoes and any tomato juice to the spaghetti. Add 1/4 of the reserved cooking water to the jelly roll pan to loosen and scrape up any brown bits. Carefully pour the jelly roll pan contents into the spaghetti mixture, and add the remaining 2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil, 1/4-1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (the more you add, the hotter the dish will be), and 1/4 tsp garlic powder.
5. Turn heat to medium. Add the rest of the reserved cooking water slowly into the spaghetti, tossing/mixing frequently. Mix in the basil and parsley. You can either add the cheese to the pot or serve it separately, adding to individual plates (or letting people add it themselves. Eat immediately and enjoy!

Springtime Dinner - Pasta with Asparagus & Pancetta

With it getting warmer around here, Josh and I are starting to get our garden going. Perhaps I'll post a little bit more on that later, but we're hoping to grow a bunch of vegetables and herbs again this year, as well as receive lots of delicious goodies from our community garden CSA. Along with various farmer's markets starting up, I'm hoping to significantly cut back on what we need to buy from the grocery store. It's a happy time. 

Along with the promise of fresh, local produce again, I've been pulling out some of my cookbooks and magazines, and searching for recipes that capitalize on some of this Spring goodness. Below is a recipe I found in the March 2010 issue of Cooking Light. I haven't actually used pancetta before, but have been wanting to, and this looked like a great opportunity to try. Not to mention it makes great use of fresh asparagus, which is the first local produce to hit our area.

This recipe went together really easily and pretty quickly, and Josh and I really enjoyed it. The flavors are delicate and rich at the same time, and it was a deliciously light and filling Springtime dinner. The only adjustments I made were to add a little more garlic (the original recipe called for 1 teaspoon - I used 3 cloves), and a little less than 1/4 cup cheese, but aside from that, it's pretty much all the same. Enjoy!

Pasta with Asparagus, Pancetta, and Pine Nuts

Makes: 4 servings

Total: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 8 oz cavatappi pasta - I couldn't actually find cavatappi, so I just used rotelle
• 1 pound asparagus, trimmed and diagonally cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 Tablespoons pine nuts
• 2 oz pancetta, diced
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup (1 oz) Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, crumbled
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Cook pasta according to directions, omitting salt/fat if it calls for it. As you wait for the water to come to a boil, trim and diagonally cut the asparagus into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Add the asparagus to the pasta for the last 3 minutes of cooking. Also, while the pasta is cooking, go ahead and mince the garlic and dice the pancetta.
3. When the pasta is done, drain and sprinkle pasta mixture with garlic. Return to pan and toss well.
4. When the oven is ready, arrange pine nuts in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan (baking pan with edges). Bake at 400 for 2-3 minutes, or until golden and fragrant, stirring 1-2 times. Take out and place in a small bowl.
5. Increase the oven temperature to 475. Arrange the pancetta on the same baking pan. Bake at 475 for 5-6 minutes, or until crisp.
6. Combine lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper with a whisk. Drizzle over pasta mixture; toss well to coat. Sprinkle with pine nuts, pancetta, and cheese.

Some Good Ol' Fashioned Applesauce

Guess what? It's time for some recipe love!

It's been a while since I've put any up here, and since I promised some tasty apple treats, I figured I'd better get on it. And you know I've been using apples a lot lately, since Josh and I picked about 18 pounds....



Yeah, we definitely picked a lot of apples.


Anywho, when I was little, I have a very distinct memory of my dad fixing lunch for me when I was sick. I'm guessing my mom had probably already taken a few days off from work to stay home with me, so it was his turn (or something like that), because usually it was my mom who cared for my sickly self. But for whatever reason, it was my dad that day. And he fixed me a lunch of chicken noodle soup, toast, a hard-boiled egg, and applesauce. Maybe that was just what was in the pantry, or maybe that's what I requested... I don't know. But I do know that after that, whenever I was sick, I always asked for those things.

I know, I know, weird story to tell. But those foods have all definitely become some of my comfort foods, and the things I want to eat when I'm not feeling well, or when I just want to cuddle up and be all comfy-cozy.

So naturally, I have to share a recipe for applesauce with you. This is applesauce the good ol' fashioned way. It's a mixture of a couple recipes I've found... but, for the most part, applesauce recipes are largely the same. I've settled on this because it really lets the apple flavor shine through, instead of focusing on other ingredients like, oh, SUGAR. (And we know we all live in a way over-sugared society.) This one does use a little bit of sugar (1/4 cup), but if you're diabetic or just don't want any sugar, it's quite easy to take out - just make sure you're using sweet apples, not tart ones.

