Baked Caprese Salad on Ciabatta

I think one of the biggest reasons I keep food blogging is because of how much I enjoy getting to know my food bloggy friends. Even though we only know each other through the world wide web, I still feel as though I have made great friends who share the same love for food.

However, I also have the pleasure of know two of my food bloggy friends in person, Sara from Sara in the Kitchen, and Alissa from Spunky Girl Eats, and it's been so fun having friends that are perfectly content discussing food for hours on end (because I know I can!). So we finally decided that it was time we come together and enjoy good food and good company for a food blogger's lunch.

I contributed the appetizer and salad, which I will feature tomorrow. I kept the appetizer very simple, but oh so delicious by making a baked caprese salad on ciabatta. I don't think I could possibly ever get enough of the tomato, mozzarella and basil combination, it's without a doubt the best threesome out there (Donna, that's for you!)

This is such a cheesy and flavorful appetizer, and converts very easily into a panini if you'd prefer it as a meal instead. It requires few ingredients and takes about ten minutes to throw together. Just be sure to use FRESH mozzarella. It melts so much better and has such a good flavor, cheesetastic!


Baked Caprese Salad on Ciabatta

Ingredients

1 ciabatta baguette, sliced
1 small block fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced thinly
4-5 Roma or campari tomatoes, sliced
6-7 fresh basil leaves, sliced into ribbons
olive oil
salt and pepper

Directions

Place ciabatta slices on baking sheet. Brush with olive oil and bake at 400 for 3-5 minutes, or until browned and toasted. Top with 1-2 tomato slices each, sprinkle salt and pepper. Then top with 1 slice of mozzarella. Sprinkle salt and pepper again and bake at 400 for 2-3 minutes until cheese is melted and just starting to bubble. Just before serving, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle fresh basil. Serve warm.

Be sure to check out Sara and Alissa's blogs for additional fantastic recipes!

Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Pineapple

A few weeks ago a went to a Hawaiian themed girl's night that featured homemade coconut ice cream topped with broiled pineapple, oh it was good. But ever since that night, I have not been able to leave the grocery store without a fresh pineapple to enjoy all by ourselves. Fresh pineapple is such a treat, for some reason I feel like I'm being so indulgent when I get one, I just love that sweet sweet juicy fruit!

So I was really excited when I found this recipe because if pineapples pairs with anything well (besides coconut), it's pork! I love that sweet and salty combination, and this did not look like it would disappoint.

This was so juicy and delicious, and the pineapple topped it all off beautifully. The recipe came with the ingredients to make a ginger sauce. I didn't make it because I ran out of ingredients, but I will post it for you. Let me know if you try it.

Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Pineapple
From Great Food Fast

Ingredients

4 slices, 1/2 inch thick, fresh pineapple
3 tablespoons dark hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
1 garlic clove minced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 1/2 lbs pork tenderloin trimmed
coarse salt and pepper

Directions

1. Heat broiler. Place the pineapple slices on a foil-lined baking sheet

2. In a small bowl, combine the hoisin sauce, ginger, garlic, and mustard.

3. Place the pork in the broiler, about 4 inches from the heat; place the pineapple in the oven. Broil the pork until it registers 155F on an instant-read thermometer, 15-20 minutes. Remove from the broiler (let rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing; the temp will rise to 160 as it sits). Turn the pineapple slices; cook until browned in spots, about 10 minutes more.

4. Halve the pineapple slices; arrange on a platter with the sliced pork. Drizzle the pork with the pan juices; season with salt and pepper. Serve with the quick ginger sauce.

Quick Ginger Sauce

2 TB dark hoisin sauce
2 TB pineapple juice
2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon soy sauce
fresh ground pepper

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients.

Barbecue Sirloin and Blue Cheese Salad

Salads are definitely one of my favorite everyday meals. But if I'm going to have a salad, especially for dinner, it has to be something that's going to sustain me, keep me full and have lots of flavor. And here it is.

