Tagged: cheese

Caprese Bagel

Caprese Bagel

Posted in Breakfast Tagged with , ,

With salads, lettuce is optional. Who says you need greens to call something as a salad? Definitely, not me. There are even times when I like to take elements from my favorite salads and turn

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Ingredients
  • For tomatoes
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Parmesan Hasselback Potato Bites

Parmesan Hasselback Potato Bites

Posted in Starters & Sides Tagged with ,

I don’t like putting labels on food, and I’m not talking about the nutritional breakdown. The line often blurs between starters & sides, breakfast & dinner and pretty much everything in between. Why should certain

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Ingredients
  • 1 pound fingerling potatoes
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper plus more for serving
  • 1-2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan
  • 1 tablespoon minced chives
  • Flaky sea salt for serving
Kale Brussels Sprout and Pear Salad

Kale Brussels Sprout and Pear Salad

Posted in Salads Tagged with , ,

It’s pretty much a guarantee that I will have greens in my fridge—usually at least two kinds at any given time.   Spinach is a must for my morning berry smoothie, but the other leaves

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Ingredients
  • For salad
  • 4 cups chopped Lacinato kale
  • 1 pound brussels sprouts, shaved thinly with a mandolin or a food processor fitted with the slicing disc
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced
  • 2 red pears, cored and diced
  • 1/4 cup roughly chopped almonds
  • 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
  • 1 tablespoon minced chives
Roasted Tomato Pesto

Roasted Tomato Pesto

Posted in Jams, Spreads & Condiments Tagged with , , ,

A love of pesto runs in my family, but we’re not Italian. My mom introduced me to pesto when I was a kid, and I’ve been hooked ever since. I always have a jar of

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Ingredients
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled
  • 1 cup oven roasted tomatoes (about 15 whole: from the olive bar or jarred)
  • 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1 ounce grated Parmesan
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
Grilled Sundried Tomato and Arugula Pizza

Grilled Sundried Tomato and Arugula Pizza

Posted in Pizza Tagged with , ,

If there’s such a thing as tomato guilt, I’m having it. Jarred and preserved tomatoes helped me survive the fall and winter months, but now I’ve nearly abandoned them. Instead I have gone headfirst into

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Ingredients
  • 2/3 cup warm water
  • 1/2 teaspoon dry active yeast
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil plus more for bowl and pizza
  • 1-1/2 cups bread flour plus more for work surface
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 ounces sundried tomato halves (not packed in oil)
  • 1 garlic clove, chopped
Brussels Sprout Caesar Salad

Brussels Sprout Caesar Salad

Posted in Salads Tagged with ,

If you need a restaurant recommendation, I used to be your go-to gal. When a new place opened in Chicago, I just had to get there as soon as possible to try it. No surprise,

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Ingredients
  • For croutons
  • 1-1/2 cups cubed sourdough bread
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • For vinaigrette
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Sheet Pan Nachos

Sheet Pan Nachos

Posted in Starters & Sides Tagged with ,

We had football on TV yesterday afternoon, but I didn’t care who won either game. I like watching sports even though my team didn’t make it to the playoffs once again. My attention was fully

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Ingredients
  • 1-9 oz. bag tortilla chips
  • 1-15 ounce can black beans
  • 1 cup canned or frozen corn
  • 1 medium tomato
  • 1 small red onion
  • 1 cup refried beans
  • 2 cups Mexican blend shredded cheese
  • 1 jalapeno, thinly sliced
Marinated Mozzarella

Marinated Mozzarella

Posted in Starters & Sides Tagged with ,

The tomato plants in our container garden are a 4-foot-tall tangled mess. The cages didn’t do much to tame those tentacles. Instead they have become a wild hedge in dire need of a trim, but

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Ingredients
  • 8 ounces mozzarella (ciliegine or bocconcini), drained
  • 2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (basil, chives, rosemary, oregano)
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled and bruised
  • 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/3-1/2 cup olive oil
Pizza Rolls

Pizza Rolls

Posted in Bread Tagged with , ,

I will never get sick of eating pizza…ever. It is definitely on my top 10 and maybe even my top 5 favorite foods. If I could dissect a piece of pizza, I like the crust

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Ingredients
  • 2/3 cup warm water
  • 1/2 teaspoon dry active yeast
  • 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 cup bread flour
  • 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3/4 cups tomato sauce
Barbecue Chicken Pizza

Barbecue Chicken Pizza

Posted in Pizza Tagged with ,

Lately I’ve been feeling like I’ve been on cruise control for weeknight dinners. After busy days for all of us, including our three-year-old, the most I can muster for our family meal is pasta. Don’t

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Sweet Potato Skins

Sweet Potato Skins

Posted in Starters & Sides Tagged with , ,

I consider myself to be a professional snacker. As much as I try to resist the cracker and chip aisles at the grocery, I can’t stay away. It doesn’t help that my son share my

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Ingredients
  • 5 small sweet potatoes
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 scallions, sliced thinly, white and green parts separated
  • 2 handfuls baby spinach
  • 2 tablespoons salsa
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 cup black beans