Chicken Sausage and Brussels Sprouts over Orrechiette

I got this recipe inspiration from Pinterest.. surprise, surprise.

It's been a particularly stressful week at school and preparing this tonight was the perfect outlet for stress relief.

I used this recipe (click here), except I made a few changes..

1) I roasted the fresh brussels sprouts for about 15 minutes, while the chicken sausage cooked. Once the sausage was done, I removed it from the pan to rest and threw the brussels sprouts in the pan with the little bit of grease they produced and a small handful of bacon pieces.

2)I topped with goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes instead of the parmesan. I felt it needed a bit of a tang!

This was really delicious and at the end of the day, pretty healthy!

If you need it, my pesto recipe is here!

Stuffed Zucchini Boats..

Don't let the zucchini fool you.. this is not exactly healthy :)


Weelllll, maybe a little... It does have tomatoes involved...

I've found this no fail delicousness via my tomato pie creations.. It involved Dukes mayonnaise (is there any other kind? no. stop buying Kraft and Hellman's and light mayo in general, esp if you're in the south.. it's like the one thing I don't buy light), an Italian blend of cheese, a squirt of lemon juice and a squirt of hot sauce. I generally used Crystals, but we were out so I went Siracha on this and was not disappointed! I have no idea what I used, so I'm going to ballpark this!

Stuffed Zucchini Boats
1 decent sized zucc
2 Roma tomatoes
2-3 heaping tablespoons of Duke's mayo
1/3-1/2 cup of Italian blend cheese (I used reduced fat)
little squirt of lemon juice
hot sauce to taste
little bit of fresh basil (if you're in a bind, fresh will do
Parmesan cheese block

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400
- slice the tomatoes into about 1/4 inch slices then halve slices, arrange flat on a paper towel, and sprinkle with a little salt... This help to get as much moisture out as possible.. between the zucc and toms, you'll need to do this..
- mix up the mayo, cheese, lemon juice, and hot sauce.
- halve the zucc... scrape out the seeded area. Be careful not to take too much out.. leave at least 1/3 inch thickness.
- chop basil (hoping you're using fresh!)
- spread a thin layer of mayo-cheese mixture on the bottom of the zucc
- arrange the half moon shaped tom slices alternating, so no area is left exposed
- cover with the remaining mayo-cheese mixture
- grate fresh parm on top
- bake 15-25 mins (I have a convection over, so my cooking times are different than conventional - I suggest setting a timer and checking ever 5 minutes or so..

I have used this mixture in so many variations, I wonder what I can't use the tomato pie angle on! If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

Crock Pot Baked Potato Soup

I, as well as a bajillion others, are currently pinspired. It's called Pinterest. If you don't know what it is, ask me, but make sure you have some available space on your calendar because you will only resurface for bathroom and food breaks for at least 3 days. It is incredible. It makes me feel inspired in all facets of life while very much making me feel dumb for not coming up with the simple, yet incredibly genius, ideas some of these people have! I currently pin yummy things, yummy light things, gameday ideas, holiday ideas, inspiring quotes, teacher ideas, and several different boards for our May wedding's details. Seriously, if you don't know, ask me... it will change your life.

I have made about a dozen recipes from Pinterest and have yet to be disappointed by a single one. The most recent recipe I've made and been prompted for is this Baked Potato Soup made in a crock pot. The original recipe is here.

In my opinion, the original recipe would create waaay too much food for 2 people, or 3, or 4, or 5. I don't believe my crockpot could've successfully held this recipe as a whole, so I halved the entire recipe. The amounts you see here are exactly what I used.

Ingredients:
- 2.5lbs Russet Potatoes, washed but NOT peeled. Diced into 1/2 inch(ish) cubes
- 1/2 medium to large yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves of garlic, whole *I used my garlic press
- 9 cups chicken stock (or more if necessary, depending on your crock pot)
- 8 oz cream cheese *I used 1/3 less fat
- 1/2 TBS seasoned salt
- 8oz light sour cream (I added this and I think it made a big delicious difference)

Garnishes:
- Crumbled bacon
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- sour cream

Directions:
- Add potatoes, onion, garlic, seasoning and chicken stock to slow cooker.
- Cook on high for 6 hours or low for 10 hours.
- Stir in the cream cheese, and sour cream, allow to melt.
- Remove and puree the garlic cloves along with 1/2 to 1/3rd of the soup, and then reintroduce to the remainder in the crock pot. *Since I crushed the garlic I didn't have to remove anything. I used an immersion blender for a little bit until it looked about half way blended, so I didn't have to deal with a blender or food processor
- Top with your choice of garnishes & serve!

Yields about 6-8 servings.

Tada!

Tomato Pie 2.0

[Disclaimer: I've searched every where for the pictures, but I guess in the transition to the new computer, they're missing...

