90s French Bread Pizza

As I thought about my childhood in the 90s while planning for my 90’s-themed birthday party, I remembered the French Bread pizza mom would make with birthday parties as well as weekend lunches.  My mom said she got this recipe from a magazine back in the day.  So easy yet so tasty!  They were a hit at the party!

• 1 loaf French Bread, cut in half horizontally
• Mayonnaise
• Shredded mozzarella cheese
• Sliced mushrooms
• Chopped green onion
• Sweet Italian sausage removed from the casing

1. Spread a generous amount of mayonnaise on each half of the French Bread
2. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese
3. Cover with sliced mushrooms
4. Dot sausage around the loaf
5. Sprinkle with green onions
6. Bake in the over….maybe at 375 till the sausage is fully cooked

Crostini and Other Hand Held Appetizers

• Each of these make about 24 unless otherwise stated
• Crostini toasts: 2 loaves of baguette yields about 100 pieces
  • Slice into to 1/4 slices, brush with olive oil and bake at 350 degrees for 6-7 minutes.
  • May be made the morning of the party and stored in airtight container
• Gingered Peach Crostini with Ricotta and Peach Reduction
  • Stir in 1/4 tsp fresh ginger, sugar and salt into 1 cup ricotta cheese. Let chill.
  • Thinly slice fresh peaches and stir in fresh ginger, brown sugar and pinch of salt
  • Reduce about 2 cups of peach cocktail (from Trader Joe’s) with a few slices of ginger until it’s about 1/4 cup.  Take off the heat, and add 1 TBSP bourbon and 1 TBSP butter
  • Top toast with ricotta mixture, then top with peaches and drizzle the sauce
• Strawberry Basil Balsamic Crostini with Ricotta
  • Stir in lemon zest, sugar and salt into 1 cup ricotta cheese.  Let chill.
  • Reduce 3/4 c balsamic vinegar to about 1/4 cup.  Add brown sugar to taste
  • Top toast with ricotta, then thinly sliced strawberry, balsamic reduction and basil chiffonade
• Apple Brie Crostini with Honey
  • Place thin slice of brie onto each toast.  Bake at 350 till melted.
  • Top with sliced apple, honey and chopped walnuts.
    • If slicing apples ahead of time, toss well with lemon juice
  • Garnish with optional pomegranate or cubed pancetta
  • Can be left in warmer prior to serving
• Mushroom and Goat Cheese Crostini
  • Saute mixture of mushrooms with chopped rosemary.  I used crimini, trumpet and enoki.  Could also used a little bit of chopped bacon if desired
  • Mix equal parts herbed goat cheese and whipped cream cheese for the base.
  • Spread cheese mixture onto each toast and lay onto platter
  • Pile on the mushrooms and garnish with chopped parsley
  • Can be assembled ahead of time and kept warm
• Artichoke Red Pepper Crostini
  • Combine 1 can chopped artichoke, 1/2 jar roasted bell pepper, mayo, mozzarella, parmesan, green onion
  • Top crostini and bake at 350degrees until cheese is melted
  • Can be assembled an kept in warmer
• Chicken in Endive
  • Mince 3/4 pound chicken thighs and stir fry with 4 cloves minced garlic, 1/2 can chopped water chestnuts, finely chopped onion, oyster sauce and sweet soy sauce.
  • Spoon into endive leaves right before serving.
  • Garnish with cilantro and serve Siracha on the side
• Pizza Cups with Meatball and Siracha BBQ sauce (makes about 20)
  • Cut Pillsbury pizza dough into 3 inch rounds and form cup into the wells of a well-greased mini muffin tin.  Scraps re-roll with good results
  • Prick bottoms with a fork
  • Fill with cheese and a dab of TJ’s Siracha BBQ sauce
  • Parbake per package instructions for about 5 minutes
  • Place 1/4 Aidell’s chicken meatballs (from Costco), top with more sauce and mozarella
  • Bake until crust is light brown (if too dark, the edges get too crisp)
  • Garnish with parsley and hold in warmer till ready to serve
• Pig in a Blanket (aka hot dogs in a blankie per S)
  • Using 1 package of puff pastry and 1 pound package Aidell’s chicken sausage
  • Cut each sausage in half and cut puff pastry into thirds, then into thirds again
  • Roll sausages, seal seam with egg wash and slice into 1/2 inch pieces.
  • Brush puff pastry with egg wash and lay them flat.  Refrigerate
  • Bake at 400 degrees until light and puffy
• Brazilian Cheese Bread from Rasa Malaysia (Yields 36)
  • 1 egg, at room temperature
    1/3 cup olive oil
    2/3 cup milk
    1 1/2 cups (170 grams) tapioca flour (tapioca starch)
    1/2 cup packed (about 100 grams) grated cheese
    1 heaping teaspoon salt
  • Place all ingredients into food processor and blend till smooth (about 20 seconds)
  • Scoop into mini muffin tins, about 3/4 full
  • Bake at 400 degrees until light and puffy (about 17 minutes)
  • Let cool slightly, then remove before completely cooled