Sadly, I don't have any pictures of the process or product for you - we ate it up too quickly. However, this recipe is very easy and simple, and you won't believe how GOOD it tastes! I doubt you'll ever be able to go back to store-bought applesauce...


Applesauce, the Good Ol' Fashioned Way
Makes: about 3 1/2 cups (6-8 servings)
Prep: 15 minutes
Total: 40 minutes

Note: If you have a food mill, you don't need to peel the apples beforehand. However, if you don't have one (like me) OR if you prefer a more coarse applesauce (also, like me), you can simply peel the apples before coring them. Then, after they're done cooking, you can simply use a potato masher or a wooden spoon to break them up.


Ingredients:

• 4 pounds apples (about 8-12), cored and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks (There is so much debate about what kind of apples to use for applesauce, and if you need to have more than one variety. I've been using Jonagold or Jonathans, which both have a balanced sweet/tart flavor and thus eliminates the need for a lot of excess sugar (some recipes call for up to 1 cup). Pink Lady apples are also supposed to be a good choice, and I've heard Macouns work well, too. Just remember that if you go with too tart of an apple, you'll have to add more sugar, and if you go with too sweet of an apple, it might be more like candy than applesauce.)
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• Pinch of salt (or a little less than 1/8 teaspoon, if you don't like measuring by "pinches")
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch nutmeg (again, a little less than 1/8 teaspoon, if you don't like measuring by "pinches")

Directions:

1. If you are NOT using a food mill (see note above), peel your apples. This is pretty simple, and if you haven't done it before, here's a quick video:

Once you're done peeling your apples, or if you are going to use a food mill, core the apples and cut them into 1 1/2-inch chunks.

2. Mix the apples, water, sugar, and salt in a large pot/Dutch oven. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are soft and begin to break down.

3. If you are using a food mill, process the apples. If you're going for the more chunky variation, use a potato masher to break it up to a consistency of your liking. (If you don't have a food mill and want a more smooth texture, you can puree it in a blender.)

4. Stir in the cinnamon and nutmeg, and add sugar or water as needed to adjust the consistency. My personal favorite: serve warm! And enjoy! Or, cool to room temperature (about 1 hour), and enjoy! If you don't eat up all the delicious goodness right away, you can store it in an airtight container for up to a week in the fridge.


And there you have it! Incredible, amazing, and oh-so-good homemade applesauce, done the ol' fashioned way! And trust me, it's just the right snack on a breezy, somewhat chilly, beautiful Fall day.

Some September Happenings...

So. It's already October. Can you believe it? There are less than 3 months left in 2009! September was a bit of a whirlwind over here. It brought a lot of changes for us, since our jobs are so tied to the school year (that happens when you work at a school and a church). Here are a few quick happenings...

September started out with quite a bit of grey and rain... including one storm where we lost power for a number of hours due to a lightning strike at the end of our block. Gotta love those live wires. All the neighbors were out watching, but from the safety and dryness of the porch (me included - you can see how heavily it was raining by looking at the street). Thankfully, no one was hurt, there wasn't any damage, and the fire department and PECO came out pretty quickly to fix things.
While the rain might've dampened our spirits a bit (ooh! seven points for the bad pun!), our garden LOVED it! We've had a really great first year with our backyard garden (the 10 or so square feet of it that isn't concrete), and we've enjoyed getting additional veggies from our community garden CSA as well. I sadly didn't take a picture, but for the past month and a half, we've had a collection of about 20-30 tomatoes in our fridge. I kid you not. I've been specifically researching recipes tat use lots of tomatoes (besides spaghetti sauce, though we've made a few deliciously fresh batches), but it seemed no matter how quickly I used them, there were more! Good problem to have, huh? We're now finally down to about 5 tomatoes, but that hasn't stopped us from enjoying lots of Caprese salads. Below are a couple shots of some of the basil and peppers from our backyard... pretty delicious, huh?

One new culinary discovery for me this month - toasted garlic! I am a bit of a garlic addict, but I had never actually toasted it before. However, it's so delicious and so easy (and so much quicker than roasting), and I'm now a big fan. You just pop a few unpeeled cloves into a skillet over medium heat, and wait about 5 minutes until they start to develop small brown spots on the outside. Then, peel them and it's toasty soft garlicky goodness after that.

