Cook – T.W.O.

Pesto Artichoke & Mushroom Pizza

Published on February 14, 2014February 13, 2014 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

It’s Friday Night Pizza with T.W.O.!! First off, Happy Valentine’s Day to everyone!! Hope you are spending the day with loved ones and enjoying some delicious food! If you haven’t already decided on dinner plans, here is a great last minute recipe to add to your night. Pesto Artichoke & Mushroom Pizza. The pesto combined with the artichoke hearts and mushrooms make this pizza a savory meal that your special someone will surely enjoy! Warning: this pizza contains garlic!

Ingredients
– Pizza dough
– Cornmeal
– Flour
– Pesto*
– 1 cup marinated artichoke hearts, sliced
– 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
– 3to 4 cloves garlic, chopped
– 2 to 3 cups mozzarella

* T.W.O. used Bolani Basil Pesto (all natural, low fat)

Preheat oven to 425ᴼF.

Roll out the pizza dough on a floured/ cornmeal surface. Once the dough is evenly rolled out, transfer the dough to a greased cookie sheet. Next, spread the pesto onto the dough, making sure you reach all the edges. Then sprinkle the mozzarella to the pizza. Spread the garlic evenly on top of cheese along with the artichoke hearts and mushrooms.

Let the pizza rise for about 15 minutes. Note – you don’t want to put the pizza in a cold oven, so make sure your oven reaches 425ᴼF. Once the oven is ready, place the pizza in the oven and watch closely. Keep the oven door close so the heat stays in. The pizza will take 15-20 minutes. Once done, take the pizza out of the oven and let it sit for 5 minutes prior to cutting.

Cheers to another successful Friday Night Pizza Night!

Broccolini White Pizza

Published on January 31, 2014January 29, 2014 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

TGIF! It’s time for Friday Night Pizza Night!!! Today we are using a new ingredient on our pizza….broccolini. This vegetable looks like mini-broccoli and is often misidentified as young broccoli, but it is a hybrid of broccoli and kai-lan,

Ingredients:

– Pizza dough
– Cornmeal
– 2 Table spoons olive oil
– 2 Tablespoons dried basil
– 2 garlic cloves, chopped
– 4 stems broccolini
– ½ cup olives, diced
– 1 – 1 ½ cup marinated artichoke hearts, sliced
– 3 cups mozzarella

Preheat oven to 425ᴼF. Roll out the pizza dough on a floured/ cornmeal surface. Once the dough is evenly rolled out, transfer the dough to a greased cookie sheet.

Next take the olive oil and spread it on the dough, making sure you reach all the edges. Sprinkle the diced garlic and basil evenly on top of the olive oil.

Add your mozzarella cheese, followed by the broccolini, artichokes and olives. Spread the toppings evenly.

Once done the pizza is done, take it out of the oven and let it sit for 5 minutes.

Cut and serve. Once again, another successful Friday Night Pizza Night!!!

Cheers,

7-Bone Chuck Roast

Published on January 30, 2014January 28, 2014 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

T.W.O. has served this dish for many Super Bowl parties, birthday parties and family reunions. It’s an easy, one pot process with minimal ingredients that have a whole lot of flavor. The secret ingredient…dark beer! Let’s start cooking!

Ingredients:
4-6 pound 7-bone chuck roast
1 package Lipton Onion Soup mix
1 bottle dark beer*
1 large Maui sweet onion- cut into wedges
2 cups whole pepperoncini
Montreal Steak seasoning
Water
*Lagers work the best, but if you don’t have one lying around grab a Budweiser! It won’t disappoint!

Directions:

Season the roast with Montreal steak seasoning. Let roast sit at room temperature about 15-20 minutes.

In a large pot, sauté seasoned meat over medium heat. Brown each side about eight minutes. After browning meat, put cut onions onto bottom of pot under meat. Sauté onions until slightly golden. Sprinkle onion soup mix over the meat. Finally, add the pepperoncini to the pot.