....Well, they probably aren't missing.. they're probably on the storage drive and I'm just too lazy to get them.. Coffee and Ellen is way too important.]

So, since my last blog post about tom pie, I've made about 4394304.

Give or take.

Here's my latest, and most successful recipe:

Adapted from Bobby Lightens Up. Adaptations in black.

Ingredients

1/2 (15-ounce) package refrigerated rolled pie crust
2/3 cup reduced-fat shredded four-cheese Italian blend
4 large plum tomatoes (about 1 pound), cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
2 - 4 drops hot pepper sauce (I use Crystals)

fresh grated Parmesan cheese

1 egg yolk, mixed with a little water, and beaten

1/2 tsp of lemon juice

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to an 11-inch round. Gently ease the dough into a 9-inch glass pie plate. Trim the dough edge, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang; crimp the edge. Brush with egg mixture. Bake until lightly browned, 5-7 minutes. Transfer the crust to a wire rack to cool.

Arrange tomato slices on a paper towel, sprinkle with salt and chopped fresh basil. The paper towel soaks up a lot of the moisture from the tomatoes, which I've found reduces the chances of a runny pie.

Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F.

Sprinkle 1/3 cup cheese blend evenly on the bottom of the cooled crust; top with the tomato slices, overlapping to fit.

Combine the mayonnaise, hot pepper sauce, lemon juice, and the remaining cup cheese blend in a medium bowl until blended; spread over the tomatoes, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. Sprinkle evenly with the Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, until the filling is hot and the top is browned and bubbly, 30 – 35 minutes.

Test Kitchen Tip:
Plum tomatoes are meatier and contain less water than regular tomatoes. For a delicious smoky flavor, sprinkle the tomatoes with 2 slices of cooked, crumbled turkey bacon before baking. Two slices will increase the nutritional value by 20 calories and 2 grams of fat per serving.

Having a party? I've finally figured out the best party friendly version (read: less cutting and serving; more grab and go). It is the same recipe as above, with a few minor alterations. Unroll the pie crust. Use a biscuit cutter (or a wine glass) to punch out circles. Roll over the circles a little with a rolling pin or wine bottle. Give the muffin tin a spray of canola and then line with the pie crust circles. (This recipe does not require pre cooking the crust). Add a small sprinkle of cheese in the bottom of each muffin, a tomato slice, and some of the mayo-cheese mixture. Top each with parmesan cheese. Bake for about 20 minutes. Keep an eye on it, as with all recipes. Ovens are weird and different.. Honestly, I check things in the oven obsessively. I have a convection oven which is always different. Few things are more anti-climatic and disappointing than ruining a dish by burning it.

Seems as if wine drinking goes well with this recipe... and/or all recipes.

Tomato Pie

I've been busy (every negligent blog writer's excuse). This new job has certainly eliminated quite a bit of my free time, but luckily I've still had some time to play in the kitchen. It's actually almost a necessity for me.. it's therapeutic after a long, challenging day in the classroom. One thing I prepare often is tomato pie. I put my own twist on a Paula Deen recipe, well, actually, I use a form of the Bobby lightens up recipe. That original recipe can be found here.

This is a friend favorite. This is something they request. This is something they show up to a BBQ for, even if they are sick. I have prepared this in a couple ways, but the classic is always the best. Here'a couple photos of my prepared tomato pies:

Original:





Mini versions:
With pie crust..


With puff pastry...



When I prepare the original pie, I do not pre-cook the crust as Bobby directs you to in the recipe.. I, personally, think it's better. Also, I use a little extra of everything and even add in a little lemon juice.. I think it gives it an extra layer of fresh! Another thing I insist on is fresh grated parmesan and I generally use enough to cover the top of the pie, which is usually more than the tablespoon called for in the recipe. I often say that Christina Lightens Up is the midpoint between original Paula D and Bobby D recipes.

As far as the mini versions are concerned, I like them both. The pies prepared with pie crust are very time consuming and I actually think it was too much pie crust. The puff pastry was not so much a success.. I happened to have some in the fridge, so I gave it a shot.. I actually think, between the grease of the cheese/mayo mixture and the flakiness of the puff pastry made these a little too greasy for me. The next time I cook this up in a mini version, I'll probably go with the pie crust, in muffin tins, with only a pie crust on the bottom in a fashion more like the original.

Pie is so often associated with sweet desserts. The 2 words tomato and pie together often have people asking if it's a pizza. People are often confused when they hear Tomato Pie. My favorite part about this pie is how unexpectedly delicious it is. No one knows what they're in for when being served their 1st piece and are often hesitant. Their reaction, in and of itself, is worth your time to make this. I highly suggest giving this pie a shot - it is always a hit.