Family Pizza Night

Occasionally we have a family pizza night that doesn't involve Papa Murphy's (which we all love) and every time we do - we all say "we need to do this more!"

For once - I captured pictures of all of our pies - and since we just did it last night - I can still remember the ingredients!

We use our local grocery store's pre-made pizza dough - pammed the sheet pan, sprinkled it with corn meal, slapped the rolled out dough on to it. Then drizzled with EVOO, salt and pepper for all of these recipes. We cook them on 525 until they are bubbly and browned (depending on size and thickness of dough between 5-10 minutes) and then go crazy - here's what we came up with...

The picture above is my husbands concoction - his version of a pizza called the Atom Bomb that was his favorite when we lived in NM:

Atom Bomb

BBQ sauce, Chicken, Red onion, Mozzarella, shredded, diced green chilis

Next up!!!

Ms. 14 - BLT Salad:
Mozzarella, shredded, Bacon, Chicken and now cook it. After it's cooked, top with cold... Lettuce, Red Onion, Diced tomato, Drizzle with Ranch Dressing

Mr. 16's Sweet & Savory Chicken:
Chicken, mozzarella, BBQ sauce, red onions and bacon

Miss 7's Heart:
Marinara and shredded Mozzarella - the key is to shape the dough into a heart :)

Miss 11's Ode to Cheese:
Marinara with as much pepperoni and as many kinds of cheese you have in your house

Rachael's Hot Blond Deep Dish Pizza

Recently, my husbands Uncle Ross passed away. He was a serious cowboy. Hubs obviously grew up very close to him and I had known him for more than half my life - it was so bitter sweet. He had so many adventures, interests and loved everyone he came in contact with. He lived an awesome very long life. 

We saw him on all the usual times extended family gets together - but Hubs, I and our kids also ran into him at all the outdoor sports shows, boat shows, RV shows, gun shows, etc. He was a hard worker. He was a self starter. He was an inventor. He made and sold several amazing products and built a fortune from the ground up. But - you wouldn't know it by talking to him. He was so humble. And loving. And such an amazing husband, father, grandfather, brother in law and Uncle. 

After his funeral (which was 100% Uncle Ross and the MOST genuine funeral I've personally ever attended) Hubs and I reminisced about the times we remembered with him - and Hubs shared all his favorite memories of Ross that I've heard many times - and with all that reminiscing he remembered many more stories I'd never heard. Heaven gained an amazing angel.

About a month after he passed away, his family went through his things - and Hubs got a few of his well loved cast iron skillets to remember him by.

Tonight - I used Uncle Ross's skillet to make this delicious creation... 

I saw this recipe on the Rachael Ray show and it was perfect timing. She calls it a hot blond - bc it's a "blond" pizza and with the red peppers and sambal - it makes it spicy - hot... Rachael's Hot Blond Deep Dish Pizza For the Filling: 1 c ricotta cheese

1 egg

1 c Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

2 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped

A handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

A little freshly grated nutmeg *didn't have

1 c shredded provolone

1 c shredded mozzarella

Flour, for work surface

Pizza Dough *fresh dough from our local grocery store 1 T cornmeal

EVOO

Salt and pepper

Red pepper flakes

About 3 T honey

A round T Calabrian chili paste or Sambal Olek or Sriracha

Preheat the oven to 525˚F-550˚F, rack at center, and preheat a 12" cast iron skillet on the stove on medium.

In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, egg, Parmesan, garlic, parsley and nutmeg. Grate the provolone and mozzarella cheeses.

Roll and stretch dough on lightly floured surface into a 12-14-inch even round that will cover pan. Turn off heat under skillet and sprinkle a little cornmeal in skillet and press dough into hot skillet and up sides as much as possible. The pan is hot – remember! Drizzle the dough with EVOO and season with a little salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Top the dough with ricotta mixture in even thin layer and then with shredded cheeses, and place in oven.  