Add enough water to the pot half way up the thickness of the roast. Evenly pour the beer over the meat.

Bring the liquid to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and cover. Cook 2 ½ to 3 hours over low heat. The longer the meat cooks, the more tender it becomes. Not to exceed 6 hours…..unless you want beef jerky! The meat will fall off the bone! Of course, you must sample the meat prior to serving!!

Serving suggestions:

Make beef dip sandwiches on French rolls or your favorite roll. Cut meat into chunks. Add mustard, horseradish, or whatever your pallet’s crave. Serve with coleslaw or a side of home made potato salad. Plate the sandwich with a kosher pickle. Enjoy!

Or, serve meat accompanied with your favorite vegetables. Top with the pepperoncini.

First and ten, do it again!

The Ultimate Cheeseball

Published on January 29, 2014January 28, 2014 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

Everybody ready for some football? You will be after reading this…or not because you will be too consumed in the rich, creamy flavor of this fan-favorite appetizer that will clear the sidelines and take them straight to your kitchen. Here is the play-by-play game plan:

Ingredients:

2 – 8 ounce cream cheese
¼ cup sour cream
1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 – 2 ½ ounce packed smoked sliced beef, chopped*
2 Tablespoons green onions, chopped
1 teaspoon Horseradish
2-3 Tablespoon parsley, chopped
Italian breadcrumbs

*You can find this in the pre-packaged deli section.

Combine cream cheese and sour cream in a bowl. Mix well until combined. Stir in Parmesan cheese, beef, onion and horseradish. Once mixed, shape the cheese into balls. Depending on your crowd you can make one big one or 2 small ones. Roll in Italian breadcrumbs. Wrap the balls in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a couple hours. For best results, refrigerate overnight.

When you are ready to serve, remove and place on a platter filled with your favorite crackers. It doesn’t matter who wins at this point…you are sure to score a touchdown with your guests with this recipe!

Let’s go for the t.w.o. point conversion….

Twice Baked Potatoes

Published on January 23, 2014January 22, 2014 by T.W.O.2 Comments

It’s almost Super Bowl Sunday…do you have a menu ready? If not, don’t worry! Between now and February 2^nd, we will be featuring some delicious recipes that will be perfect options for your spread! Today–twice baked potatoes!

Ingredients
-6 large Russell Potatoes, washed
-1/2 cup 2% milk
-1/2 cup sour cream
-2 garlic cloves, diced
-1/2 cup butter, softened
-2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
-4 Tablespoons dried basil leaves
-Green Onions
–Krazy Salt
-Pepper

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Using a knife, poke holes in the potatoes prior to putting in the oven. This allows the potatoes to breath and the heat to spread evenly inside. And so they don’t burst!

Bake the potato for about 30-40 minutes. You will know when the potatoes are done when you can easily put a butter knife through each of them.

Remove the potatoes from the oven and let them sit for 5 minutes. Using a sharp knife. Slice the potatoes in half, long ways.

Using a spoon, scoop the inside of the potatoes out and place into a big mixing bowl. Scrap as much out as possible without breaking the skin. Once complete, add the butter to this warm mixture to melt. While melting, add sour cream, garlic, milk, 1 1/2 cup cheese, basil leaves, salt and pepper. Mix with a hand mixer or a wooden spoon. Once all the ingredients are combined, add the potato mixture to the potato skins.

Top the stuff onions with the remaining shredded cheese. Place in the heated oven for 10-15 minutes. Then turn the oven to broil and let the potatoes broil for 1-2 minutes. The cheese should melt and the tops should get a little brown. Remove the potatoes from the oven. Top with green onions/ chives and serve!

Your football crowd will be pleased!

Ready, Set, Hike, TOUCHDOWN!

French Onion Soup

Published on January 10, 2014January 9, 2014 by T.W.O.7 Comments

French Onion Soup

There are only a couple places that we like to go for French Onion Soup, but we can assure you that nothing beats T.W.O.’s French Onion Soup! It’s savory, light and healthier than most recipes! Every minute cooking it will be worth it in the end!

