Balsamic Mushroom and Onion Calzone

There is just something so satisfying about breaking into a sauce-smoothered dough to have cheese and delicious ingredients spill out! I had some extra pizza dough on hand recently and I rummaged though my brain (and fridge!) to see what I could fill it with...the result was a super yummy calzone that had my family wishing I had more leftover dough :)

Serves 6
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-1 lb pizza dough, split into 6 equal parts
-2 tablespoons olive oil
-1 large vidalia onion, sliced into strips
-1 lb fresh crimini mushrooms, sliced
-3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
-2 tablespoons fresh tarragon or 1 tablespoon dried tarragon
-salt and pepper to taste
-2 cups shredded cheese (I recommend an Italian blend of mozzarella and parmesan)

Sauce
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-1 tablespoon olive oil
-4 large tomatoes
-3 cloves of garlic
-2 tablespoons dried Italian seasoning
-1/2 cup water
-salt and pepper to taste

To make
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-Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit
-Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray
-On a clean surface sprinkled with flour, roll out each mound of dough to about 8-10 inches x 4 inches
-Heat olive oil in a skillet and cook onions for about 5 minutes until halfway cooked. Add mushrooms, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper and continue cooking on medium heat about 5-10 more minutes, until the onions have caramelized and the vinegar has reduced to a glaze. Stir in the tarragon and remove from heat.
-Place about 1/2 cup to 2/3 cup onion and mushroom mixture on on side of dough. Sprinkle 1/3 cup cheese on top of onion mixture. Fold over the long end of the dough and crimp the edges closed. Repeat with remaining dough and mixture.
-Arrange calzones on baking sheet and bake for about 12-17 minutes, or until the top is golden and the dough seems cooked. Cooking time will vary depending on your dough.
-While the calzones are baking, prepare the sauce by heating oil in a sauce pan. Puree tomatoes and garlic and add to the heated oil. Add seasoning, water, salt and pepper and cook on medium heat until the sauce has thickened and reduced to desired consistency, about 10 minutes.
-Remove Calzones from oven and put onto individual serving plates. Spoon about 1/2 cup sauce on to each calzone and serve.
-Enjoy!

Pesto Gorgonzola and Pine Nut Flatbread

My mom and I ordered a pizza with these toppings on it recently and we were wowed at the combination of the yummy flavors. So I did what I do best and I went home and made my own version :)  Using flat bread instead of pizza dough worked better because its quicker and you can control how many you make instead of ending up with a huge pizza.

This is a bit of a refined pizza because Gorgonzola cheese has a strong flavor, as does the pesto. But if you like these ingredients then you will love them together!

You can easily alter the quantities of this recipe to make however many pieces you want.

Makes 1 flat bread

Ingredients
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-1 flat bread
-2 tablespoons pesto
-2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
-2 tablespoons Gorgonzola cheese crumbles

To make
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-Spread the pesto evenly onto the flat bread. Sprinkle with pine nuts and Gorgonzola cheese.
-Toast in a toaster oven or a skillet until the cheese has melted and the flat bread has reached desired crispiness.
-Cut into 4 slices and serve
-Enjoy :)

Egg-less Tiramisu

I've got nothing against eggs (in fact, I love eating them), but something about using half a carton of raw eggs in a dessert is really grossing me out. Which was a big issue when I started craving tiramisu. My friend Lubna makes an AMAZING homemade tiramisu, so we colaborated on substitutions for the egg. After a lot of research we decided that replacing the eggs with vanilla pudding should achieve the same custard-like texture as the eggs. I gave it a try and was quite pleased with the results!

Just to clarify, this is not completely egg free, since the lady fingers have eggs. The recipe is free of RAW eggs.

Serves 6.

Ingredients
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-1 package lady fingers (you will need 28 total)
-1 1/2 cups strongly brewed coffee, cooled and mixed with 2 tablespoons sugar (I used hazelnut flavored, and the subtle taste really added depth to the tiramisu).
-1 tablespoon coco powder (for garnish)

Mascarpone Cream Filling

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--3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

-4 ounces mascarpone cheese (1/2 of the 8 ounce package, about 1/2 a cup)

-3/4 cup vanilla pudding

-1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Assembly

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-Place heavy whipping cream in a bowl and freeze for 5 minutes. Remove from freezer and whisk with an electric mixer for a few minutes until the cream forms stiff peaks. In a separate bowl, mix together mascarpone cheese, pudding and vanilla until well blended. Stir in the whipped cream.
-Soak each lady finger in coffee and place in an 8x8 inch baking dish. Place 7 lady finger side by side in two rows on the bottom layer of the baking dish. Spoon half of the mascarpone filling over the lady fingers. Repeat the soaking process of the remaining lady fingers and arrange a second layer over the mascarpone cream. Spread the  rest of the mascarpone cream and sprinkle with coco powder. 
-Cover and refrigerate over night. Because of the coffee and cream, the longer this soaks the better it will taste.
-Enjoy and leave a comment :)