Bake the pizza 10-12 minutes to deep golden, brown and bubbly.  

** RR says: Combine honey, splash of water and hot chili sauce in small pot or skillet and heat over low heat.

I skipped the step above and just drizzled the pizza with the honey and Sambal and serve it up!!!

Antipasto Platter

I did an Antipasto platter for my sons birthday - something we rarely do - but why? It's SO delicious. Tonight reminded of that.

First up - the Cheese Board - I used what I had on hand - which was...
Pecorino, Parmesan, Havarti with caraway, English Cheddar, and gorgonzola because my father in law LOVES it. This is just what I had left after last night:

Then I added:

Green olives, stuffed with pimento

Black olives

Salami

Marinated Artichokes

Fresh Mozzarella balls

Sun dried tomatoes

Crackers

You get the idea - this is what I have left from last night too:

Typical ingredients of a traditional antipasto include: cured meats, olives, pepperoncini, mushrooms, anchovies, artichoke hearts, pickled meats and vegetables in oil or vinegar - SO you have A LOT of wiggle room!

This Mom's Lasagna

We hosted family dinner for my sons 16th birthday. I was feeding 20-30 (mainly adults and teenagers) so I had to come up with something delicious to feed a crowd AND something that's easy on my budget.

My local grocery store (Harmon's) had a 5 for $20 meat sale. I got approx. $40 worth of sausage, ground right there in the store for $20. THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!!! So I started there and I ended up here. This is based on Michael Symon's recipe for "Mom's Lasagna," I tweaked the recipe around what I had and what I could budget. This Mom's Lasagna

1/2 cup olive oil

1 onion, chopped *the pre diced frozen onions are SUCH a good hack!

4 garlic cloves, minced or grated

Kosher salt

2 lbs ground sweet sausage

2 lbs ground spicy sausage

32 - 48 oz of your favorite marinara sauce *depending on how wet you like it. I just like the flavor - not so wet for me.

1 lb dried lasagna noodles

2 lbs whole-milk ricotta cheese *32 oz for us layman folk

1/2 c Italian seasoning (Oregano, thyme, basil, parsley)

2 large eggs *I actually use an egg replacer bc my son is allergic to eggs

1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, grated

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese *Fresh parsley adds a nice touch right before serving

In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion garlic and a three-finger pinch of salt and sweat them until they are translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the sausage and continue cooking until the meat is browned, about 10 minutes. Add the marinara sauce, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to get all of the browned bits into the sauce. Season the sauce with salt and simmer for 2 hours over medium heat.  Skim any fat that rises to the surface. *Harmon's sausage isn't only made right in the store - it is incredibly low fat - so I didn't have to do that!!!

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add enough salt so that it tastes seasoned and allow the water to return to a boil. Add the noodles and cook 2 or 3 minutes shy of package directions. Drain well and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, Italian seasoning and eggs* with a pinch of salt. I incorporated these ingredients by using a hand mixer - adds a bit of air to it - which is nice. I used Michael Symon's tip here: I put it into a gallon sized Zip Lock bag and cut the corner for easy distribution.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Ladle about 1 cup of sauce on the bottom of a 9x13-inch lasagna pan. Arrange a layer of noodles over followed by a layer of ricotta mixture and then some sauce, smoothing it with a spatula to the edges of the noodles. Repeat the process until the pan is full and finishing with a final layer of noodles, sauce, mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese.

Cover the lasagna with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 30 minutes to brown and bubbly on top. Remove from oven and let cool before serving (he says slightly - I let it sit for about 30 minutes - think of it like a steak. If you cut into a steak right when it's done cooking - all the juices run out. Same thing with lasagna - if you cut right into it without letting it rest, you'll have a "mud slide" all the layers won't bind and they'll slide all over the place.) I served it with Caesar Salad and Garlic Bread - can you say YUMMMMM!!!

BLT Pizza

We went to lunch a few weeks ago at the Tin Roof Grill - a local place that was featured on Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.

