Cherry Tomato Pizzettas!

Pizzettas are small pizzas (I make mine about 5 to 6-inches in diameter, or about 4 ounces of dough for each pizzetta),


They are just the perfect size for a topping of cherry tomatoes, or top them with any of your favorite pizza components.





*Sigh* The last wave of our tomatoes are ready to harvest, they happen to be some of the sweetest; tiny grape, yellow pear, orange cherry.

Cherry, plums, olives with pits ~ that's how things used to be served.


If the sight of tomatoes still on the stem on your pizza doesn't appeal to you ~ of course you can de-stem them.

I like the rustic look, and surprisingly the cooked tomatoes release very easily by just pulling up on the stem.





These really are tiny (shown here in a regular teaspoon) and very, very sweet ~ but you can use any kind of cherry tomato on these pizzettas.


 I pluck some of the tomatoes from the vine/truss and slice in half, others I leave on the truss and place them on the cheese topped pizzettas about half way into baking.

To some of the pizzettas I added small yellow pear tomatoes, cut in half, along with a few "Currant" tomatoes and some sliced red ripe jalapenos for a spicy BITE. Yum!

For the cheeses I chose some fresh mozzarella, and some aged whole milk mozzarella, they make a mild, creamy combination. By all means if you have a favorite pizza cheese, anything that's good and melts well, that will work too.


Some of the tomatoes will burst into warm, sweet juicy goodness while while they are baking ~ and don't worry ~ when you pull on the tomato truss (stem), the baked tomatoes release easily.  Just put the stem to the side and enjoy the pizzetta!

For this version of pizza, I add the herbs after removing the pizzettas from the oven ~ their fragrance is really intensified that way.


Use any herbs you like,  I chose thyme sprigs for the Yellow Pear tomato and Jalapeno pizzettas, and a few fresh basil leaves for the Sweet Currant tomato version.

And just for variety I sprinkled a few capers on a couple of the slices, you could add some wonderfully flavorful chopped olives as well.


The best/most authentic flour for pizza dough?





It's Italian 00 (extra fine, high gluten flour)  If you cannot source it locally (I can't, so I) order it from amazon.com or Market Hall Foods.com

But if you want to make these right away, regular all purpose flour will do.


I have a few favorite pizza dough recipes listed on my recipe blog and any of them would work here ~ 

For my printable collection of tested Pizza Dough recipes click:

 HERE (Fast, Thin Crust)

HERE (Tasty and Healthful)

 HERE (100% Whole Wheat & Fast Crust)

and

HERE (One of Donna Hay's Pizza Dough recipes), it's the one I used for these pizzettas. If you make them, I hope you enjoy! 

Have a wonderful weekend everyone. xo~m

~*~*~*~*~

And don't forget ~ only 2 more days to enter the Tate's Bake Shop Cookie Drawing.  See details in the upper right corner of this page.

Potato-Chive Cakes with Jarlsberg Cheese and Rough Mustard Vinaigrette

My mom used to make something similar to these with leftover mashed potatoes when I was growing up, but for this version the potatoes are baked and mashed specifically for the recipe, the texture is a little different than those I remember from home.


Mom never added cheese, but she did sometimes add scallions. So here is a dressed-up version of Mom's Potato Cakes (I'm sure mom would approve.)

The potato cake part of the recipe is adapted from Cindy Pawlcyn's  "Mustards Grill" Cookbook.

Since I no longer live so close to the Napa wine country, I miss dining at Mustards ~ but cooking and eating the recipes from this book is the next best thing.  I can get my "Mustards-Fix" without leaving home!

Oh my goodness, these warm potato cakes are divine ~ crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. They make a fine luncheon dish ~ or a sturdy appetizer.  At the restaurant the plain cakes (without the beans and vinaigrette) are served alongside grilled meats or poultry.