On the fun side of things, Josh and I have been rediscovering Rock Band. It'd been a while since we had played (mostly due to my gimp wrist), but we've been getting back into the swing of things lately. Josh usually plays drums, but here he's reacquainting with his old friend, the guitar...

September 22 was also a pretty important day... Josh's birthday! I love birthdays. Especially when they're for people I really love. And Josh would be one of those people. So it was pretty fun. We had a game night/mini celebration with some friends, which included an infamous Rainbow Cake (!) with chocolate frosting, crumbled candy bar topping (you bet), and lots and lots of candles on it....

Did I mention it was a NEON Rainbow Cake?!

Birthday celebrations in the Chen household wouldn't be complete without playing at least one board game... so we gave Fury of Dracula (Josh's birthday present, as it was) a go. It's a pretty sweet game. Josh played Dracula and the rest of us were hunters trying to catch him. Needless to say, he creamed us. (Though we did beat him the next week when Lydia, Joao, and Danielle came to visit.)

As September came to a close, the weather finally began to realize it was time to change, and the leaves started turning. We went from the mid-80s and high humidity one week to the low 60s the next. I love the summer, but I can't deny that I am looking forward to the excitement and change this Fall wind is bringing. It's a new season in Philadelphia, and I'm ready to jump in and see what's in store (and go crunch a few leaves, too).

Best. Garlic. Bread. EVER.

I kid you not. This is probably the best garlic bread you could ever want to make -- or eat. Which is really the important factor in this.

Yes, I know what you're thinking... why would you need a recipe for something like garlic bread? Well, just try a slice of this stuff and you'll know why.

Ingredients:

• 1 loaf Italian bread, sliced into 1"-thick pieces (you'll have about 12-14 slices)
• 8 Tablespoons butter, softened
• 4 gloves carlic, pressed or minced (if they're small cloves, go with 5-6, don't skimp on the garlic)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar

Directions:

1. Place a baking sheet into the oven, and then preheat the oven to 425. Having a hot baking sheet is a must.

2. In a small bowl, use a fork to beat the butter, garlic, salt, pepper, and sugar until well mixed and smooth.

3. Spread the butter mix onto both sides of the bread slices, and put aside on a plate.

4. Once all the slices are buttered, take out the hot baking sheet and carefully arrange the slices on it. Bake for 8-10 minutes for the first side, then flip and bake for 5 more. They should be a deliciously and appealing toasty brown when you take them out.

5. Let cool for 2 minutes... then serve and ENJOY the wonderfully amazing deliciousness!

Note: This also freezes well. After step 3, place the slices on a plate and put them in the freezer for 15 minutes to set. Then, take them out, put them in a freezer bag, and stick them back in the freezer. When you're ready to eat them, just add 2 minutes to the bake time for the first side. Just don't forget to preheat the baking sheet and oven, first! =)

Rainbow Cake!

Ok, so this blog is REALLY late coming. Months late. I apologize. But I think you'll forgive me because what I'm about to share with you is TOTALLY AWESOME!

Welcome to the world of Rainbow Cake.

The route to this recipe was rather random (well, unless you take the chaos theory into account, in which things are never really ever random at all), but it was a road worth traveling. I found this sweet foodie blog, Omnomicon, through my favorite decorating blog, decor8, which I originally came across a while back from my favorite blog of all time, Dooce. So there ya go. Needless to say, Aleta at Omnomicon is just fabulous. She's got great ideas, delicious recipes, fantastic photos, and is a wonderfully entertaining writer. Be sure to check out her blog.

Now, when I saw this Rainbow Cake, I knew it had to be one of my projects. It's just THAT COOL. I (quite proudly) exercised my patience and waited 2 whole weeks to make it, so I could make it for our growth cell on my night for dessert. Let's just say it was a hit. A really big hit. So for all of you who might mistakingly think this is a "just for kids" project, think again. All the 20 and 30-somethings in our group loved it. I then made a second one for my little brother's impromptu 15th birthday party (a week early) when we were in Seattle in April. My sister, Airika, helped me make it, and my whole family (especially Airika's husband, Gerald), LOVED it.