This salad is so rich and meaty that even my husband was able to eat it without complaining that all he's eaten is "rabbit food." The smoky steak, and crumbled pungent Gorgonzola are rounded off perfectly with a slightly sweet Dijon vinaigrette. It's very rich, but not overwhelming, a perfect dinner.

Barbecue Sirloin and Blue Cheese Salad
Cooking Light September 2009

Ingredients

2 teaspoons chili powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
1 pound lean sirloin steak, trimmed
Cooking spray
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar (i used a flavored rice vinegar, i liked the sweetness)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon EVOO
6 cups torn Bibb lettuce (I used romaine)
3/4 cup thinly sliced, peeled cucumber
1 cup thinly sliced red pepper strips (i did tomato instead)
1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (I used Gorgonzola)

Directions

1. Combine chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper; rub evenly over both sides of steak.

2. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add stead to pan; cook 5 minutes. Turn steak over; cook 4 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Place steak on a cutting board; let stand 5 minutes. Cut across grain into thin slices.

3. Combine vinegar, mustard, remaining salt and pepper in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Gradually add oil, stirring with a whisk. Combine lettuce, cucumber, bell pepper, and shallots in a large bowl. Drizzle vinaigrette over salad; toss gently to coat. Top salad with steak and cheese.

Serves 4: 1 1/2 cups salad, 3 oz steak and 2 TB cheese

Per Serving: 269cal, 12.4g fat, 9.4g carb, 2.6g fiber, 57mg chol

Points per Serving: 6

Oreo Truffles

A huge shout out to Melody at Cheat Day Cafe for posting these morsels from heaven! If you haven't visited her blog yet, you're missing out. Her recipes and personality have me going back regularly!

What is it about these little bite sized treats do I love so much? I needed a treat to take to a baby shower, and since I've made cakeballs ad nauseum, I figured it was time for something different, so I made these, lol!

These Oreo truffles are simply divine, especially if you are a chocolate lover. And I love using the chocolate candy melts, rather then chocolate chips, because they made a very crisp coating that goes so well with the Oreo. Mmmmmm, next time I make these, I'm freezing half so that I can enjoy them for weeks to come!

Oreo Truffles
From Melody at Cheat Day Cafe

Ingredients

1 16 oz package of Oreos (not double stuff)
1 8 oz package of cream cheese
Dark Chocolate melts (I used Wilton, and they can be found at most craft stores)
White Chocolate melts, optional for garnish

Directions

1. Blend Oreos in a food processor until finely crushed.

2. Mix cream cheese in mixing bowl until creamy. Add Oreo crumbs, and blend until completely combined.

3. Roll into 1 inch balls, or smaller, place on a cookie sheet and freeze for at least twenty minutes to harden.

4. Melt dark chocolate. Dip each truffle into chocolate (I just used a spoon to coat the truffle, and then pulled it out, tapping excess chocolate on the side of the bowl). Place on wax paper to dry.

5. For garnish, melt white chocolate in a plastic ziplock bag. Snip tip of bag and drizzle over top of truffle. Once dried, store in refrigerator.

Cold Sesame Noodles with Chicken and Cucumbers

You know, I've always considered myself a dinner person. Many times my breakfasts and lunch were just whatever I could pull out of the fridge, and often eaten standing up! But just in the last few weeks, I've come to really appreciate lunch as a meal that can be downright therapeutic.

I feed my kids first, get their needs met, and I may even put them down for a nap, so the house is quiet. Then I take my time, selecting my ingredients, chopping veggies, preparing my Diet Coke, on ice, with lime, and then I sit. I gather my thoughts, savor the tastes, listen to music and completely indulge in the sanctity of my meal. It's become one of my favorite parts of the day, something that I hope continues for a long time.

I loved these noodles for lunch. The weather here has still been fairly warm, so they were the perfect, refreshing break that I was looking for. I liked mine with a good amount of sweetness, which I didn't get in my sauce. But a little drizzle of honey right on the noodles made them just right. Happy lunching!