But since I wanted to serve these for lunch I deviated a bit from Cindy's recipe. The haricot verts (slender green beans) out in the garden were just begging to be used, so I went out and picked a handful, sliced and quickly blanched them in boiling water, drained & sprinkled some around the perimeter of the potato cakes, then finished with a drizzle of wholegrain mustard vinaigrette. 


Voila ~ a delicious, elegant little lunch!

The potato cakes are so flavorful, you can skip the green beans & vinaigrette entirely to simplify the dish, and do as they serve the cakes at Mustards ~ along with any grilled or roasted meat, poultry or fish.  


They are absolutely yummy either way.

If you try them, I hope you like them too.

You can access a printable copy of the recipe HERE on my recipe blog.

Thanks for stopping by today, friends!!






Just a note:  We are having a little difficulty with some of your comments appearing correctly (they may be invisible!)  I'm working on this, and hope to have everything running smoothly before long.  Thank you for your patience while we're working out the kinks.  

Savory Palmiers ~ with Chèvre, Sun Dried Tomatoes and Pesto

Very recently a long-time internet friend Becky Shauberger Turner aka "DecoLady" passed at much too young an age. She leaves behind her beloved husband and two daughters, one just married in June and the other starting University this semester, family and friends who will miss her tremendously.

Our paths crossed almost 10 years ago on the old "Food Network" message boards. When that board closed we moved on to other "foodie" boards, and then graduated to blogland and facebook where we continued to remain in touch.

Today is the anniversary of her birth, her friends and those of us who were her cyber-friends are paying tribute to Becky on facebook.  In her honor we are each posting something that reminds us of her.   

A remarkable woman; wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend to many, she had a great lust for life and many varied interests . . . family, cooking, traveling, photography, exotic birds, plants, a love of things from the mid-century (last century), collecting dishes, particularly vintage Fiestaware, music, history, the color red, driving with her car's top down, Ina Garten ~The Barefoot Contessa . . . and so much more.

This is a recipe (from Ina Garten ~The Barefoot Contessa) of which Becky was fond and made while a member of Barefoot Bloggers*  

This just reminds me of Becky ~ bright, unusual, interesting, colorful, and comprised of many layers.


 While the dishes in the photos are not Fiestaware, to me they capture the tone that Fiestaware evokes.  Of course, I had to include Becky's favorite color, red ~ and a couple of glasses of Prosecco another of her favorites, for toasting.

* (Barefoot Bloggers - a group of bloggers who gathered to make Barefoot Contessa recipes.) 

So here's to you, special Becky ~ sadly, there will never be another like you, dear. You're sorely missed by so many.  

Gone from our sight but not from our hearts or memories. 

~Namaste~

~*~*~*~*~

For those of my readers who are interested in the recipe for the savory palmiers, you can find the recipe HERE  and you might find THIS four minute video clip, from YouTube featuring Ina Garten, helpful.

Thank you for stopping by today, friends.  xo ~m.

Korean Vegetable Pancakes (Pajeon)

A few days ago (see previous post) when I made the Pork Bulgogi I made these Pajeon [Korean Vegetable Pancakes] to complete the meal.


Sorry if there is any confusion with the name of the recipe ~ there are numerous ways of spelling Pajeon, Pa Jun, Pa Jon, P'ajon, etc.  I spelled it the way I've seen it most often, if you know the correct way, I would appreciate your advice! 


"Pa" is the word for green onion/scallion in the Korean language, so if you're going to include 'Pa' in the name of the recipe, be sure to include the scallions. ;)


Very much like many pancake recipes, the batter is made with flour, eggs, water and a little oil. Lots of slivered scallions, and most anything else you would like to add are stirred into the batter, they they are fried in a little vegetable oil into 8 or 9-inch pancakes. (A non-stick skillet is very helpful when making them.)

Besides the scallions I also added grated carrot, chives, and julienned summer squash (yellow crook neck this time.)  Small pieces of fish or shellfish may be added along with the vegetables, almost anything goes.


The simple dipping sauce is  made from soy sauce, a tiny bit of sugar, rice vinegar, hot chili oil and minced garlic ~ it's very tasty and complements the mild pancake slices perfectly.

