Corn and Bacon Pizza with Baby Arugula

This recipe was in a section of summer recipes in a Good Housekeeping magazine.  It recommends making mini pizzas and grilling them, and although that sounds much more delicious, I altered the recipe.  I would love to try grilling pizza sometime.  Let me know if you have any tips.

Derrick and I loved this pizza.  I was skeptical because there is no sauce, but the goat cheese makes it so delicious.  I can't wait to make this again, and meanwhile I am going to look for some more goat cheese recipes.

1 Pillsbury pizza crust (or 1 pound of pizza dough)
olive oil
8 ounces of bacon (I used less since I only put bacon on half)
2 cooked, diced chicken breasts
4 ears of corn (I had to use frozen corn)
6 ounces crumbled goat cheese or ricotta cheese
2 cups baby arugula
1/2 cup shaved Parmesan
pepper

Brush pizza dough with olive oil or bacon drippings.  Crumble goat cheese and bacon over crust.  Top with chicken, corn, and baby arugula.  Bake at 400 degrees 13-17 minutes (convection oven 11 minutes).  Top with shaved Parmesan, and sprinkle with pepper.

Grilled version:

Prepare grill for covered direct grilling on medium-high.  Divide one pound of pizza dough into 4 pieces and stretch into 8-inch rounds.  Brush with half the bacon drippings.  Grill, brushed side down, covered, 3 minutes or until bottoms are crisp.  Turn over; brush with remaining drippings.  Top with toppings.  Grill covered 3 minutes or until bottoms are crisp.

Tomato Basil Soup

I have been so excited to try this recipe from my friend Paige!  At both of my bridal showers, everyone brought their favorite recipe which I was so excited about since I (obviously) love cooking and trying new recipes!  Paige brought this recipe card to the shower Michelle threw for me.  She said it is the best Tomato Basil Soup.  I love having an immersion blender to make soups like this.  I also love recipes that call for basil or cilantro since mine are growing nicely!  I definitely used way more basil than it calls for, but I still think I could have used more.  I should have sprinkled some on top as well.  I add basil to everything I can when it is growing fresh in our backyard - including BBQ chicken pizza and any pasta recipe.

This is not the best picture, but I forgot to take one until after we had already eaten!  If you are feeding more than two people and this soup is a main course, I recommend doubling the recipe.
Ingredients:
2 28 ounce cans of whole, peeled tomatoes
1 yellow onion, diced (I left this out)
1 cup (1/4 quart) chicken stock
2 tablespoons basil, chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 carrots, chopped

Saute onion, basil, and carrots in olive oil for 15 minutes.

Add stock and drained tomatoes.  Simmer for 25 minutes.

Blend entire mixture - I used my immersion blender!  You can also use a regular blender - just watch out for explosions!

Return to burner and add cream and salt and pepper to taste.

Book Review

I know this is a cooking blog, but I just finished the novel, The Painted Girls by Cathy Marie Buchanan, recommended to me by my coworker, Susan Hills.  It is set in Paris 1878 and is the story of the hardships of the van Goethem sisters who are dirt poor and basically orphaned but are striving to make it as ballerinas.  The author kept to many of the facts of their actual lives.  I highly recommend reading it!

Texas Sheet Cake


Congratulations to my brother and sister-in-law!  We had a blast at their wedding this weekend! 

For their rehearsal dinner, my dad smoked delicious pulled pork, ribs, and brisket.  He is amazing!  They also got cheesy corn, baked beans, and potato salad from Jack Stack (yum!) and my creative Aunt Lynne made the dessert.  She had adorable little tuxedo cups filled with chocolate moose with a slice of kiwi on top to match Keith and Marcie's wedding colors (black and white with a green accent).  I volunteered to make a supplemental dessert which, although it was not cute, was also a big hit!

This sheet cake is absolutely delicious (recipe from my coworker and friend, Becky Keith).  It is moist and dense and has a rich chocolate flavor in both the cake and the frosting.  I have never made a sheet cake before, and was surprised at some of the steps, but it turned out perfectly and was very easy.  I will definitely be making this again.

Cake Ingredients:
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 cup hot water
3/4 cup butter
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup buttermilk (or 1/2 cup milk + 1 teaspoon vinegar)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts (optional - I left out)

Frosting ingredients:
1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:
Mix cocoa in hot water.  I heated the water in the microwave in a 2 cup glass measuring cup, then stirred in the cocoa.  Stir butter into this (which will melt the butter) and cool. 

Stir dry ingredients together (including the sugar) and combine with cocoa mixture.  Add eggs, beat in buttermilk, then vanilla.  Add nuts. 

Spread into a buttered 10x15 jelly roll pan.  Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.  It took about 17-18 minutes in the convection oven.  Frost with chocolate frosting.

Frosting directions:
Bring first 4 ingredients to boil, remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips.  Frost sheet cake while it is still hot.  Cool.