Ingredients:
– Beef broth*
– 5 sweet onions, sliced
– 1 bottle dark beer
– ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
– 3 cloves garlic, minced
– Salt
– Pepper
– Olive oil
– Baguette, sliced
– Mozzarella, sliced

*The secret to this recipe is the broth. T.W.O. used the broth from their seven-bone roast they cooked a couple nights before. The meat was seasoned with Montreal Steak seasoning and onion soup mix. Make sure to strain the broth before using it for your French Onion Soup!

Sautee the onions and garlic in olive oil for 8-10 minutes or until soft. Add salt and pepper to taste.

In a pot, bring the beef broth to a boil. Add the garlic and onions. Slowly stir in the beer, balsamic vinegar and fresh pepper. Cook on high heat for 1 minute.

Bring the temperature down to low and cover the soup. Cook for about 40 minutes to 1 hour.

Once the soup is ready, ladle some into an oven safe bowl. Turn the oven on broil or 500°F. Put the bread in the oven and broil until a little toasted. Once toasted, put the bread in the soup and top with a slice of mozzarella.

Place the soup in the oven and broil for about 3 minutes or until the cheese browns a bit. Remove from the oven and place on a plate so you don’t burn your hands!

Ready to serve! Happy cooking.

Cranberry, Brie & Caramelized Onion Tart

Published on December 17, 2013December 17, 2013 by T.W.O.6 Comments

Next week is Christmas and T.W.O. has the perfect appetizer for you to serve! It’s a festive, light and flavorful spin on your traditional baked brie. Check out how to make this cranberry, brie & caramelized onion tart that will be a crowd pleaser. (Adapted from Stella Artois)

INGREDIENTS:

-1 sheet puff pastry, defrosted
-2 tablespoons unsalted butter
-1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
-1 large yellow onion, diced
-¼ cup brown sugar
-¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
-⅓ cup water
-1 cup fresh cranberries
-1 teaspoon oregano
-2 ounces Brie, sliced into ¼-inch-thick pieces
-Freshly ground pepper

In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet set over low heat, melt the butter. Once the butter starts to foam, add olive oil, brown sugar and ground pepper. Cook the onions over medium heat for about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Preheat oven to 425ºF.

In a small saucepan set over medium heat, combine sugar and 1/3 cup water. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then add cranberries. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Drain and set cranberries aside.

While the onions are cooking, take the defrosted puff pastry and lay on a greased cookie sheet. Using a small butter knife score a ½-inch border around the end of the square. This will make a “crust” for the tart.

Once the onions are done, spread the evenly across the puff pastry. Sprinkle oregano and cheese and cranberries on top.

Cook the tart for 15-20 minutes. Once done, remove the tart from the oven and let it sit for 5minutes prior to cutting.

Happy Cooking!

Pear & Almond Galette

Published on November 27, 2013November 26, 2013 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

Galette’s are a quick and easy alternative to making a pie or tart. It doesn’t require a special pan or master technic. Check out how to make this pear & almond galette.

Ingredients

*Flaky Crust:

-2 cups flour
-¾ cup shortening (T.W.O. uses butter flavor)
– 2-3 Tablespoons sugar
– 5-6 Tablespoons cold water
-1 egg white
*Please note this recipe usually makes two pie crusts, so adjust accordingly based on the size you want your galette

Filling:

– 7 ounces almond paste
– 5 Comice Pears, peeled & sliced
– ¼ cup granulated sugar
– 2 Tablespoons cinnamon
– 2 Tablespoons nutmeg
– 2 Tablespoons cornstarch

Preheat oven to 425ᴼF. In a bowl mix the flour, shortening, sugar and cold water. T.W.O. uses a pastry blender to mix the dough together until you form it into a ball. Set aside.