Great warm or at room temperature I've served these as an appetizer, side dish and even a light main dish along with soup or salad for lunch or dinner.

They are a favorite at our house, and if you try them I hope you love them too.

Mark Bittman has a good instructional video on the NY Times website, which might be helpful if you've never made these before.

You can find a printable version of the recipes I used for the pancakes and dipping sauce over on my recipe blog by clicking HERE.

Thanks for stopping by for a visit, I would love if you would leave me a comment so I know you've been by today. I hope you all have a safe and happy new week!  


Blessings, ~m.

Tomato Slabs Roasted with Pesto and Parmesan

This simple way of preparing tomatoes caught my eye during a rerun episode of The Barefoot Contessa.  It's perfect for this time of year when the tomatoes are at their best. 

And the basil is growing profusely.  When we become overrun with the stuff I make pesto. Some for enjoying now, and some for the freezer.  


For the freezer batch, I use the food processor to combine the basil leaves, olive oil and salt and pepper as usual, but I find it has a much fresher taste if I stir in the freshly grated Parmesan Cheese, ground pine nuts and fresh minced garlic cloves just when I'm ready to use the pesto (rather than freezing the garlic and pine nuts with the sauce.)  





These are SO delicious, and so easy to put together ~ just thick tomato slices, a sprinkle of salt & pepper, a gentle shower of dried oregano, a few drops of olive oil, then they are roasted for a few minutes. Next a spoonful of fragrant pesto, and a topping of cheese, then back they go into the oven until the cheese melts.


I made a few changes to The Barefoot Contessa version.

I used my own version for the pesto, and also cut way back on the salt and oil compared to Ina's version. The pesto is already seasoned, and contains olive oil, and the Parmesan is plenty salty.
  

These would make a fabulous appetizer, light lunch, and they are a salad or side dish ~ delicious served warm, or at room temperature.


This version is roasted in a 425˚ (F) oven for just a few minutes, but I'm sure they could be made on the outdoor grill either on a perforated grill basket, or a grill-proof baking sheet.

This one, and similar simple recipes can be found in Ina's "How Easy Is That?" cookbook.

Next time I would consider topping them with grated mozzarella cheese or Romano.  I think they would be equally delicious that way, too.


The printable recipe can be found on my recipe page by clicking here.


Thanks so much for stopping by, and for any thoughts you would like to share.

Sweet and Salty Mixed Nuts

It happens every year ~ I buy more nuts than I actually need for holiday baking... 'just in case'.  I bag and seal the excess and store them in the freezer.  By mid-summer it occurs to me that I better figure out a way to use them up before the next holiday season.

I don't do as much baking in warm weather, but we do like to have smaller meals, and sometimes just a nibble . . .

A little treat to go along with cool, refreshing beverages when it's just too hot to eat ~ or cook.

A particular favorite here is icy water with a twist of lemon or lime, it's so refreshing.

Though this recipe is new to me, it's been around since at least the early 1990's.  It is an adaptation from those served at San Francisco's Fog City Diner.  

They only take a few minutes to put together, and that can be done in the cool of the morning. 

The bonus is there is no need to turn the oven on ~ no baking or roasting involved. The preparation is a simple 3 step process; put the nuts in a pot of water, bring it to a boil then drain. Toss with some powdered sugar (confectioner's sugar) and shallow fry for just a couple of moments in an inch or two of vegetable oil, then drain and place on a baking sheet, sprinkle with kosher or sea salt and allow to cool.  As they cool they crisp up very nicely.

And they'll be all ready to enjoy with your favorite cold drink as the day heats up.

They are exceptionally good!  

The bad thing is, they are addictive.

You can use your favorite type of nut, or mix up any combination you like ~ I used almonds, cashews, hazelnuts and pecans.

This one is definitely going into my 'keeper' file.

If you like nuts, I hope you'll give this one a try ~ and keep it in mind for your next party or get together.  They would make a fine little gift from your kitchen, too.

