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

Osso bucco (bone with a hole)

Osso Bucco

My husband loves getting taken out to lunch at a local Syracuse Italian restaurant.  Their specialty used to be osso bucco which they no longer carry on the menu.  He asked me if I would be able to add it to our regular dinner menu at home.  I found a recipe that calls for the use of a crockpot which is crucial since it needs to cook down for most of a day.  In his experience, he had veal shank which was pricier and harder to find so I used a beef crosscut shank, bone-in.  The prep work really wasn't that hard it just takes a while to cook.  Be sure to keep the slow cooker low enough that it won't burn or dry out.  The meat is done when it falls apart and the bone drops out; it will melt in your mouth! The fresh gremolata to top off the dish is an absolute must, as well as either pasta or a nice crusty bread to sop up the juices.

Osso Bucco Recipe

Baby Cakes

I saw a picture of these in a magazine and decided to recreate them for a friend's b'day.  They are adorable little three-tiered cupcakes that aren't as hard as they look.  I think they'd be perfect for a wedding but much more elegantly done.  I used a normal sized cupcake, a mini, and a Reese's peanut butter cup to make each different tier.  Before layering them I piped a circle of frosted on each cake and then stacked them to help them stick. So fun!

Pierogi Perfection

Pierogies with Bacon, Sautéed Onion, and Sour Cream

The ultimate comfort food but it's still considered cooking light.  I love pierogies, bacon makes everything better, and caramelized onions are da bomb.com  All of these come together in a quick and easy but satisfying dish.  Not much to say but it's a must try!

Pierogie Recipe

La la la la la lasagna Boat

Spaghetti Squash

I have issues, but in particular with textures.  Normally, I can't handle mushy squash, reminds me of baby food.  This is not that kind of squash, rather it's a great replacement for pasta which I use in many different dishes.  This one involves ricotta, sauce, fresh basil, sausage, and gooey mozzarella all rolled into one spaghetti squash half.  I used spicy Italian poultry sausage for a little kick.  I also prefer the microwave method for cooking spaghetti squash.  Carefully cut one in half lengthwise, place cut side down in a glass dish with a touch of water in the bottom, cover with Saran and microwave in high for about 10 minutes or until spaghetti strands shred easily.  Even my husband who usually turns up his little nose at spaghetti squash loved this one!

Spaghetti Squash Recipe

Shrimp Po Boy

Shrimp Po'boy Lightened Up

Normally a shrimp po'boy is heavily breaded and fried which leaves you wondering if there's any shrimp in there at all and where the extra baggage on your hips came from.  These are the answer to both of these problems.  Even though lightly breaded, they have great flavor with just a bit of sweet heat.  I'm not usually one for prepackaged or pre made things but the coleslaw mix is a great timesaver and its still got fresh ingredients.  A fresh bread from a local bakery is the best but if not just be sure to toast those buns!

Po'boy Recipe

Mushroom Meatloaf

Creaming Mushroom Meatloaf

Meatloaf always makes me think of some big greasy hunk of ground beef but this is so not that.  The cremini mushrooms are hearty and meaty to fill out the loaf but actually make it a light dish as well.  If you can't find creminis they are very similar to a baby portobello mushroom.  I also substituted lean ground beef for ground sirloin since it's cheaper and what I had at home. Fresh thyme really brightens up the dish and adds a great flavor element.  Even though it takes a little under an hour from start to finish it really isn't hard for a weeknight winner!  A side of cauliflower mash is a great alternative to the usual heavy glop of mashed potatoes.  They still have a little potato mixed with the cauliflower and if you add a little garlic and sour cream you'll never know the difference.

Mushroom Meatloaf Recipe

What to do with leftover Italian bread?

Stuffed French Toast 

After Christmas, I had so much food that nobody ate the loaf of Italian bread.  Day old Italian bread is perfect for French toast but who wants plain French toast; not me.  I whipped up a little cream cheese with powdered sugar to sweeten it a bit.  I cut a slit in each slice of bread that didn't go all the way through to the other side.  I stuffed each piece with cream cheese and a raspberry compote that I had (you can use your favorite jam flavor).  I then soaked each piece in a mixture of almond milk (because I ran out of real milk), egg beaters (because I ran out of eggs), vanilla and some cinnamon.  Spray a grilling pan with cooking spray and cook until golden on each side.  Serve with a sprinkle of powdered sugar and some real maple syrup.