Citrus Shrimp Tacos

We both loved this fresh, summer recipe from Pinterest.  I was wondering if Derrick would like it or not, and he loved it.  We will definitely be making it again.  The slaw that goes with it has a really good citrus flavor.  Instead of shredding a cabbage, I ended up buying a bag of slaw (from the bagged salad section) because it was on sale and cheaper than buying a cabbage.  Next time I would like to grill the corn and shrimp for more flavor.  Whenever we make soft tacos, we heat the tortillas on a tortilla pan we "borrowed" from our friend Bartlow.  It really transforms store bought tortillas and makes them taste homemade and fresh.  I think you could warm them similarly in a regular pan on high heat, flipping the tortilla back and forth until it bubbles.

Speaking of Mexican food, this summer I planted cilantro and tomatoes and want to make homemade salsa when the tomatoes are ready.  The kinds of salsas that Derrick and I prefer have a fire-roasted flavor.  If you have any suggestions on how to make homemade salsa that way, please let me know!  Thanks!

Ingredients
1/4 cup fresh orange juice (I used the juice of one orange)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (I used the juice of one lime)
2 tablespoons sour cream (I used more like 4 tablespoons)
salt
pepper
1/4 small cabbage (8 ounces), shredded
1 cup corn kernels (from 1-2 ears, or frozen and thawed)
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped (Next time I will not seed it) and juice
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp
8 soft taco sized flour tortillas, warmed

In a large bowl, whisk the orange and lime juices, sour cream, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.  I also added some jalapeno juice.

Add the cabbage, corn, and jalapeno and toss to combine.  Let sit, tossing occasionally, for 10 minutes.

Heat the oil in a medium skilled over medium-high heat.

Season the shrimp with salt and pepper.  Cook until opaque throughout, 2-3 minutes.

Serve the shrimp with the tortillas and the slaw.

Linguini with Sauteed Scallops and Peas

I almost took the easy route out this week because of all we have going on and did not plan a new recipe until Derrick reminded me of my goal to make and post one new recipe each week this summer.  Thanks to my husband I made this Pinterest recipe I have been wanting to try since I pinned it probably close to a year ago.  I love scallops but have been intimidated to make them.  This recipe was actually easy and quick - perfect for a weeknight.  Cooking the scallops was similar to cooking shrimp.  They do not need too much time on each side to be done.  Mine did not brown nicely, but Derrick loved it so I will definitely be trying it again!  I altered the recipe a little by adding the Parmesan (definitely added a lot of flavor) and used the basil I've been growing instead of parsley.  Derrick and I also agreed that this meal would have gone excellent with a nice, crisp chardonnay.  We will definitely be cracking a bottle next time!  Cheers!

Ingredients:
8 ounces linguini
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
12 large sea scallops, cleaned
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan, with extra for topping
course salt
ground pepper

Cook pasta in a pot of boiling salted water adding the peas to the boiling pasta water 4 minutes before finished.  Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining.  Drain the pasta and return to pot.  Add parsley and 1 teaspoon of olive oil.  (I added more like 1-2 tablespoons.)  Stir, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time.  Stir in fresh Parmesan.  Adjust salt and pepper, to taste.

While the pasta is cooking, season the scallops with salt and pepper.  In a large skillet, heat butter over medium flame.  Cook scallops until browned on one side, 2 to 3 minutes.  Flip.  Cook until opaque throughout, about 30 to 60 seconds more, while their centers are still slightly translucent (you can check this by viewing them from the side).  Be careful not to overcook or they will become tough.  Serve over pasta.  Top with fresh Parmesan if desired.



Snickerdoodles

Happy birthday to Derrick!  I wanted to make him a special dessert for his birthday.  He usually requests the brownies with white chocolate chips topped with powdered sugar (above).  I knew he loves Snickerdoodles, but I have never in my life made them.  I have been pinning different snickerdoodle recipes on Pinterest (they have all kinds - Caramel Snickerdoodles, even Snickerdoodle Brownies!) and decided to give these Mrs. Field's Snickerdoodles a try.  Derrick loved them!  I will have to make them a lot more often.  The key is not to overbake.  It did not make very many so I will probably double the recipe next time.

Ingredients (Double):

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

For rolling:

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Cream together the butter and sugars with an electric mixer on high.  Add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth.

In another bowl, combine the flour, slat, baking soda, and cream of tartar.

Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix well.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees while letting the dough rest for 30-60 minutes in the refrigerator.

In a small bowl, combine the sugar with the cinnamon for rolling.

Take about 2 1/2 tablespoons of the dough and roll into a ball.  Roll in the cinnamon/sugar mixture and place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes and no more.  I did 10 minutes in the convection oven.  They may seem undercooked, but will continue to develop after they are removed from the oven.  They will be soft and chewy in the middle.