We've eaten there before - but it had been too long. Everything there is excellent! There were 7 of us - 4 adults and 3 teenagers. Between the lot of us - we ordered: the daily Croquettes for the table, BBQ wings, White Bean and Steak Pizza, Bacon and Shrimp Mac-n-Cheese, Cobb Salad, BBQ Bacon and Cheeseburger, Hot Smoked Roast Beef Sandwich AND my daughter ordered their BLT Pizza.

She is now OBSESSED with that BLT Pizza. So obsessed that she asked me to take her to the store so she could try to re-create it at home. So I did - and she did. Super easy and delicious!

BLT Pizza
Pizza dough (sold everywhere)
Mozzarella cheese, shredded
Bacon (crumbles in a pinch)
Iceberg lettuce, shredded or diced bite sized (we had bagged salad - which is why you see carrot and red cabbage too)
Tomato, seeded and diced
Ranch dressing

Form the dough onto a pizza crust shape(ish) lol. Top with a drizzle of olive oil and shredded mozzarella. Bake in the oven until the crust is golden and crispy and the cheese is melted.

Top with all remaining ingredients and drizzle with ranch dressing.

MRV

Pickle Dip

Yup. Pickle Dip. We had an "appetizer party" the other night and I asked each of my kids what appetizer they would like me to make. My 15 year old son didn't skip a beat and answered Pickle Dip.

This is a recipe that Tyler brings over to our house - so I had to call him for the recipe. It's so simple - but seriously good!

Pickle Dip
8 oz. Cream cheese
1 c diced dill pickles
2 Tbsp pickle juice
1/4 c diced sweet onion (I used minced shallots as an easy swap)
1 tsp dill
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients except pickles in mixer - then fold in the diced pickles to keep those nice chunky pieces. Refrigerate 1 hour before serving.

Bleu Cheese and Tomato Balsamic Dip

I've had this recipe FOREVER - I actually posted it on this blog over 10 years ago - but I recently made it when we had an "appetizer party" the other night. I forgot just how gosh darn good it is!!

This recipe I got from my friend JenO - she made it for every baby shower or bridal shower for years - always by request - always a winner.

Bleu Cheese and Tomato Balsamic Dip
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1 small container crumbled blue cheese or gorgonzola
1/3 c Balsamic vinegar
1/3 c EVOO
Crush as much garlic as you think you can stand


Mix all ingredients and serve at room temperature. I try to refrigerate this for at least an hour before serving - just to give the flavors time to marry.

Right before serving, throw a couple of teaspoons of sugar to cut the acidity. Serve with bread chunks or crackers.

5-Ingred Lemon & Cheese Peas

I saw this on the Food Network's show The Kitchen. This is Sunny Anderson's recipe.

I'm getting antsy for Spring. It has been snowing for the last 2 days and I'm OVER IT! So - I'm going to will Spring up in this house!!! How am I going to do that? Two words. SPRING. PEAS. Because as I said - it's snowing here - I'm going to use frozen peas. They are frozen at the peak of freshness and are a great substitute when you don't have fresh. THE VERDICT: Mr V - out of town, Me - 100 loved it - strong flavors but liked it. Mr. 15 - meh - he's not a fan of cheese (seriously?!), Ms. 14 - YES! Ms. 11 and her friend - YES and YES. Ms. 7 had a "no thank you bite" and said "no thank you." I have to say - I'm not a fan of peas - but I try them every spring for good measure - and to encourage my kids to love their seasonal veg. This is my most favorite way to eat peas. In a pan on medium-low heat, add evoo (or butter), garlic and lemon zest. Cook, stirring, so the garlic and zest can steep without browning, about 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice, thyme, pinch of salt and a little more pepper than you usually would. Stir a few times until thyme is darker and the pan is fragrant - about 5 minutes.

Add the peas and toss to warm and coat, about 4 minutes. Pour into a serving dish and top with cheese.