Caprese and Meatball Orecchiette Pasta

The name of this pasta is SO difficult to pronounce: "oh-reck-ee-et-tay." It means "little ears" in Italian, which I thought was cute :)  I was intrigued to make it because everything that goes into it is small and round, which sounded so adorable. I didn't realize that I would set out on a year long search in order to find this pasta. Funny how when I didn't have an interest in using it, I always saw it at the markets, but when I sought it out, suddenly it disappeared. If it is difficult to locate where you live, please be more mature than I was and replace it for pasta shells or bow-tie pasta :)

I love anything well seasoned and with plenty of sauce, two things this recipe does not include. However, it is --much to my surprise-- still very tasty because of the freshness of the ingredients and the enjoyable flavors of the fresh mozzarella and basil. It would have been a shame to disguise their flavor with a sauce. The meatballs provide a lot of flavor, so take care to season them well. The chicken broth is also well seasoned and adds a bit of salt, so be careful not to over salt this.

This is loosely based on a Giada recipe and it serves 4 adults.

Ingredients
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-1 1/2cups boccini, halved (mini sized fresh mozzarella balls)
-I 1/2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, halved (I used half yellow and half red tomatoes)
-1 pound orecchiette pasta (or shell shaped pasta)
-1 pound meatballs (ready or homemade)
-2 cups chicken broth
-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
-3/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
-1/2 cup fresh parmesan shavings

Assembly
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-Boil the pasta according to package instructions, al dente.
-Prepare the meatballs. A tip for cooking these is to bake them in the oven instead of in batches over the stove. Although I haven't included these ingredients above, I make my meatballs using 1 pound ground beef and throw random things in like marinara sauce, pesto and crushed red pepper.
-Simmer the cooked meatballs with the tomatoes, red pepper flakes and chicken broth for 10-15 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced to half.
-Toss the meatballs, tomatoes and sauce with the pasta, fresh mozzarella and basil. Serve hot with parmesan shavings on top.
-Enjoy and leave a comment :)

Grilled Vegetables

I dedicate this recipe to Azza, my pregnant bff who craved this dish from across the country :)

Everything about this dish is wonderful! The flavors are robust, the assortment is colorful, it is healthy, low fat, easy to prepare...the list goes on and on!

I ALWAYS serve up a dish of these at a BBQ, and it really is a nice side dish to accompany all the meat/poultry options. BBQ events are supposed to be fun and relaxing with minimal prep work, and these veggies are no exception! For an even easier version than outdoor grilling, I use my George Foreman grill and they taste just the same as outdoor grilled veggies.

Sometimes I toss all the ingredients together and grill them all at once, but in this picture I grilled each vegetable separate and arranged them as such on the serving dish.

TOTALLY experiment with the vegetables. Everytime I make these veggies the ingredients will differ. I like to add artichoke hearts, fresh bell peppers, corn bits, asparagus...whatever chunky vegetable I have! I would be interested to find out how pumpkin would taste...maybe I'll try it and update you guys :)

Ingredients

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-1 cup baby zucchini (if using a large zucchini, chop into chunks)

-1 cup baby yellow squash (if using a large squash, chop into chunks)

-1 cup baby carrots

-1 large red onion, cut into large cubes

-1 cup crimini mushrooms

-1 cup grape tomatoes

Marinade

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-1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

-1/3 cup olive oil

-3 garlic cloves, minced

-1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

-salt and pepper to taste

To make

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-Mix all the marinade ingredients together and coat the veggies with the marinade.

-Grill for about 5-10 minutes on a George Foreman grill (depending on your grill and how well-done you like them). If you are using an outdoor grill these will take a few minutes longer.
-Serve and enjoy!

These are equally delicious as leftovers! You can chop them up finely and turn them into veggie quesidellas or use them for the  grilled vegetable couscous salad!

Creamy Spinach Lasagna Rolls

I love this recipe. It looks so pretty, and each bite is a burst of flavor. Rolling the lasagna is even easier than layering a traditional lasagna dish! I made this up years ago when I was looking for a creative twist on pasta in red sauce. It was a hit and I make it pretty frequently for dinner parties. Its a vegetarian dish, loaded with spinach, but still creamy and cheesy!

Ingredients

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-1 tablespoon olive oil

-1 red onion, diced into small cubes

-5 garlic cloves, finely minced

-1 pound frozen chopped spinach

-8 ounce package cream cheese (go with the light version)

-1/2 cup milk

-2 tablespoons pesto sauce

-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

-1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

-1 cup chopped artichoke hearts (optional)

-1/2 cup chopped mushrooms (optional)

-salt and pepper to taste

-12 lasagna noodles, boiled al-dente

-1 jar prepared marinara sauce

-Parmesan cheese for garnish (or mozzarella)

Assembly

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-Boil the lasagna noodles in hot water until al-dente. Drain and keep aside.

-Heat olive oil and cook onions and garlic until caramelized. Add the spinach and optional artichokes and mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning.

-Add cream cheese, milk and pesto sauce and stir until cream cheese is melted.

-Pour the marinara sauce into a 9x13 baking dish. Add 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning and stir into sauce.

-To roll the noodles, lay them out flat and spread 1/2 cup spinach mixture on each noodle. Roll the noodles and place seam side down into the marinara sauce. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and additional Italian seasoning, then bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees.

Chicken and White Sauce Lasagna

This is not your traditional lasagna recipe. No red sauce, no meat. Lots of chicken, cheese and yummy veggies instead! The sauce came about by me opening my fridge and adding whatever I felt would taste relevant. I think you can leave out or substitute some of the ingredients for this because it isn't one specific flavor that makes it taste good, but rather the combination of smooth creaminess. My home girl Nora made an amazing similar version of this and it reminded me of my recipe, so thank you!

For a vegetarian dish, leave out the chicken and increase the vegetable quantities.

This isn't one of my low calorie/low fat recipes, but soooo worth it...

Ingredients
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-1 lb chicken breast, cut into small cubes
-2 tablespoons mascarpone cheese (or olive oil)
-1/2-1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
-2 cups fresh mushrooms, roughly chopped
-2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped (frozen is ok)
-1 1/2 cups artichoke hearts (I used the frozen bag, not the marinated), roughly chopped
-1/2 cup roasted red peppers, chopped

-1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped

-garlic salt and black pepper
-9 lasagna noodles, boiled 2 minutes under al dente
-1 1/2 cups Italian cheese (mozzarella, parmesan, or a mix)
-1/2-1 cup fresh basil (optional)

Sauce

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-1 jar alfredo sauce
-8 ounce package of cream cheese
-3/4 cup half and half
-3 tablespoons pesto sauce
-3 tablespoons fresh oregano (optional)
-3 tablespoons Italian seasoning

Assembly

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-Cook the chicken in a pot on high heat with mascarpone cheese. Once it is cooked halfway through, add the mushrooms. After 3 minutes add the spinach, artichoke hearts, roasted red pepper and sun dried tomatoes. Continue cooking for an additional 3 minutes. Season the chicken mixture with garlic salt and black pepper.
-Add the alfredo sauce to the chicken mixture. Stir in the cream cheese, half and half, pesto, oregano and Italian seasoning. Stir mixture and cook on medium heat until it boils. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste.
-Using a 9x13 inch baking dish, ladle some sauce on the bottom of the dish. Arrange 3 lasagna noodles and spoon 1/3 of the chicken mixture over the noodles. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of cheese. Arrange another 3 lasagna noodles and 1/3 of the chicken mixture. Sprinkle with another 1/2 cup of cheese. Repeat the process one last time (noodles, chicken mixture, cheese). Decorate the top of the lasagna with additional sliced red peppers and sun dried tomatoes. Add the 1 cup fresh basil or you can sprinkle some additional Italian seasoning.
-Cover with foil and bake at 450 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 5-10 minutes.

Chicken and Gnocchi Soup

This is a spin-off version of two soups in one. Panera's chicken and wild rice soup and Olive Garden's new gnocchi soup.

Ingredients
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-1 cup packaged gnocchi (half of the 16 oz package)

-3 cups boiling salted water

-1 cup shredded rotisserie chicken

-1 tablespoon olive oil

-1 cup frozen or fresh chopped spinach

-1/2 cup diced carrots

-1/2 cup diced mushrooms

-1/2 cup diced celery

-4 minced garlic cloves

-2 cups chicken broth

-2 cups half and half

-1/2 cup fresh basil

To make

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-Place water in a pot and turn on high. Once the water boils, add the gnocchi. Follow package directions for cooking time. Drain and set aside.

-Heat olive oil in a pot and saute carrots, celery and mushrooms until tender. Add garlic halfway through. Stir in shredded chicken and spinach, then add the half and half and chicken broth. Add salt to taste.

-Simmer on medium low heat for about 15 minutes, then add the gnocchi and simmer for another 15 minutes. Add fresh basil and black pepper.

**Serve with crusty french bread and enjoy :) **