Rice Noodles with Gravy

• 6-8 dried mushrooms, rehydrated in 2 cups hot water
• 1 pound fresh rice noodles
• soy sauce
• 2 inch knob fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• sweet sauce sauce
• whole fermented bean sauce
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 4 ounces sliced pork (may also add shrimp)
• 2 fistfuls Chinese greens
• 1 1/2 TBSP cornstarch mixed in water to dissolve

In a wok, heat oil on high heat and add rice noodles, a few handfuls at a time, to the pan, adding soy sauce to achieve brown color.  Allow the noodles to brown or char a bit.  Pour noodles into the serving dish.

Add more oil and stir fry ginger and garlic until fragrant.  Add dried or fresh shiitake mushrooms (thinly sliced).  Once the mushrooms have let out their water, add dark soy sauce, sweet sauce sauce, whole fermented bean sauce, chicken broth and mushroom water (if dried mushrooms used, otherwise, add more plain water).  Once seasoning is at desired level, add pork slices and vegetables.  Add shrimp when veggies are almost done, if using).  Once cooked through, add a slurry of water and corn starch and bring sauce to a boil to thicken.  Pour over noodles and serve immediately.  Serve with pickle chilis or chili sambal.

No-Cream Mushroom Soup

Little S loves mushrooms, so this was a hit!  We actually used it as a sauce for store bought mushroom ravioli.  Great Meatless Monday meal.

• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1/2 medium onion, sliced
• 8 oz baby bella mushrooms, thickly sliced
• 4 oz Japanese shemeji mushrooms
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tbsp flour
• 3 cups low sodium chicken stock

1. Add 2 tbsp butter to a medium pot and heat on medium
2. Once melted, add onions and cook until softened, about 7 minutes
3. Add remaining butter and oil.  Add garlic, thyme and mushrooms.  Cook until mushrooms are soft, stirring often.  Do not allow onions to burn.
4. Sprinkle flour and stir to cook
5. Add chicken broth and allow to simmer for 45 minutes.
6. Take soup off the heat.  Remove some of the mushrooms for garnish.  Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

 

Pizza Topping Ideas

We have been making pizzas at home for about 4 years.  Recently, it has become more of a stable, ever since we realized that our preschooler loves it (no surprise!)  Our go to method:

1. Use  a store bought whole wheat dough.  It’s sweeter and has a nice texture compared to regular dough.
2. Drizzle a metal baking pan with oil and press the dough into the pan.
3. Often less is more-not too much sauce or topping otherwise you end up with a raw crust.  But most would argue that you could pile on the cheese!
4. Using light shredded cheese takes some of the guilt away since we eat this pretty often.
5. Bake at 425 degrees on the middle rack for 10-12 minutes, depending on the amount of toppings works our quite well.

The product is a pizza with a chewy, fluffy, ready crust!   Here are a few of my favorite combinations

the Chicago-Sausage, mushroom, provolone, pecorino and caramelized onion, pizza sauce – our favorite thus far. Can’t go wrong with pork!

the Naked Pizza-Bacon, mashed potato, roasted garlic, roasted cauliflower, sautéed spinach, ricotta, pecorino (no sauce)

BBQ Chicken-Store bought BBQ pulled chicken, red onion, sliced black olives, frozen roasted corn, mozzarella, BBQ sauce

Meatball Sub-Meatball, marinara, mozzarella, basil, pecorino

I would love to play around with figs and more roasted vegetables. Next pizza will be sausage, roasted bell pepper, basil for tomorrow night.

My favorite restaurant pizza combinations:

Spinach, garlic, ricotta, tomato sauce

Broccoli, tomato, olive, onion

Zucchini, Mushroom, Eggplant

Weeknight Pasta Sauce

INGREDIENTS

• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 2 sweet Italian sausages
• 8 oz slice mushrooms
• 28 oz can sliced stewed tomatoes with Italian seasoning (S&W brand)
• 3 oz tomato paste
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 2 fresh tomatoes, whole
• sprig fresh thyme
• handful chopped basil
• 1 tsp sugar to taste
• frozen peas and frozen spinach

INSTRUCTIONS

Saute onions and garlic until translucent.  Add carrots and cook until softened

Add sausage and break into small pieces

Once the sausage is browned, add mushrooms and cook until all of the juices have evaporated

Add tomato and paste cook for 1 minute.  Add canned tomatoes, broth, thyme, basil and the fresh tomato.  Let simmer for about 30 minutes

Add sugar to taste, add frozen peas and spinach right before serving

Pork Chops Smothered in Mushrooms and Caramelized Onions

INGREDIENTS

• 2 TBSP butter
• 1 TBSP brown sugar
• 3 cups sliced onions
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 2 TBSP flour
• 1 c chicken broth
• 8 oz sliced mushrooms
• 4-6 thick bone-in pork chops
• Emeril’s spice rub (see below)
• 1/4 cup white wine (optional)