Cold Sesame Noodles with Chicken and Cucumbers
Found in Cooking Light September 2009 edition

Ingredients

8 oz uncooked dried Udon noodles
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 TB dark sesame oil
2 TB low sodium soy sauce
1 TB honey
2 teaspoons sambal oelek or chile paste with garlic
1/2 teaspoon bottled fresh ginger
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken breast
2 medium cucumbers, halved lengthwise and sliced
6 TB chopped green onions
3 TB chopped dry roasted peanuts
chopped cilantro

Directions

1. Cook noodles according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and rinse under cold water; drain.

2. Combine rice vinegar and the next five ingredients (through ginger) in a large bowl, and stir with a whisk. Add noodles, chicken, and cucumbers to bowl; toss gently to coat. Top with green onions and peanuts.

Serves 6: 1 cup noodle mixture

Per Serving: 301cal, 9.2g fat, 21.5g prot, 3.1g fiber, 40mg chol, 2.3mg iron

Points Per Serving: 6

Fruit Pizza

This was another treat we got at my mom's house. She has been making these as long as I can remember, and as far as I know, no one makes them as pretty and as delicious as she does. Her cookie base is more then just a sugar cookie, it is a chewy, but crispy, oatmeal cookie, that could easily stand alone on it's own. The "sauce" for the pizza is so sweet and creamy, a perfect blank palate for any fruit that is in season. I took this over the summer time, so obviously berries were an appropriate choice. Right now, peaches and pears would be wonderful, or even apples, cut up in chunks and sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar.

You can arrange the fruit on the pizza and then serve, or you could leave it empty with just the sauce and allow people to pile on the fruit of their choice. Either way, this pizza will be an absolute hit!

Fruit Pizza
Recipe provided by my amazing mom!

Ingredients

COOKIE:
3/4 c soft margarine
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla
1 2/3 c flour
1 t soda
1 1/3 c quick oats
dash salt
SAUCE:
1 small pkg instant vanilla pudding
2 c milk
8 oz softened cream cheese
Stir in
1 c Cool Whip
1 c powdered sugar

Directions

COOKIE:
Beat margarine. Beat in sugars, egg & vanilla. Beat well. Sift flour, salt & soda and add to creamed mixture. Mix well. Stir in oats. Chill 1-2 hours or overnight. Roll (pat) evenly onto hot pizza stone. Bake 350 for about 15 minutes. Loosen from pizza stone and cool.

"SAUCE:"
Mix and beat well:
Spread over cooled crust and top with a variety of colorful fruits! I macerate all the fruit I top the pizza with. I think pizza is best after sitting for awhile, allowing topping to integrate with cookie crust.

Fresh Tomato, Sausage, and Pecorino Pasta

There are so many good recipes out there, so many things to try, that I rarely make the same dish twice, even when I love it. But I'm making this pasta again tomorrow! It.was.so.good, I just don't know how else to put it. Fresh tomatoes, fresh basil, penne pasta and lots of cheese, I don't think life gets any better.

The only change I made to this recipe was using turkey sausage instead of regular, which only lightened it up and did not compromise the taste at all.

Fresh Tomato, Sausage, and Pecorino Pasta
Found in Cooking Light September 2009

Ingredients

8 ounces uncooked penne
8 ounces sweet Italian sausage
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup vertically sliced onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 1/4 pounds tomato, chopped
6 tablespoons grated, fresh pecorino Romano cheese, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Remove casings from sausage. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add sausage and onion to pan; cook four minutes, stirring to crumble sausage. Add garlic; cook 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in pasta, 2 tablespoons cheese, salt and pepper. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese and basil.

Serves 4: 2 cups pasta, 1 tablespoon cheese

Per Serving: 389 cal, 10.7g fat, 21.6g prot, 4.5g fiber, 27mg chol

Points per Serving: 8

Bacon Mac

I am already such a fan of Cooking Light, but just like any magazines, some months are better then others. This months edition was a particular treat with just about every recipe jumping off the page at me, and so far, none of them have been disappointing! When I saw this one, I new for sure I had to make it, if not for me, then for my husband and kids, who love pasta so much, sometimes I don't know why I bother to make anything else!