8 Tbsp evoo (extra virgin olive oil) or salted butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

4 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves, gently chopped

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 cups fresh spring, English or snow peas

8 to 12 ounces shaved or grated Pecorino-Romano cheese

Pics and rating to come tomorrow!!!

Thai Meatballs and Sweet Rice

An awesome "fast food - home cooked" meal.

I thought I was busy when I had 4 little kids. Now that I have 2 teenagers, a very mature pre-teen and a 7 year old - we are FREAKIN' BUSY!

Our oldest is involved year round in HS sports with swim team and track, the next 2 in line are in soccer year round and finally Ms. P is involved w soccer and dance. So - I have no control over my life whatsoever. I am SOOOOO looking forward to our oldest getting his license - but he isn't so motivated...

This is relevant bc I am always looking for short cuts and quick meals.

We make it a priority to have a sit down dinner every night as a family. More often than not - it happens and I'm so grateful for that. We have some of our most memorable talks, inside jokes and bonding around our dinner table.

There are definitely nights that we can't all sit down - but I work hard to provide a home made meal for everyone to enjoy when they are home and ready for dinner.

Here's my CHEAT!!!

I got these at my local Costco. My husband and I don't like Thai food - but the entire family - including my husband and I approved of these. 12 minutes in the oven and done.

I served these on top of a Family Fave Sweet Jasmine Rice smiles all around. 

Korean Style Street Tacos

At least - that's what we call them in our house. There are a few random things you need to make them - but I have SIMPLE substitutes that I promise you already have.

Here is one of the random things: a bamboo steamer - super cheap - like less than $10 at the Asian market. SUBSTITUTE - your MICROWAVE.

Another: our Instapot. SUBSTITUTE - crock pot, oven, grill, Traeger...

These are AWESOME. Lotus Leaf Buns - available at your local Asian market in the freezer section. Our 4 kids aged 7 to 16 love these, They are also cheap - under $3. To steam these in a Bamboo steamer, grab a large sautee pan and fill it with water about 1" up the side of the pan. Set on your stove top on High. Set your steamer on top of that pan. Put down a sheet of parchment paper and lay 3 or 4 buns flat on top of that. Cover and steam for 5-6 minutes. 10 if they are completely frozen. SUBSTITUTE: tortillas.

This is the last random ingredient. GOCHUJANG. It's like a Korean BBQ sauce. You can find this at your local grocery store -it's everywhere - and it's so good. I could dip the sole of my shoe in this and it would be delicious. SUBSTITUTE: your favorite BBQ sauce

This is a picture of my daughters creation. Pork, Gochujang, sour cream, cilantro dressing, salsa, Lotus Leaf Bun.
This is my version: Street Taco sized flour tortillas, melted Mexican blend cheese, refried and black bean mix, pork, Gochujang, sour cream and salsa on one, Mexican blend cheese, refried and black bean mix, pork, Gochujang, guacamole and cilantro dressing on the other.

The cool thing about this is that you can customize this to your own preferences - just like a traditional taco bar.

Korean Street Tacos
3-5 lb pork tenderloin* cooked until it's tender enough to shred with a fork
Lotus Leaf Buns or Street Taco Tortillas
Gochujang
Guacamole or avocado
Black beans
Refried beans
Pico de gallo or salsa
Sour cream
shredded cheese - your choice
Cilantro dressing** - optional

So - I'll tell you exactly what we did - and you can make substitutes as needed.

*Pork Spoon Roast - completely unpackaged. Cook in the Instapot on High for 90 minutes with water half way up the bowl to retain moisture.
Serve on a Lotus Leaf Bun (steamed or microwaved) or a tortilla and have at it with any toppings you want!!!

Great to feed a crowd - and something that will really knock their socks off.

*Our ALL TIME FAVORITE is (local) Harmon's Pork Spoon Roast - THE BEST - for so many things!

**Depending on time - I buy cilantro dressing at the grocery store - or I make my own Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing