Confetti Quinoa

Confetti Quinoa

2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 medium onions, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

3 garlic cloves, pressed

1 Tbsp. cumin

½ Tbsp. chili powder

½ Tbsp. oregano, dried

½ Tbsp. kosher salt

1 cup quinoa, rinsed

2 cups water

2 ears of corn, kernels cut off

½ cup cilantro, chopped

Heat large deep skillet over medium heat

Add oil, onions, and pepper, stirring occasionally until soft, about 7 minutes

Add pressed garlic and stir until soft, about 1 minute

Stir in cumin, chili powder, oregano, and salt

Stir in quinoa and water

Cover and bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer

Leave covered and cook until liquid is absorbed and germ separates from seed, which will look curly and white, about 20 minutes

Remove from heat and let stand uncovered for five minutes

Fluff with a fork

Stir in corn and cilantro

Try this with Mango Cucumber Salad and shrimp!

Roasted Mushroom, Pepper, Onion Pizza

Roasted Mushroom, Pepper, Onion Pizza!

1 lb. pizza dough, raised at room temperature

1 10 oz. package of baby bella mushrooms, quartered

1 yellow bell pepper, diced ½ - 1 inch

1 cubanelle pepper, diced ½ - 1 inch

1 onion, diced ½ - 1 inch

6 garlic cloves, smashed, peeled, and broken into small chunks

3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (don’t be shy!!!)

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. kosher salt

fresh cracked pepper, to taste

8 oz. mozzarella, diced small or shredded

4 oz. fontinella, diced small or shredded

Parmesan, grated for serving

Preheat oven to 415 degrees

Toss mushrooms, peppers, onions, garlic, olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper together.  Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Roast in oven, turning once until soft and just starting to turn golden, about 20 minutes.  Remove from oven.

Turn oven up to 425 degrees

Spread dough on greased baking sheet

Sprinkle half of mozzarella and fontinella cheese over dough

Spread roasted vegetables over cheese

Sprinkle remaining mozzarella and fontinella cheese over vegetables

Bake until dough is crispy and cheese is melted, about 20 minutes

Sprinkle with parmesan, allow to set for five minutes, and serve!  

American Macaroni Salad with Tuna

American Macaroni Salad with Tuna

It is Memorial Day and our dear friends invited us to join them for great food and better conversation!  There are so many ways to make macaroni salad, but on Memorial day, my goal was to make an "All American" macaroni salad.  I think you will find this recipe very easy and very tasty!!!

2 cups (dry) of your favorite small pasta, cooked/rinsed/cooled

3 hardboiled eggs

2/3 cup celery, diced (include the leaves)

2/3 cup carrots, diced

1/3 cup sweet onion, diced

1/3 cup dill pickle, diced

1 5 oz. can of solid albacore tuna, drained and broken up

2/3 cup mayonnaise *I like Hellmans

1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

1 tsp. garlic powder

Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

Eggs:

Start your hardboiled eggs.  I put three eggs in cold water, covered by one inch.  Once the water boiled, I removed from the burner and kept covered for 10 minutes.  Run under cold water until cool, cover with cold water and keep in fridge until ready to use.

Pasta:

Cook your pasta according to package direction in salted water.  Drain and rinse with cold water.  Set aside.

Chop and mix your celery, carrots, onion, and pickle.  (I do not peel my carrots; I only wash them and trim off the tough ends.)

Drain and using a fork, break up your tuna.  Add to vegetable mixture. 

Add mayonnaise, mustard and garlic powder.

Add pasta.  I used Barilla whole wheat small shells.

Mix together gently using a spatula. 

Mix in Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste.

Top with peeled and sliced hardboiled eggs.  Sprinkle with paprika or black pepper.

Chill until ready to serve.  

Fresh Tomato Pizza with Basil

Sundays make me crave Mom and Meme food.  It felt like summer today and I was so lucky enough to find these big, beautiful tomatoes at Cardona's Italian market.  They looked, felt, and smelled as if they came from a garden that morning (even though it is well before tomato season).  Fresh tomato pizza is one of the easiest dinners to prepare and it always makes me feel loved.  Good, fresh ingredients are important to this recipe, do not skimp on the olive oil, cheese, or basil quality.    


Fresh Tomato Pizza with Basil
Serves 2-4 

25 minutes, prep and cook time

1 lb. dough
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
5 garlic cloves, pressed
2 large, firm tomatoes thinly sliced (I used beefsteak)
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp.+ Pecorino Romano, grated
2 tsp.+ fresh basil, torn or chopped
fresh cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Spread pizza dough onto your favorite greased baking sheet (I used shortening to grease)

Spread garlic and 1 Tbsp. oil all over the dough

Place tomatoes in a single layer over dough

Sprinkle with salt and pepper

Drizzle remaining oil all over tomatoes

Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown on bottom and crisp

Remove from oven and immediately top with cheese (at least 2 tsp., maybe more!)

Sprinkle basil all over (at least 2 tsp., but as much as you like!)

Let the pizza rest 5 minutes, tomatoes will be very hot, and serve.  It is also delicious at room temperature.

Green Beans and Potatoes in Red Sauce

I have started a cookbook more times than I care to admit!  So, what exactly is my problem?  I keep changing themes.  Should I create a "this is what I ate this month" book of chaos?  I have not ruled that out.  If you think it is cute, interesting, or ridiculous, please let me know.  :)

In the interim, I have a new... or a refreshed idea.  I'm on a hiatus from meat and poultry.  I've never been a steak and potatoes kind of girl.  Don't get me wrong, I can devour a pound of ribeye and ask for another, but if you really want to see me smile, give me seafood!  Back to the point though, it has been years since I went vegetarian... and I am in love with a hardcore meat and potatoes kind of man.  So, you think this would be difficult, right?  Yah, right!  Seriously, I am creative as ever.  Better still... Poo Bear Pie Bear is happy too!  Yes, I did just call Jeff Poo Bear Pie Bear.    