One thing I've just barely discovered is what a difference salting your boiling water makes when cooking pasta. Your pasta has so much more flavor and I just think the entire dish benefits from it, so if you haven't been seasoning your pasta, give it a try

Bacon Mac
From Cooking Light September 2009 edition

Ingredients

3 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
12 ounces preferred pasta
4 teaspoons all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups skim milk divided
2 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar, divided
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 slices center cut cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
Cooking Spray

Directions

1. Preheat broiler

2. Bring 6 quarts water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil. Add pasta; cook al dente, drain.

3. Combine flour and 1/2 cup milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Gradually add 1 cup milk, bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; let stand 4 minutes, or until it cools to 155. Stir in 1 1/2 cups cheese. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, onions, hot sauce, pepper, and bacon; stir. Add pasta; toss. Spoon into a 2-quart, broiler safe dish coated with cooking spray; top with 1/2 cup cheese. Broil 7 minutes.

Serves 6: 1 serving is about 1 cup

Per Serving: 399cal, 13.8g fat, 20g prot, 48.7g carb, 2g fiber, 44mg chol.

Points per Serving: 9

Chicken or Steak with Balsamic BBQ Sauce

Sadly, I believe that our grilling days are just about over for now. Our apartment does not allow grills, so we had to take ours to a better place. The one thing that consoled me was that summer is over, and grilling is not the primary way to cook anymore. I will still miss my grill all the same...a moment of silence please.

And now onto the food. I love BBQ sauce, but I just don't think you can beat the homemade stuff, especially when it's made like this. The base is balsamic vinegar, which makes it a very tangy dipping sauce, but comes out so sweet and gooey when grilled right onto the meat. You can't go wrong. And the good news is you can do it in your oven too, so don't let the cool weather get in the way of having fabulous BBQ chicken or steak!

Chicken or Steak with Balsamic BBQ Sauce
By Giada DiLaurentiis

Ingredients

For the Balsamic BBQ sauce:
1 cup balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup ketchup
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the chicken or steak:
4 pieces chicken (any combination of breast or leg-and-thigh pieces) or 4 pieces of New York strip or Club strip steak
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

For BBQ Sauce:
Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan and stir until all the ingredients are incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Simmer over medium heat until reduced by 1/3, about 15 to 20 minutes.

For the chicken or steak:
Place a grill pan over medium heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Season the meat with salt and pepper. Lightly coat with some of the BBQ sauce using a pastry brush. Place the meat on the grill. Place the remaining BBQ sauce, still in the small saucepan, over low heat or on the edge of a gas or charcoal grill and allow to gently simmer while the meat cooks.

Cook the chicken about 8 minutes per side. Cook the steaks starting at about 4 minutes per side until a meat thermometer reads the desired temperature, 120 degrees F for medium rare, 135 degrees F for medium (about 6 minutes per side), 155 degrees F for well done (about 9 minutes per side). Continually brush the meat with BBQ sauce every few minutes. Remove the meat from the grill and let rest for at least 5 minutes. Serve with the heated BBQ sauce alongside.

Alternately, the chicken can be baked in the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the chicken skin side up in a baking dish and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the baking dish from the oven and spoon the BBQ sauce all over the top of the chicken. Return the baking dish to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes.

Garden Risotto

This is really something that I should be posting in the spring. With it's gorgeous green asparagus, spinach and peas, it's the perfect way to celebrate the end of winter. However, since it's just too good to wait until spring, I'll give it to you now, and perhaps it will give you some "spring vibes" during those cold, snowy months!

Surprisingly enough, this was actually my first encounter with risotto, and I finally know why it's so popular! The flavor was so rich, and the rice is so naturally creamy. Risotto takes some attention and time, but it's not difficult at all. And the very best part is that it's a recipe by Ellie Krieger, which means it's not going to be mean to your waistline!