To start, the recipe is for a "diet" cake, and the ingredients are really simple. The cake includes cake mix and clear, diet soda. That's right -- no eggs -- meaning you can eat ALL THE BATTER YOU WANT and not have to worry about getting salmonella. (But I'll admit right now, it never stops me from eating the chocolate chip cookie dough. What's the point of making chocolate chips if you don't eat a quarter of the dough first?!) Before you get all excited about the salmonella-free cake batter, let me just say it will look much more impressive actually baked, so don't eat it all. Also, there is a "diet" frosting that includes fat-free cool whip and instant pudding mix, or you can just use store-bought frosting (which we did the second time). So seriously, this is a no-brainer and you should make it as soon as you can. It'll bring MUCH happiness. I promise.

You can find the recipe over at omnomicon, and here are a few of my own quick tips:

• Use the recipe for a double batter. (Yes, that means it will be a layered cake, and yes, you MUST make 2 boxes. It's really a necessary thing. Trust me.)
• Try out the clear soda thing. It works. I've used ginger ale both times. Works fabulously.
• If you have/can find gel food coloring (I think the kind used by professional bakers), get that. If not, just use the regular pack of 4 you find at the grocery store (usually in the spices section).
• Be sure to grease your pans well -- you don't want messy sticking-to-the-pans rainbow cake. Make sure you add enough food coloring that each color is quite brilliant (it will dull a bit when cooking), and contrasts with the other colors. You want red and orange, not pink and peach.
• When adding your batter to each pan, you're going to have each color in both pans, but pay attention to the order. In the first pan, start with the red. Pour about two-thirds of the red batter into the middle of the pan. Next, pour about 2/3s of the orange batter into the middle of the pan (on top of the red -- don't worry, the red will dissipate outwards). Then add 2/3s of the yellow batter, again in the middle of the pan. Now, SWITCH PANS, and SWITCH THE ORDER. So, start with purple, and pour two-thirds of the batter into the center of the pan, then add 2/3s of the blue and 2/3s of the green. You should now have two pans with 3 colors each, and 1/3 of the batter left for each color. In the first pan (with red, orange, and yellow), add the remaining third of the green, then the blue, then the purple batters. In the pan with purple, blue, and green, add the remaining third of the yellow, orange, and red batters (in that order). Think RAINBOW.
• If you're an adventurer or on a diet, try making the "diet frosting." If you really like your frosting, use your own recipe or go get a tub of frosting from the grocery store. For the first cake, I made the diet frosting. I think people liked it.... but I just thought it was ok. It has a pretty sticky texture and is hard to spread. The second time through I got vanilla frosting (so I could color it) and I was a much happier camper, I must admit.

And that's it for the advice. Now time for the pictures (which is what it's all about anyway)...

The plain batter...

Mixing in the colors...

RAINBOW colors!!!

Pouring in the batter -- notice the reverse order:

The completed color merges -- aren't you getting excited?!

Starting to make the frosting (we went with teal the first time, orange the second)

The dirty dishes. I stole this idea from Omnomicon. It was just that cool.

Mmm!!! So exciting!!!

About to frost the first layer...

Frosted! It looks like a completely normal cake on the outside....

...but inside it's just pure AWESOME!!!

So, anyone want a slice?

A Sinfully Delicious Dinner

Over the past few years, I've come to realize that one of my favorites things to do during the course of any given week, is to have a leisurely Saturday morning breakfast. I LOVE sleeping in (even when that just means sleeping until 8am), lazily getting up, staying in my pjs, and preparing something delicious without any time constraints or pressures. Breakfast foods are, arguably, my favorite types of food (aside from that big "DESSERT" label, of course), and I love having the opportunity to make them.

Sadly, I am not the kind of person who has the time to make breakfasty goodness during the week or on Sundays. What this really means is that, yes, I am cheating on my breakfast foods because as much as I love them, I love my sleep just a little bit more. Most breakfasts in our house fall into the "quick" categories of cereal, oatmeal, yogurt, bagels, or smoothies. I don't do pancakes or french toast or eggs or anything fun during the week. Translation: all the REALLY good stuff usually gets ignored.

Since my "leisurely Saturday morning breakfasts" usually only occur once, maybe twice a month, I turn to the next best thing: breakfast for dinner! It usually happens about once a month in our house. This week, I decided to try something I've never made before... crepes! They were surprisingly easy to make, and with our teamwork, Josh and I made them pretty quickly. The biggest thing to note is that the batter must chill at least 2 hours before you make the crepes. Take heed. I had a nasty shock the first night I wanted to make them because I forgot about that chill time. However, it takes about, oh, 3 minutes to actually make the batter, so it's super easy to whip up the night before. So, below is the recipe for lemon-ricotta crepes with strawberry topping and all the goodness that comes with them. You will not regret it.