If you would like a printable copy of the recipe ~ you'll find it HERE on my recipe blog.

Thank you for coming by today!

Spicy 'Buffalo Chicken' Mini-Meatballs

Daniel Holzman and Michael Chernow of The Meatball Shop  demonstrated these spicy chicken mini-meatballs on a recently aired Martha Stewart program, they looked good so I wanted to give them a try.

All the flavors of Buffalo Chicken wings, but without the bones.

The key to the authentic "Buffalo" (as in Buffalo, New York) is the hot sauce and Frank's Red Hot  Original is the one to use.  Mixed with a little melted butter, it is perfect.  Rather than tossing the meatballs in the sauce, I drizzled just a little over (keeping in mind those who are sensitive to the heat) and offered additional sauce on the side for those who like it spicier.

Frank's Original Red Hot Sauce






~ The meatballs ~


The ingredients and method for the meatballs are fairly typical of many meatball recipes; the raw ground chicken meat, bread crumbs and eggs, minced celery, salt, mixed together, formed into 1-inch balls then baked.






You can buy ground chicken (preferably thigh meat, because it contains a little more fat so the meatballs will be moist and tender.)   I had skinless, boneless chicken thighs on hand so I just ground my own meat using the Kitchenaid stand mixer food grinder attachment.







I use the grinder attachment more frequently than I thought I would when I purchased it years ago. When you grind meat in your own kitchen you can be assured of the quality, plus you know just what you are eating. It's easy to use and I like that two plates are included, one for fine grinding, and the other for coarsely ground meat -- Chili grind.   Optional accessories make the grinder even more versatile.*


Of course you can also chop the chicken meat finely using the metal blade in your food processor, but I prefer the texture  the KitchenAid attachment produces.


Tip: If you cut the chicken thighs into approximately 2-inch pieces, then chill the meat in the freezer for several minutes you'll have an easier time of grinding or chopping it.

I made homemade Blue Cheese dip/dressing with 'Crater Lake Blue', from our local  Rogue Creamery with lots of crumbled chunks. :)  Store bought dip would be perfectly acceptable (if you don't care for blue cheese, Ranch Dip is a good alternative.)  You might want to offer celery sticks for dipping, too.

If you would like a copy of the recipe,  please click  HERE.




* Optional accessories: Sausage Stuffing device, Pasta Plates/Discs for making extruded pasta such as spaghetti (thick or thin), flat noodles, macaroni & lasagna noodles, and also a fruit/vegetable strainer attachment.




Thank you for coming by to take a look today!

Gruyère Puffs filled with Warm Bacon-Mornay Sauce

Two-bite puffs of savory goodness ~ I got the inspiration from one of Tyler Florence's restaurants to recreate them at home. They got thumbs up. :)

Crisp, airy & cheesy little pâte à choux puffs seasoned with Gruyère and Parmesan cheeses. Then baked and filled with a warm Gruyère Sauce Mornay, sprinkled with bacon and chives.  


Yes, they are rich, one or two will do.
And next time I will hold back a little on the amount of Mornay sauce for each one~ I got a little carried away and overfilled some.  The cheese sauce should just peek out over the top. Ooops.

Pâte à Choux?

Don't let it put you off, it is the same simple batter used to make eclairs, cream puffs, gougeres, etc. as well as savory treats like cheese gougeres, and filled savory puffs.  There are lots of excellent tutorials online if you need a little assistance the first time. Trust me, it's difficult to mess them up!

Of course you can skip the filling and just serve the warm puffs by themselves, or filled with other fillings ~ Chicken salad?  Shrimp or Tuna salad?  There are lots of possibilities.

They are perfect as an appetizer with a light meal, or as a nibble with your favorite cold beverage.

If you would like a copy the recipe you can find it Here on the Once Upon a Plate Recipe blog; and if you make them I hope you enjoy!

Thank you for coming by to visit, and any comments you would like to share.

Have a wonderful week everyone  ~Mari