Pizza Perfection

Fresh Mozzarella, Tomato, Basil Pizza

I love a good marguerita pizza, not like the drink although those are good too, but this pizza just might be better.  It has the same idea as a marguerita pizza with tomato, basil and fresh mozzarella.  The difference between the two is that this pizzas sauce is a basil pesto (easy to make and tastes great).  I have a whole bunch of Roma tomatoes from my garden so I used about 3 of those sliced thin instead of the heirloom kind.  I'm sure you could use whatever kind of tomato you have available.  Don't cheap out on the mozzarella the creaminess and taste of the fresh stuff can't be beat.

Pizza Recipe

Curry in a Hurry

Chicken & Vegetable Curry Couscous

This is a great one pot meal for the back to school rush of September.  It only takes about 10 minutes with no prep work. Great flavor, low calorie, and loaded with veggies.  Not much more to say, other than try it out!

Curry Couscous Recipe

Spiced up Egg Salad

Egg Salad Sandwich with Bacon and Sriracha

By far the best egg salad I have ever eaten.  There is a hospital test that requires you to eat an egg salad sandwich with the medicine in it that I've had to have done twice.  If you've ever eaten hospital food, especially at 9am, you can only imagine how great that egg salad sandwich was.  I've had trouble eating one ever since, unti this recipe.  The spice of the Sriracha is not overwhelming so don't be afraid of a little spice.  The bacon and green onion add such great flavor.  If you want to lighten up the carbs in this meal, have it as an open-faced sandwich.  I suggest doubling the recipe so you can have great leftovers for lunch.

Egg Salad Sandwich

Green Spaghetti

Spaghetti with Parsley Pesto and Sausage

Delicious spaghetti that used up the rest of my parsley plant.  Pesto is actually pretty easy.  All pesto takes is a fresh herb (basil, parsley, arugula), some garlic, salt, Parmesan cheese (or another like it), a little oil; combine all ingredients except oil in a food processor.  Drizzle oil in until a smooth sauce is formed.  A spicy sausage and salty cheese are all the toppings that are needed.

Pesto Spaghetti Recipe

Tacos of the Sea

Fish Tacos with Lime-Cilantro Crema

Light and flavorful tacos minus the fishiness.  These tacos were a big hit in my house! They are quick to make and the Crema makes them taste so fresh.  I didn't find red snapper so I used a couple skinless haddock filets which worked great.  I'm sure you could substitute other kinds of fish such as tilapia or a mild flavored white fish.  The fish rub seems like it would be spicy but don't be scare, the Crema cools down any heat that there may be.

Fish Taco Recipe

Garden Fresh Ravioli

Tomato Ravioli

A great way to use up those end of summer tomatoes.  Such a simple things by itself, ravioli can be used in many different ways.  When I was a kid I knew only red sauce and raviolis but now I find so many ways to use them that still make them my favorite food!  This dish is another weeknight winner taking just minutes to prepare.  I actually skipped baking the tomatoes and just sautéed them in a pan until the tomato skins popped and became soft (a huge time-saver and still so delicious).  The only bad part about this dish is that my husband and I ended up eating the whole pan full in just one sitting.

Ravioli Recipe

Egg on my face? Nope it's on my pizza!

Burger Style with the Lot Pizza

This pizza may seem odd but it's delicious.  The egg on top oozes over the pizza when you cut into it and adds a great flavor.  If you really hate 'spilly yoke' eggs then you can hard cook it or leave it out but the pizza just won't be the same. Also, I would use a homemade crust rather than the pre-cooked store-bought one that is recommended.  Don't knock it before you crack it ( the egg that is).

Recipe:

Best Little Chocolate Cupcakes

Chocolate Porter Cupcakes

I don't normally like to share my cupcake baking secrets but this one is too good not to.  Chocolate cupcakes are good enough on their own but add a little beer and it's a match made in heaven.  They're so moist and delicious.  I use a nice bittersweet chocolate frosting so that they aren't overly sweet.  You can make large ones but the minis are so cute and it's as if you can eat 5 to 1.  These particular cupcakes were made to celebrate the start of our new home-buying adventure.

Anything but Iceberg

Grilled Eggplant with Caramelized Onion & Fennel

This is not your everyday side salad, it's so much more.  The perfect recipe for those fresh summer veggies.  The bitter balsamic dressing is cut by the creaminess of the goat cheese.  Find new ways to eat your veggies every day!  I hated plain vegetables but there are so many ways to dress them up and keep them healthy.

Salad Recipe

Eggs Kind of Benedict

Vegetarian Eggs Benedict with Thyme Sabayon

I love a good eggs Benedict but I don't love the time it takes to make at home.  This eggs Benedict takes a little work because the sauce takes time but it's actually great to make for dinner.  It has portobellos instead of ham but it's still meaty.  Just be careful when making the sauce that you whisk constantly or you'll end up with scrambled eggs or something that resembles cottage cheese.

Eggs Benedict Recipe

Wine in a Burger, the Perfect Pair

Cabernet Balsamic Burgers 

Again, not your average burger.  Crack open a bottle of your favorite Cabernet and get cooking!  The onions caramelized in wine and balsamic are the best part of this juicy burger.  Sautéed mushrooms, the onions, and a blue cheese spread all add to the flavor explosion in this burger.  If there's only two of you, then make up the patties, wrap in Saran then foil, and freeze until use (great for a day when you don't feel like cooking).

Burger Recipe

Easy Peasy Panini

Turkey Panini with Watercress and Citrus Aioli

An easy sandwich for lunch or dinner.  If you can't find watercress, arugula works great.  The citrus aioli is a must and takes this generally boring turkey sandwich to the next level; never at plain mayo again.

Panini Recipe

One Fine Day

My First Wedding Cake

One of my good friends from work recommended me to a friend of hers, I was both excited and extremely nervous that I'd mess it up.  I've made a million cupcakes but never for a wedding; and they were actually the easy part.  The cake was the epitome of my anxiety.  If you're looking for a quick and easy cake this isn't it.
  Step 1: make 2- 8 in cakes and cool completely
  Step 2: pipe an edge of frosting on the bottom cake (be sure it's thick enough)

  Step 3: spread your filling in the middle (be careful because too much filling will make your cakes shift and leak)
  Step 4: place top cake on with the bottom side up
  Step 5: dirty ice the cake (a thin layer that looks crumby), let sit in fridge for several hours

  Step 6: ice the cake with a thicker layer by starting with a big pile of frosting on top and working your way to the bottom (to finish it off use the wet knife technique)

  Step 7: decorate and add borders with different tips

Chocolate cake, homemade strawberry filling, and buttercream frosting.

Chicken Roll-ups

Roasted Red Pepper and Prosciutto Stuffed Chicken

Hubs actually made this dish and it was awesome; and not just because I didn't have to cook it.  It seemed relatively basic with only a few ingredients.  Please note that a chicken breast that you buy at the grocery store is not one serving, it needs to be cut into 2 or 3 smaller pieces.  Also, to make rolling the chicken easier pound it out thinner.

Chicken Recipe

Squash Pasta

Pasta with Butternut Sauce, Spicy Sausage, and Baby Spinach

Butternut squash makes a deceivingly creamy sauce in this dish without all the fat and added calories.    Growing up, I always hated the slimy bowl of spinach or texture of pureed squash; as an adult I still have issues with textures.  This dish combines both textures but the flavor takes over to make a great meal.

Pasta Recipe

The Best Cake

Lemon-Blueberry Bundt Cake

The first time I had this cake, my husband made it as a surprise for my birthday.  It was his first cake and so amazing!  I've made it since then and taken it to parties where people rave about how moist it is.  The only thing that I caution is to make sure the bundt pan is properly greased and floured or you'll end up leaving parts of your cake in the pan.  Also, fresh blueberries are always best; so this makes a great summer cake.

Lemon Blueberry Cake Recipe

Zesty Summer Salad

Gemelli Salad with Green Beans, Pistachio, and Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette 

Who isn't getting a little bit tired of the same old mayonnaisey pasta and potato salad that you'll find at every picnic?  I know I am, so I'm always looking for new salads to spice up those summer get-togethers.  The fresh lemon and thyme in this recipe give it such a great flavor.  The green beans fill out the salad and minimize the carbs.

Pasta Salad Recipe

Sassy Swordfish

Swordfish Milanese

I'm not a huge fan of certain kinds if fish; salmon, raw seafood, etc.  This is one fish that's delish!  It's light, flaky, and flavorful.  The lemony vinaigrette over the greens on top takes away any chance there was of having a fishy taste.  The panko breading gives a great texture but is still much lighter than a heavy fried batter.  It's also a quick-cooking meal.

Swordfish Recipe

Lasagna that'll please those crazy vegetarians!

Eggplant & Roasted Pepper Lasagna

I'm certainly no vegetarian, I love meat!  This eggplant lasagna is so delicious and meaty despite the lack of sausage or ground beef.  It does take some time so I would make it on a Saturday or Sunday and have delicious leftovers throughout the week.  My husband hated eggplant before I found all these new ways to flavor and cover it up.  If you don't feel like roasting your own peppers you could always buy a jar of roasted red peppers. The best part about this lasagna is that it's under 400 calories for a large serving size.

Lasagna Recipe

Salad & Pizza in One

Salad Pizza

We always have salad with our pizza; you've gotta eat your veggies with every meal.  I've never put the two together but why not?  If you're in a pinch and need a crust fast a nice flat-bread would work great.  You could also throw this on the grill if you don't want to use the oven (just be sure to spray your grates and keep the heat lower).  Now if you're not sure what mesclun greens are, I didn't know either, just a fancy name for mixed greens or a baby arugula (really you could use any greens you like).  I didn't pile the salad on the whole pizza in case we had left overs (that way the lettuce wouldn't get soggy because I have texture issues).

Salad Pizza Recipe

Murphy's Favorite Sausage Mushroom Pizza

Sausage Mushroom Pizza

This isn't your every day pizza with some canned mushrooms and bulk sausage thrown on top from the greasy little pizza shop in town.  This pizza is absolutely delicious, only thing to make it better would be a homemade crust.  Sauteeing the veggies first really brings out the flavor and allows the onions to caramelize.  Also, the pizza holds a nice surprise.  At first glance, it looks like a lovely cheese pizza but after just one bite you find so much more hidden underneath.  Make it for a pizza party or just a night in with some great comfort food.

Pizza Recipe

Porky Pig Goes Asian

Pork and Bok Choy Stir Fry

Some of these ingredients were new to me but worth the try.  Bok choy may be tricky to find but Wegmans usually has it (there's two kinds, you want baby bok choy for this done).  The pork comes out so tender and the whole meal is finished within a few minutes. Be sure to use fresh ginger because the powder just won't do.  I will say that the black bean sauce is extremely salty, my husband loved it but I would've liked a little less.

Bok Choy Stir Fry Recipe

Stuffed Tomatoes instead of Peppers

Stuffed Tomatoes

You say tomato, I don't say tom-otto, but I like to stuff them.  These tomatoes have some unique flavors that some how work in harmony.  They make a nice light meal.  If you're growing tomatoes this season and have an abundance; try these out!

Tomato Recipe