*Note: I made the batter beforehand, then Josh and I worked simultaneously for the actual making and filling of the crepes. While I started cooking the crepes, he made the filling. By the time he was done, I had a few crepes for him to start filling and rolling. It worked out pretty well, with me keeping just barely ahead of him. It took us about 25 minutes to cook/fill the crepes, then the 10 minutes for them in the oven. I highly recommend this method. It's faster and provides some quality hang-out time.

Crepes (Makes about 15 9" crepes)
Prep: 5 minutes, plus 2 hours for batter to chill

• 1 cup milk (the recipe said whole, I used skim, they tasted just fine)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• 6 Tablespoons water
• 3 Tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Pour all of the ingredients into your blender or food processor, and mix until smooth (about 5 seconds). Put in a covered container and refrigerate the batter for 2 hours -- or up to 2 days.

2. When you're ready to make the crepes, heat a 10" nonstick skillet over medium heat for about 3 minutes (you can use an 8" pan, although I personally prefer the slightly larger crepe size). Brush the bottom of the pan lightly with butter - it should sizzle if the temperature is correct. When the butter stops sizzling, remove the pan from the heat, tilt the pan at an angle, and pour 1/4 cup of the batter at the top of the pan so it drips down the rest of the pan (like going down a slide). As you pour the batter, swirl the pan around so the batter is evenly spread across the skillet BEFORE returning it to the heat (see picture below). Cook until the first side is a spotty golden brown - about 30-60 seconds. Very carefully, use a thin spatula to loosen the crepe, and gently flip it (you'll probably need to use your fingers, too). Cook about 30 seconds longer, then transfer it to a paper-towel-lined plate.

*Note, again: Perhaps you like a LOT of filling, but when we made these, we had almost double the filling we needed for the amount of crepes we had. Now, there are two ways of solving this. Either double the crepe batter or halve the filling.... or just do what we did and stick the filling in the fridge and make crepes again a couple days later. (I also halved the strawberry topping part from the beginning because I knew we wouldn't need it all for one evening and didn't want to waste my delicious strawberries.)

Lemon-Ricotta Crepes with Strawberry Topping

• 1 quart strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup, plus 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier (optional)
• 1 15 oz. container ricotta cheese (about 2 cups)
• 1 egg
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

1. Mash half the strawberries to a rough pulp with 2 Tablespoons of the sugar and Grand Marnier. Gently stir in the remaining strawberries, cover, and refrigerate until needed.

2. Adjust an oven rack to the upper-middle position and preheat the oven to 475. Stir the ricotta, 1/2 cup sugar, egg, lemon juice, and salt together until smooth. Spray a rimmed baking sheet with vegetable oil spray. Working one crepe at a time, spoon 2 full Tablespoons of the mixture in a line across the crepe, just off of center. Fold the "ends" over the filling, then tightly (but gently!) roll the crepe to look a bit like a mini burrito. Place it on the baking sheet.

Since I know that was confusing, below are step-by-step pictures, with Josh being the fabulous model and chef extraordinaire.

3. Once all the crepes are rolled, cover lightly with foil and bake until heated through, about 10 minutes. Let cool a minute or two, then spoon the strawberry topping on before serving... and, ta da! Beautiful, delicious, scrumptious crepes and a fantastically wonderful meal. Enjoy!

Imagination + Sweet Tooth = Happy Goodness

Even though I already have a confectionery project planned (look for it next week), I started drooling as soon as I saw this pirate cake:

And YES, I know I love pirates, and that I sort of just want to be Johnny Depp, and that I convinced Josh to name one of our kittens Captain Jack Sparrow.... but c'mon! Tell me that's not one of the coolest cakes ever!

I originally found this over on Hostess With The Mostess, but she got it via parenting.com. While I have no desire to subscribe to that magazine/blog for quite a long while, I really want my friends' children to be older so I could make a sweet cake like this! (Though, really, I'd totally make these for my "grown up" friends.) You should check out the whole article -- there are 31 birthday cakes and they're ALL amazing! Seriously, even if you don't want to make a cake, just take a look. SO MUCH FUN. Some of them are a bit more advanced, to be sure, but there are also quite a few that I, who has just as little experience as anyone else, could make. Here are some more of my favorites...

The above are family-themed (yes, inspired by family members), the below are friend-themed. If you think one of them was chosen with you in mind... you may very well be right. =)

I am really going to have to make something like this soon. And while I'll admit that "soon" may mean within the next year... I'm determined it shall come to pass. So much goodness!

Avoiding "Oh crap, what's for dinner?!"

If you're like most of us out there, you've probably experienced it before: you're driving home from work, or at the end of a busy day -- a day that was longer than you expected -- and you'll have just enough time once you get home to make dinner and eat before you have to leave again to make it to small group... except, oh crap, what's for dinner?!

I used to experience that "moment" on a semi-regular basis. And the "moments" afterwards, where I realized I didn't have ALL the ingredients for ANY of my quickest dinners, and that I also didn't have time to stop at the grocery store during the crazy hours (I DETEST the grocery store from 4:30-6:30pm). So then I'd get home and fly through my cupboards to see if there was anything that would work... only to end up eating ramen, cereal, or some random something that I thankfully happened to have stuck away in the back of the freezer.

After we got married, I experienced a new "moment" -- Josh asking me what there was that he could eat for lunches and snacks. Since we're still in that newlywed phase, which includes learning about the other person's living habits, he wasn't used to my "kind" of shopping (hey, there IS a cultural difference), and didn't want to eat something I was planning on using for a dinner at some point. It was a valid point, especially since he's home/in the neighborhood a good portion of the day because of his internship.

So, in an effort to organize things a bit more, get rid of some evening/dinnertime stress, and make sure Josh didn't starve, I created the following dinner planning menu:

I know a lot of people probably are going, "Well, duh..." but it was a fairly life-style altering decision for me to start planning out our meals in advance. I've been doing it for a few months now and I LOVE that I don't ever really have to think about dinner. I just get home and look at this list which is conveniently up on the fridge. Now, this isn't to say that we ABSOLUTELY FOLLOW THE LIST AT ALL TIMES PERIOD. Because that's silly. But it is really helpful to have the guide, and usually 6 out of 7 days a week we make what's written (and Josh really likes the lunch/snacks sections, too).

You might think this is a huge task to do each week, but I can't tell you how much it's helped my sanity (and satisfied the Teach For America part of me that likes to know what's coming... backwards planning, people!). I just sit down sometime during the week or on Saturday morning and plan out a menu based on our weekly commitments, writing in the quicker meals on the days we have less time to make/eat dinner, letting myself go with a little bit more intensive or fancy meals on the days we have an evening at home. Our trips to the grocery store have gotten more focused (less impulse "But we might need it!" buying), and it has also really helped us cut back on the "Uh, let's just go out to dinner" nights, which "cheap" as the places you go may be, add up REALLY quickly. Now, we eat out less, enjoy our meals in more, save money, and I, at least, am generally happier around meal time!

P.S. If you'd like a PDF version of this (it prints out 2 per page), just let me know =)

My Recovering Relationship with Spaghetti

Before Josh and I got married, if we ate dinner at his house, it was usually one of two things: stir fry or spaghetti. Now, I have never had ANY complaints about when he makes stir fry - his beef and peppers with AA choy veggies is one of my favorite meals ever (which is saying something). However, after over a year of eating spaghetti at least once a week, my taste buds can barely stomach the thought of noodles and tomato sauce. In fact, I don't think I've made spaghetti one time in the 7 months we've been married. I have, indeed, realized that this avoidance is pretty silly, especially considering how quick and easy spaghetti is, but I needed a creative way to get past the barricade my revolting taste buds put up. I think I found it.

Below is a ravioli bake that I found online somewhere and then modified a little. One of my big rules about cooking is that it needs to be ready in 30-45 minutes. If I'm feeling ambitious, I'll maybe push it to an hour. This dish is a little different, in that it takes about an hour and 15 minutes from start to end, but the beauty of it is the preparing... and the leaving. It literally takes about 10 minutes to prepare, you put it in the oven, check back 40 minutes later, then check back again 20 minutes after that and it's done! If that's not easy, I don't know what is. It's also a larger dish, so you can either feed numerous hungry people, or put it in the fridge and let it feed your very-hungry-husband for lunch for a few days. And the last noteworthy benefit of this one is that there's nothing really "special" about any of the ingredients. The only thing we don't usually already have on hand is the ravioli, which is incredibly easy to buy and stick in the freezer. It is a perfect "I don't know what to make for dinner" dish. And, if you, too, feel your stomach turn at the thought of spaghetti, perhaps this can aid you in the recovery process as it has me.


