Chicken Parm Deconstructed

Chicken Parm Pizza

When we moved to our new home we decided to try every pizza store in town to see which one we liked best.  We actually never made in past the first place we tried, Top This Pizza.  When I'm not in the mood to cook this place is our go to New York style pizzeria.  They have a chicken parm pizza that we love so I decided to mimic it at home.  Start with your favorite pizza dough.  Dust your pizza peel or pan with corn meal and preheat the oven to 450. I used two chicken breasts cut into tenders, dipped in melted butter and then rolled in plain wheat bread crumbs.  My husband grilled them to perfection.  Spread your favorite marinara sauce over the crust, top with cut up chicken pizzas, sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan, and lastly finish with Italian seasoning.  Bake for 12-15 minutes and enjoy!

BLT as toppings?

BLT Pizza

I could probably eat pizza every day, I know just a like a child.  I don't mean just any pizza, I'm definitely a gourmet pizza connoisseur.  This pizza combines one of my favorite sandwiches with a creamy mayo sauce and pizza crust.  Not only is it delicious, but it's lite! If you're in a pinch use a store bought dough (Wegmans isn't bad, just don't use the whole dough ball for one pizza) otherwise homemade is so much better!

Pizza Recipe

A Sweet Summer Pork

Pulled Pork and Coleslaw

I'm all about easy this summer and this is the easiest pulled pork.  Use a pork butt or shoulder in the crockpot on low for 8 hours.  Before cooking, rub pork with minced garlic and pour your favorite craft beer in the pot.  Although it's a long time to wait, low and slow is the way to go for the perfect pork.  When done, remove pork from crockpot, discard fat and bones, pull apart with two forks.  Discard liquid from the crockpot, place pork back in and add a bottle and a half of your favorite BBQ sauce (dinosaur of course is the best).  Warm until heated through.  This pulled pork pairs great with this easy coleslaw recipe.

Coleslaw Recipe

Not your average potato chip

Sweet Potato Chips

No need to buy frozen french fries, make your own!  To get them this thin you'll really want to use a mandolin.  Two average sized sweet potatoes will get me a whole tray full of chips.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and lay out thinly sliced potatoes on it.  Drizzle potatoes will a little olive oil (too much will make them soggy) then sprinkle with kosher salt, paprika, and parsley.  Bake at 400 for 15 minutes or until slightly crisped.  Easy and much healthier!

Panera Comfort Food Copycat

Panera Mac and Cheese

When I was a kid, I hated homemade macaroni and cheese and would prefer the blue box from Kraft; crazy right!  This mac and cheese definitely would've changed my mind.  This is the creamiest, cheesiest and easiest comfort food.  It seems pretty plain and simple, especially for me, but it doesn't need any flare added.  The only thing I changed is omitting the hot sauce.  The only negative part of this recipe is that I could've sat down and eaten the entire pot myself.  An absolute must try especially because you won't need to stand in line at Panera for it anymore.

Mac and Cheese Recipe

Olive Garden Copycat

Zappa Toscana

I love going to Olive Garden and getting their endless soup, salad, and breadsticks.  This is one of their regular soups but it's better because it really is endless at home.  I also like making it myself because whenever my husband and I go to a restaurant, we find ourselves dying of thirst from the heavily saluted food.  It really isn't hard to make just make sure the potatoes become fork tender.  To make it even easier on myself, I cheat and use the big bags of chopped and washed kale that they have at the grocery store.  I also try to make it a bit healthier by using a spice turkey or chicken sausage.  If you don't like spice, then use a milder sausage.  Enjoy with a nice crusty bread on a cold day!

Soup Recipe

Garden Fresh Soup

Ravioli and Vegetable Soup

This will be a great soup for an abundance of fresh veggies at the end of summer; especially zucchini.  We had just moved into our new house when I found this recipe and it was a life saver! It only took about 20 minutes total with very little prep time.  It's healthy and my version of a comfort food with the ravioli.  If you don't have ravioli substitute tortellini, rice, or any kind if pasta.  You could also throw in any veggies you choose such as fresh peppers, onions, crushed tomatoes, and basil.  I added some quick garlic toasts (English muffins toasted under the broiler with a little mayo Parmesan and garlic powder) to soak up the broth.  Definitely want to try this again and experiment with different ingredients.

Soup Recipe

Falafel What?

Homemade Falafel with Tahini Sauce

My first experience with falafel was at a food truck, it was good but definitely didn't compare to this recipe.  Falafel is a chickpea patty that's lightly fried in oil and tahini is a sesame paste mixed with cool cucumber as a sauce.  Even though it's meatless, my husband will agree, it's a delicious combination! As always, fresh herbs are a must and you can always substitute peanut butter for the tahini paste; it works great and is half the price.  Try a meatless Monday once in a while!

Falafel with Tahini Recipe