Potato and Onion Tart

I saw this recipe on pinterest - truth be told, the first picture is from the original food blogger HERE 

I know myself well enough to know that the chances of me flipping the tart perfectly were slim to none - I actually didn't even attempt it - do you know why?? Because although one is significantly more beautifully presented - my kids could care less about presentation AND - they taste the same whether you flip or not...

Here is a picture of mine - I actually took this shot so you can see the different cheeses and the thinness of the potatoes...

Potato and Onion Tart

2 1/2 tablespoons butter

12 sprigs thyme, strip the leaves from the stems (I didn't have fresh thyme - so I didn't add it)

1 large onion, sliced somewhat thickly (a tad more than 1/4 inch thick)

1 lb. red potatoes, washed and very thinly sliced (I peeled mine)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup grated gruyère

1/2 cup crumbled feta

1 cup grated mozzarella

sea salt and cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 400°. Melt the butter in a 9-10 inch ovenproof frying pan (cast iron is great) over medium heat. Add the thyme and onion and cook for 5 minutes. Place the potato, oil, cheeses, salt and pepper in a bowl and toss to combine.

Top the onion with the potato mixture and bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Turn upside down to serve or don't - you'll love these either way.

Tomato Salad

I got this recipe from good ol' Pioneer Woman. I made her 4 cheese pizza with pesto and she suggested topping the pizza with this little ditty. She adds additional basil to hers - but I felt like the pesto on the pizza was enough. I had it on my pizza - and then as a side to the sandwich I had for lunch the next day.

The acid from the tomatoes pairs perfectly with all that cheesy goodness...

Tomato Salad:

1/4 cup olive oil

5 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 pint red grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise

1 pint yellow grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients except tomatoes until incorporated. Add tomatoes and gently stir until all those little gems are covered.

Homemade Pizza Dough

I saw this recipe on The Pioneer Woman today and had to test her promise that it was as easy as she said. Man, am I glad I did!! My 10 year old son made this pizza with marinara, mozzarella, pepperoni and chicken sausage with mozzarella and artichoke hearts. So good.

Homemade Pizza Dough

1 t active dry yeast

4 cups bread flour (all-purpose will do too)

1 t kosher salt

1/3 c olive oil

1 1/2 c warm water
For the pizza dough: Sprinkle the active dry yeast over 1 1/2 cups of warm--not lukewarm--water.

In a mixer with a paddle attachment, combine the flour and salt. With the mixer running on low speed, drizzle in the olive oil and mix until combined. Pour in the yeast mixture and mix until combined.

Coat a separate mixing bowl with a light drizzle of olive oil and tip the dough in. Form a ball and toss to coat the dough ball in the olive oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to rise for at least 1 hour, or up to 3 or 4 days refrigerated.

Cooking it (with toppings on it) at 500 degrees for 12 - 15 minutes. 

Pear, Gorgonzola and Honey Pizza

Roll out dough to your preferred thinness. Cover cookie sheet with corn meal and set the dough on top. Brush dough with olive oil, make one layer of thinly sliced pears (these are apple pears) and sprinkle with gorgonzola. 

Bake in the oven at 500 degrees until the crust looks done (about 8 minutes in my oven). When you bring it out of the oven, drizzle lightly with honey and eat!!

Mozzarella, Proscuitto & Arugula Pizza

I usually make this pizza with Fig preserves - but I'm out. 

Mozzarella, Proscuitto & Arugula Pizza
Roll dough out to the thinness you prefer. Cover cookie sheet with corn meal and set the dough on top.
Brush dough with olive oil, then add shredded mozzarella - then salt and pepper to taste.  Bake in the oven at 500 degrees until the crust looks done (about 8 minutes in my oven). When you bring it out of the oven, add proscuitto and arugula - allow time for the proscuitto and arugula to heat up a little and eat!!

*If you make this with fig preserves like I usually do, spread the preserves on the dough instead of brushing it with olive oil.

Pesto, Goat Cheese and Pine Nut Pizza

Our local pizzeria sells their hand made pizza dough for $3 for a "large" I bring it home and cut it into 4 pieces so we can make personal sized pizzas with different toppings for everyone to try. 

My 9 year old made this one tonight (hence the odd shaped dough)

Pesto, Goat Cheese and Pine Nut Pizza

Roll dough out to the thinness you prefer. Cover cookie sheet with corn meal and set the dough on top. Cover with pesto, crumble goat cheese between your fingers and bake in the oven at 500 degrees until the crust looks done (about 8 minutes in my oven). When you bring it out of the oven, sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and eat!!

My Version of Archibald's Pasta Salad

My girls (9 & 6) and I had a girls day out recently. We were "home for Christmas" in SLC so we went to one of our favorite spots to shop, Gardner Village.

Archibald's is the main restaurant at Gardner Village. We ordered Fried Green Tomatoes for an appetizer (to die for - and the sauce is amazing). Then ordered food with a choice of fries or pasta salad on the side. The pasta salad was SO GOOD.

We asked for the recipe but were turned down - so we brought this teeny tiny amount home with us so I could dissect it. Guess what? I figured it out!!

My Version of Archibald's Pasta Salad
Penne pasta
Ranch (nothing better than homemade ranch!)
Dill (to taste)
Feta
cucumbers
artichoke hearts

Small dice all ingredients except Penne. Cook penne as directed on package. Drain and cool in the refrigerator.

Combine all other ingredients with penne and refrigerate at least 1 hour to overnight.

Teriyaki Salmon with Sriracha Cream Sauce

I saw this recipe on Pinterest and initially made it about 5 weeks ago and I've made it twice since then. For someone who doesn't repeat meals very often - this should tell you how delicious this is!!

I use Kirkland brand salmon steaks. They are individually wrapped so I can get the right amount of portions I need quickly and defrost them in the sink fairly quickly too. 

Teriyaki Salmon with Sriracha Cream Sauce
1 c Teriyaki sauce per salmon steak (I love yoshida's)
Salmon steaks (1 per person)
2 T Sriracha sauce (asian food aisle)
1/2 c mayonnaise
1 1/2 T sweetened condensed milk

Combine sriracha, mayonnaise and sweetened condensed milk. Set in the refrigerator until service. Marinate the salmon in the teriyaki sauce for at least 30 minutes up to 4 hours.

You can cook your salmon the way I do (easiest fastest delicious) OR you can cook the salmon in the oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

Serve over a bed of rice and garnish with green onions (not pictured!)