If you want to be as cool as PBPB, I need you to:

try it

comment on it

share it

Please do not ever forget that recipes are ideas that need cooks to make them their own.  Take it away baby!

Green Beans and Potatoes in Red Sauce

Inspired by and dedicated to my mom and meme, who makes the best beans in sauce!

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 onions, diced

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

1 28 oz. can whole plum tomatoes

1 Tbsp. basil, dried

1 tsp. kosher salt

2 1/2 cups potatoes, cut into bite size people (I used gold potatoes)
1 cup vegetable stock or water

4 cups fresh green beans, stems and rough ends cut off

black pepper, to taste

Romano, grated, for serving 

1. Heat oil in a large, deep pot over medium heat
2. Add onions and cook until soft, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes
3. Add garlic and cook until soft, stirring occasionally, about 1-2 minutes
4. Add crushed tomatoes and whole plum tomatoes, breaking the whole tomatoes into bite size pieces with your hands (FUN!)
5. Stir in basil and salt
6. Add potatoes and cook until fork-tender, about 1 hour
7. Add beans and stock, cover and simmer until tender to the bite, but slightly crisp, about 30 minutes
8. Taste, add pepper and salt, as desired
9. To serve:
1. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil
2. Sprinkle with  romano cheese (Pecorino Romano is the best!)
3. Add some warm crusty bread for sopping up that sauce!

If I had fresh basil on hand (wish I did!), I would tear it up and throw it in right before serving.  This is what I had in the pantry and fridge tonight.  Do what you can do.  Fresh green beans are best used shortly after buying.  That being said - use whatever potatoes, beans, tomatoes, and herbs you have on hand.  I was a very poor college student once.  I have also been just plain poor.  I understand the value of a recipe and how easily and happily it can be manipulated to suit your needs!  Hey, I'd prefer if you did it my way, but that does not mean there is not another way or a better way!  It does not have to be exact.  In the spirit of cooking, check out my substitutions below:

Extra Virgin Olive Oil:  olive oil, canola oil, vegetable oil, grapeseed oil, truffle oil, butter, cooking spray

Onions:  cut your fresh onions however you please (slice, mince), shallots,  or dehydrated onions and onion powder can be added with tomatoes

Garlic:  jarred garlic, shallots, dehydrated garlic and garlic powder can be added with tomatoes

Tomatoes:  Fresh tomatoes, any variety, diced/chopped/etc., tomato sauce, tomato paste and water.  Ketchup and water if you must!

Basil:  Any of your favorite fresh or dried herbs!  Basil, parsley, fennel, thyme, rosemary.  Or nothing,

Salt:  sea salt, iodized salt, garlic salt, seasoned salt


Potatoes:  Any potato will do, choose your favorite!  White, Red, Yellow, Russet, etc.  If you use frozen, thaw first and only warm enough to absorb sauce.  Canned can be drained and warmed to absorb sauce.


Vegetable Stock:  Water, any stock, any broth (chicken, beef, etc.)

Green Beans: frozen (thaw and add just to warm), canned (drain and add just to warm), ANY OTHER VEGETABLE:  broccoli, fennel, escarole, kale, spinach, mushrooms, corn, etc.

Cheese: Parmesan, Asiago, ANY grated cheese you like or have

Roasted Shrimp, Peel & Eat

Roasted Shrimp, Peel & Eat

Shrimp might be the easiest shellfish to prepare, and perhaps the most delicious!  This is my favorite way to prepare shrimp and my go-to recipe.  Shrimp tastes better when cooked in the shell; plus it is fun to eat with your hands.  You can prepare and serve in minutes... enjoy!

1 lb. 16/20 ct. shrimp, raw with shell, patted dry

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp. kosher salt

cracked black pepper, to taste

lemon

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Toss shrimp, oil, salt, and pepper together

Spread shrimp in a single layer on baking sheet

Roast 3 minutes, turn over

Roast 1-2 more minutes until pink and flesh is almost opaque

Squirt with fresh lemon and serve immediately.  Serve with extra olive oil for dipping, cocktail sauce, or eat just as they are!

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

I adore this recipe.  You will too for the same reasons, which I will explain.  First, this is pretty cheap to make – potatoes and onions are the main ingredients.  The remaining ingredients are used in limited quantities.  Buy the oil and cheese that you can afford, but buy the best that you can afford.  Second, this is darn easy!  Grab your knife, chop away, mix, and roast.  Don’t be lazy!  Third, I love that when you cook you can take creative liberty.  You don’t like truffle oil?  You’re crazy!  Whatever though, knock your socks off and use walnut oil, hazelnut oil, canola oil, or more extra virgin olive oil.  Consider this recipe to be guidelines and enjoy!   

1 – 1 ½ lbs. gold potatoes, cut into chunks 1 inch or smaller

2 sweet onions, diced

2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp. white truffle oil

2 tsp. fresh rosemary, minced

1 tsp. kosher salt

fresh cracked pepper, to taste

1 Tbsp. parmesan reggiano cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Mix all ingredients, except parmesan cheese, together

Spread on baking sheet in single layer

Roast 30 minutes, turning once , until golden brown

Sprinkle cheese over the top and serve!