Garden Risotto
By Ellie Krieger

Ingredients

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
3/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 lightly packed cups baby spinach leaves
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 pound asparagus, steamed and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Directions

Bring the broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan over moderately low heat and cook the onion, stirring occasionally, until soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add wine and simmer, stirring constantly, until absorbed, about 1 minute. Add 3/4 cup of the hot broth, the salt and a few grinds of fresh pepper and simmer, stirring constantly, until broth is absorbed. Continue simmering and adding hot broth, about 3/4 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing the broth to be absorbed before adding more, until rice is almost tender and creamy-looking, about 18 minutes.

Add the spinach and peas and cook until the spinach is wilted. Add the asparagus and cook just until the vegetables are hot. Stir in the Parmesan and more broth if the risotto seems too thick. Serve in soup plates.

Per Serving: 205 cal, 4g fat, 3.5g fiber

Serves 6

Points Per Serving: 4

Crunchy Cranberry Muffin Tops

To my absolute delight, my daughter is becoming a little food lover herself. The other day she made me a "salad" which consisted of crushed graham crackers, mixed with orange juice, topped off with some carrot sticks...mmmm. What do you do when your little girl comes up to you with those huge blue eyes and asks you to taste it? So I sucked it up, put on my best acting skills and went in for the kill. It did not. taste. good. However, there was no way I was going to break her little heart by not telling her it was the best salad I've ever had in my life, but I am so full that there is no way I can handle another bite of anything right now!

So after telling my mom about this, she was sweet enough to send my girl her own cookbook of recipes made for kids. It's a William Sonoma cookbook, and I love it because they are easy recipes, but they are also things that I actually want my kids to eat. My daughter loves the cookbook, and I often catch her sitting on the couch leafing through it, makes a mama proud! These muffin tops were the first thing we tried together and they were such a hit. I love the hearty flavor of cornmeal and addition of dried cranberries made them delicious. Great job princess!



Crunchy Cranberry Muffin Tops
Found in Cooking Together

Ingredients

2 cups flour
1 1/4 cups cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup milk
2/3 cup buttermilk
4 tablespoons melted butter
1/4 cup honey
1 cup dried cranberries
1 teaspoon grated orange zest

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, buttermilk, butter, and honey. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir until combined. Stir in the cranberries and orange zest and mix well.

3. Drop the batter by large spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets, placing them well apart.

4. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool for 4 minutes. Serve warm with honey.

Grilled Halibut Fish Sandwiches wiith Tartar Sauce

Why hello there Mr. Halibut Sandwich. Look at you sitting there all smug. You know everyone wants you, with your delicious ciabatta bread, and homemade tartar sauce. You know that no one can deny the deliciousness of your perfectly seasoned and grilled fillet, it's simply not fair. I see you even have your little friend Diet Coke with you. Oh, you two are just plain old trouble aren't you.

Grilled Halibut Fish Sandwiches with Tartar Sauce
By Rachael Ray

Ingredients

1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds fresh halibut, cut into 4 servings, 4 to 6 ounces each, 1-inch thick
Vegetable or olive oil, for drizzling
2 teaspoons crab boil seasoning (recommended: Old Bay)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 lemon, juiced

Tartar sauce:(if you can, make this the day before, the flavors are much stronger)
1 cup mayonnaise or reduced fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
1 dill or half-sour pickle, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill
10 blades fresh chives, chopped or 2 thin scallions thinly sliced
1/2 lemon, juiced
Few drops cayenne pepper sauce
4 crusty rolls, split
1 large ripe tomato, sliced
4 leaves green leaf or Boston lettuce


Directions

Preheat nonstick or well-seasoned cast iron grill pan over medium high heat. Drizzle halibut pieces with oil, then season with crab boil seasoning, salt and pepper. Grill on a hot pan 4 or 5 minutes on each side.

Place melted butter in a small dish and add juice of 1/2 lemon.

Combine all ingredients for the tartar sauce in a small bowl.

Lightly toast buns on grill pan after fish is removed.

To assemble, brush bun bottoms and fish with lemon butter. Top fish with tomato and lettuce and slather the bun tops with tartar sauce, then serve.