Melt the butter, over medium heat, then add onions.  Add brown sugar and sauce till caramelized, about 20 minutes

Add garlic, thyme and cook till fragrant

Add flour and cook for 2-3 minutes

Add broth and simmer for 15 minutes

Add the mushrooms and cook until softened

Set aside and prepare the pork chops: rub with equal parts paprika, salt, pepper, onion powder, cayenne, oregano, thyme, garlic powder (aka Emeril’s spice rub)

Sear for 5 minutes on both side, then place in 400 degree oven for 10 minutes

Remove the pork chops and let rest.  Deglaze the pan with a little both or white wine and add to the gravy

Top the chops with gravy, serve with garlic mashed potatoes

Stuffed Mushrooms with Sausage

First Made Crescent Holiday Party 2010

• 24 large mushrooms, stems removed
• 3/4 lb sausage
• parmesan cheese, grated
• 6 green onions, chopped
• bread crumbs
• cream cheese
• mayo or sour cream
• garlic and fresh herbs

1. Toss mushroom caps in oil and set aside
2. Cook sausage, chopped mushroom stems, then add bread crumbs, garlic and herbs
3. Add sour cream or mayo and cream cheese
4. Take off heat and add parmesan
5. Spoon filling into caps and bake at 375 in greased pan till browned (20 minutes)

Braised Chicken with White Wine, Mushroom, Cauliflower, Tomato and Olive Tapenade over Pasta

• 1 package of bone-in chicken parts (I used 4 drumsticks and 2 breasts, split)
• 14 oz chicken broth
• 2 large spoonfuls of tomato and olive tapenade (Mediterranean Tapenade from Costco)
• 2 heaping tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 c white wine
• small bunch parsley chopped
• 1 leek, chopped
• 3-4 cloves garlic minced
• 3 carrots halved lengthwise, then cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1/2 head small cauliflower
• 8 oz mushrooms cut into large chunks
• dried rosemary
• dried thyme

1. Bring oil-coated cast iron enamel skillet (with lid) to med-high heat
2. Brown chicken on all sides
3. Remove chicken and some of the fat
4. Add leeks and garlic to the pan and cook for 1 minute
5. Add vegetables and sauté for a few minutes until no liquid remains
6. Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute
7. Add white wine and allow to bubble, then add chicken broth.  Season to taste
8. Add rosemary and thyme
9. Reintroduce chicken.  Nestle them into the sauce.
10. Cover pan and allow to simmer until chicken is cooked
11. Once the chicken is cooked, removed the chicken from the pan.  Allow the sauce to concentrate and thicken as needed.  Season to taste.
12. Thicken the sauce with a little cornstarch if needed
13. Add the chicken back and serve over noodles.

Pizza Dough and Topping Ideas

B has been working on making pizza dough from scratch. He has come a long way from wet sticky globs of goo to tight little balls of dough. In the past month we’ve also tried different toppings, primarily inspired by left over ingredients. We’ve made some very standard pizzas like spinach, basil, mozzarella, pepperoni and mushroom which we had tonight. Some more memorable pizzas include:

Sausage, mushroom, provolone, pecorino and caramelized onion – our favorite thus far. Can’t go wrong with pork!

Mashed potato, roasted garlic, roasted cauliflower, sautéed spinach, ricotta, pecorino – this one was screaming for some bacon, and my original plan was to add it, but I chickened out last minute. Still not accustomed to using it as an ingredient in my cooking yet. I know I’m crazy!

I would love to play around with figs and more roasted vegetables. Next pizza will be sausage, roasted bell pepper, basil for tomorrow night.

As for the dough, we tried a mix of white whole wheat flour and all purpose flour which actually produced a more flavorful crust in my opinion. To make the dough:

Mix 3 3/4 cup of flour (try using half whole wheat and half all purpose flour)
1 1/2 cup water (room temperature)
1 packet of dry yeast
1/2 tsp salt

Stir and combine a sticky ball is formed. Transfer to a clean bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set at room temperature overnight.

Divide into 3 equal portions and form them into balls using generous amounts of flour to prevent sticking and for improved manageability.

Wrap 2 of the balls in plastic wrap and keep in fridge got later use. May be kept in the fridge for 3 days or frozen.

Form the remaining dough into a flat surface approximately 8-10 inches in diameter. If the dough starts to recoil, let dough rest for a bit to allow the gluten to relax.

Coat bottom with cornmeal

Transfer dough to pizza pan (ours is cast iron) and add toppings

Season with salt and pepper along with s good drizzle of olive oil if desired

Bake at 500 degrees for 10 minutes in middle rack until crust is golden brown and cheese melts

Let pizza rest in pan at room temperature for about 10 minutes to allow the cheese go set

Slice and enjoy!