Ravioli Bake (Serves 8)
Prep: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes


Ingredients

• 1 jar (26-28 oz) tomato pasta sauce (any variety, though I like the garden mixtures or any sort of kind with veggies in it)
• 1 package (25-28 oz) frozen spinach or cheese-filled ravioli
• 2 cups (8 oz) mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 5-6 mushrooms (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray the bottom and sides of a 13x9x2" rectangular baking dish (think Pyrex), with cooking spray.

2. (This step is optional - if pressed for time, go to the next step) Pour the pasta sauce into a small mixing bowl. Mince a couple cloves of garlic (or use 1/2 to 1 teaspoon garlic powder) and mix in, as well as 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, and 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning for a little extra flavor.

3. Slice the mushrooms thinly (as if putting in a salad). Spread about ¾ cup of the pasta sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Add a layer of sliced mushrooms. Arrange half of the frozen ravioli in a single layer over the sauce; top with half of the remaining pasta sauce and 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat the layers again, starting with the ravioli. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese on the very top.

4. Cover with aluminum foil and bake 40 minutes. After 40 minutes, remove the foil and bake uncovered another 15-20 minutes or until bubbly and hot in the center. Let it stand about 10 minutes before serving.

Wonton Soup... and a Gadget

I'm currently in a stage of life where I'm really loving exploring new recipes. Perhaps it's that I finally have my "own" kitchen, or that I actually have the right pots, pans, utensils, etc. to make things, or that I have a car to get to the grocery store, or that I have someone to make and eat dinner with... or a little bit of all those things. But my cooking interests have really intensified, especially since getting married. As I'm getting into this blog and getting excited about "things I could do", I figured I might as well add some stuff about cooking. I am in NO WAY an expert at this -- notice, this is all about "cooking" with no mention of "culinary" -- I'm just a girl trying to find simple, relatively quick recipes that taste good.

A couple nights ago, Josh and I made wonton soup for dinner. While this is something Josh has made before, it was my first attempt with him. The wontons were quite good - and easy. And if I (yeah, I'll take the blame for this one) hadn't tried to experiment with the broth, it probably would have been quite delicious (the broth was still ok - just not fantastic). If you're a lover of wonton soup, or just like trying new things, here's our version of the recipe, taken from Josh's mom and with a few ingredients of our own, filled with a number of approximations, and with a helpful gadget listed at the bottom.

Wonton Soup

Serves 4

Filling (makes 25-30 wontons)

• 30 square wonton skins (make sure they're wonton skins, and that you don't purchase them more than 1-3 days in advance -- they'll go bad fairly quickly)
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten (you can use water for this step if you wish, the egg will work better, though)
• 1/2 lb ground pork
• 1/4 cup shrimp, shelled, deveined, and chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon (about) ginger, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons (about) scallion, finely chopped
• pinch of sugar
• pinch of white pepper
• dash of sesame oil

Broth

• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons (about) scallion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon (about) cilantro, chopped, to garnish

1. Mix all the filling ingredients together and stir well until the mixture is thick. Set aside for 15-20 minutes.

2. To make the wontons, place a small spoonful (a little more than a teaspoon) of the filling in the middle of a wonton skin. Brush the edges with a little bit of the egg white (or water), and then fold the skin over itself (as if folding it in half to make a rectangle). Squeeze the edges carefully together, making sure the filling is "sealed" in. (This is where you want to check out the handy-dandy gadget at the bottom.)

3. If it's your first time making wontons, about halfway through, start heating the chicken stock (then continue working on making the wontons). If you've done this before - you know your timing. When the stock reaches a boil, add the white pepper, and salt to taste. Add the wontons and boil for about 5 minutes, or until the skins start to wrinkle around the wonton filling.

4. While the wontons are boiling, divide the scallions into the bottom of your bowls, then when the soup is ready, spoon in the wontons. Add cilantro on top.


Now, for all you faux-Asians like me - or just those of you who don't want to fold/press the dumplings by hand - check out this dumpling press from Helen's Asian Kitchen. We got it as a wedding gift from our registry at Bed, Bath & Beyond, and we love it. It definitely makes making wontons/dumplings a LOT easier and faster for my non-Asian self, and Josh doesn't mind it, either. It's also supposed to be good for making things like ravioli, empanadas, potstickers, etc., and at $5, it's nowhere near a hefty investment - just a fun one. So, have fun, and go enjoy some wonton soup.