In a bowl, carefully mix the sliced pears, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cornstarch. Be careful not to break the pears while mixing.

To roll out the dough, make sure your surface is floured so that the dough doesn’t stick to your countertop or mat. Using your rolling pin, roll the dough out evenly in a circular shape. With the assistance of a spatula, move the rolled out dough into the oiled or “PAM’ed” baking pan or cookie sheet. Next, add the almond paste to the center of the dough. You want to make sure the clumps of paste are distributed evenly, leaving a 1 inch border around the edge of the circle. Next add the pear mixture on top of the almond paste.

Using a knife, cut ½ thick strips along the edge of the dough. Next, take each strip and fold over to make a crust. Each strip should be crisscross. Brush the crust with the egg white and sprinkle sugar on top.

Bake the galette for about 35 minutes or until the fruit mixture is bubbling. Check the crust at 15 minutes and if the pie crust is getting brown, cover with foil. Remove the galette and let it sit for 15 minutes before serving. If you don’t plan to eat the galette right away, T.W.O. suggests warming it up prior to eating. Add a scoop of ice cream and you have yourself a gourmet dessert!!!

Happy Baking!!

Vegetable Noodle Medley

Published on November 25, 2013November 24, 2013 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

Is there a way to make noodles that didn’t involve flour, egg and oil? Pshhh – Of course there is a way! T.W.O. will show you how to create noodles out of vegetables and bring some color into your cooking!

Ingredients
– 1 yam
– 2 large carrots, whole
– 2 zucchini
– Krazy Salt
– Pepper

Peel and wash the yam and carrots. Cut the ends off all the vegetables. With the julienne peeler, “peel” each vegetable lengthwise. The longer the “noodles” are, the better! Place all the vegetable noodles in a bowl and add Krazy Salt and pepper to taste. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Once the noodles marinate, lightly squeeze the noodles to eliminate any excess water.

The creative part….what to do with the noodles? Here are a couple ideas:

Stir Fry

T.W.O. sautéed the yam noodles for 6 minutes added the carrots and the zucchini for the last 2 minutes. We added mushrooms and grilled chicken to create a noodle stir-fry!

Salad

Add your favorite dressing, some slivered pistachios and you have your self a great lunch!

Bed of Noodles

Place a grilled piece of meat, chicken or fish over a vegetable medley bed! It’s a great al dente noodle that compliments your protein.

Happy Peeling!!

Gruyere Popovers

Published on November 22, 2013November 22, 2013 by T.W.O.3 Comments

In T.W.O.’s family, we are always sharing new recipes and ideas, so we decided to post about the most recent inspiration from our sister-in-law (aka- our sister!). She invited us over for dinner and made Popovers that were delicious. We loved the idea, so put a spin on her popovers and added Gruyere cheese. Check out how to make these fluffy, flakey, delectable treats!

Thank you Becky for your inspiration!!! Xoxo

Ingredients:

– 3 cups milk, warmed
– 3 cups unbleached flour
– 6 eggs
– 2 cups Gruyere cheese, shredded

*Butter is optional for greasing the pan. T.W.O. used PAM instead.

Preheat oven to 400°F. While the oven is preheating, place the muffin tins in the oven to warm.

In a bowl, beat the eggs until fluffy. In a microwave safe bowl, heat the milk until the edges start to bubble. If you have a thermometer, the milk should be about 125°F. Slowly add the milk into the egg mixture making sure not to cook the eggs. Whisk together. After the ingredients are mixed well, add the flour.

Remove the muffin pans from the oven and spray with baking oil. Make sure you get the edges. With a big spoon, pour the batter into each muffin tin, filling it about ¾ full. Once you fill all the cups, place the muffin tin in the oven for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, reduce heat to 350°F and bake for another 10 minutes. Note – DO NOT open the oven. This will let the heat out and your popovers won’t pop as well! Use your oven light to check on the status of the delicious, airy treats! Also – placing the popovers on the middle rack helps circulate the air.