Christmas Cocktail

Christmas Sangria

A great way to start a holiday party and leave people talking about it.  It's festive with red cranberries, red and green apples, and a sprig of fresh rosemary.  It's sparkling and it's wine, a great combination.  It's also light enough to appeal to most wine or cocktail drinkers.  

Sangria Recipe

6 Cupcakes of Christmas

I used to make so many Christmas cookies and every year it seemed that I added a few more kinds.  Last year I started my own tradition with the 12 cupcakes of Christmas.  Twelve different fillings, frostings, cupcakes, and toppings was a little much so this year I tried 6 different kinds.  Each one was chosen with some part of Christmas or the holidays in mind.

#1 Toasted Lemon Meringue

This cupcake was made with the ski slopes and white fluffy snow in mind.  A fresh lemon zest cake, with homemade lemon curd filling, and meringue topping toasted with a pastry chef torch.  They're topped with fondant skis and a skier made out of sugar (I did cheat and buy that part).

#2 Cranberry Orange 

This may not be the most common Christmas treat but someone I associate the two whether it's in my Mom's cranberry orange bread, the oranges my Great Aunt used to give us for Christmas, or the orange ball cookies that my husband loves.  This cupcake is like a muffin with fresh cranberries and orange zest.  The frosting is a cream cheese base with cranberry and orange juice added to the two different colors; the flavor came out bold and delicious.  

#3 Peppermint White Chocolate

This flavor combination reminds me of peppermint white chocolate bark which comes out seasonally and I love.  You have to like peppermint because this cupcake definitely was bursting with that flavor.  The frosting had real Ghirardelli white chocolate melted right into it.  For a garnish, I topped it with a handmade white chocolate snowflake and peppermint Andes candies pieces.

#4 Hot Chocolate Marshmallow

On the bitter cold winter days in Syracuse, not just children like to enjoy a cup of hot chocolate topped with marshmallows.  These cupcakes are actually infused with dark hot chocolate and topped with a homemade marshmallow frosting.  I garnished them with a piece of a candy cane striped straw and mini dark chocolate chips.

#5 Dark Chocolate Cherries

Candies and truffles are a popular gift during the holidays.  This cupcake will certainly appeal to a sweet tooth and dark chocolate lover.  It's a chocolate porter cupcake filled with cherry pie filling, topped with dark chocolate buttercream and garnished with a dark chocolate dipped long stem cherry.

#6 Red Velvet

The color of a red velvet cupcake just makes me think if Christmas; it's perfect for the season! I filled these with a cream cheese filling, topped with whipped buttercream, and garnished with holly berries made from melting chocolates and m&ms. Simple and sophisticated. 

Deconstructed Cheesecake

Cheesecake in a Glass

I love trying classic recipes but in new ways.  This treat is great for a dinner party, it's quick, and it's pretty.  The base is crushed graham cracker mixed with a little melted butter.  The cheesecake filling consists of 2-8oz cream cheese and one can sweetened condensed milk whipped together.  For the toppings, use your favorite berries.  I used a bag of frozen mixed berries cooked down in the stove with a little lemon juice and cornstarch mixed together.  Cook until the berries turn into a jelly-like consistency.  Assemble in your favorite wine glass or other glassware with graham cracker first, then a few dollops of cheesecake mixture, then berries, and topped with your favorite nuts or slivered almonds (if desired).  So cute and so easy!

Flavorful Minestrone

Chickpea and Sausage Minestrone

I'm not usually a fan of minestrone especially when it's loaded with kidney beans or just vegetables.  This version is healthy but packed with flavor.  I make sure to dice up the veggies really fine since I've never loved cook carrots.  I also used ditalini pasta instead of shells because it's what I had in the house.  Along side the soup, I served Parmesan toasts made by toasting English muffin halves under the broiler for a few minutes.  I topped them with a small amount of mayo, fresh Parmesan, and black pepper and broiled until the cheese melted.  The best part of this meal is that the whole thing take under 30 minutes.

Soup Recipe

Breakfast Anytime!

Eggs and Bacon "Breakfast" Pizza

I put quotations on breakfast because this is the perfect pizza for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.  Normally breakfast pizzas have a scrambled egg topping, but this one has the ooey gooey goodness of sunny side up eggs minus the work it usually takes to make them. This pizza is quick and easy to assemble, and even I used a pre-made crust for once.  It would be perfect for a protein boost at the start of your day or after a vigorous workout.  Give it a try!

Eggs and Bacon Pizza Recipe