foodie – Page 8

Potato, Kale, Garlic and Cheese Pizza + A Birthday

Published on March 28, 2014June 25, 2014 by T.W.O.1 Comment

Tonight is a special Friday Night Pizza Night because not only are we baking a new pizza, we are also celebrating a special birthday thats tomorrow! Cheers to our sister-in-law Becky!!!! We know your favorite pizza is Barbeque Chicken Pizza, but we are confident you will like this Potato, Kale, Garlic and Cheese pizza. Happy Friday Night Pizza Night and HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY!!!

Potato, Kale, Garlic and Cheese Pizza

Ingredients

– 1 pizza dough
– 1 russet potato
– 2 cups kale, chopped and ribs removed
– 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
– 1 ½ cups fontina cheese, shredded
– ½ red onion, sliced thin
– 2 cloves garlic, diced
– 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
– 1 Tablespoon dried basil leaves
– Salt
– Pepper
– Lawry’s Season Salt

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Roll the dough out onto a lightly floured and cornmeal surface.
3. Meanwhile, slice washed potato very thin. Put on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle Lawry’s seasoning on the potatoes. Cook for about 15-20 minutes.
4. Spread 1 Tablespoon of olive oil on the surface on the dough, topping with garlic and dried basil leaves.
5. Spread mozzarella and fontina cheeses evenly over dough. Add chopped kale and red onion. Top with potato slices.
6. Put the pizza in the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until cheeses are melted and crust is crisp and lightly browned.

Happy Friday Night Pizza Night!!

SPECIAL ADDITION – BIRTHDAY CHEERS

Happy Birthday Becky!!
Thanks for being such a great sister-law! We have shared so many moments together- Giants playoff games, Stagecoach concerts, Sonoma wine tasting, beach bike rides, ladder golf matches, holiday family fun and most of all – being bridesmaids for the day that you married our brother! Thank you for being a joy to be around, filling the room with smiles and laughter. We love you so much and cannot wait to share many more memories with you!

Parsley Pesto Chicken Skewers

Published on March 27, 2014March 27, 2014 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

Skewers are a great way to spicy up your meals. It’s one way to get your protein, vegetables and your savory! Check out how we made these Parsley Pesto Chicken Skewers.

Parsley Pesto Chicken Skewers

Ingredients:
– 1 cup parsley leaves
– 10 garlic cloves, crushed
– 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
– ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
– ¼ cup lemon juice
– Salt
– Pepper
– 2 chicken breasts, cubed
– Mushrooms
– Bell peppers
– Red Onions, thick slices
– Wood skewers

Instructions:
1. In a blender, pulse the parsley, garlic, crushed red pepper, lemon juice and olive oil to a thick puree. Mix in salt and pepper to taste.
2. In a bowl, mix the chicken and pesto. Put in refrigerator to marinate for 2-4 hours.
3. With about 30 minutes, left to marinate, soak the wood skewers in water. This eliminates them from splintering.
4. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator to assemble the skewers.
5. Wash and cut the peppers. Keep the mushrooms whole. The red onions should be cut in thick slices.
6. To assemble, add each ingredient to the skewer. Put more or less vegetables depending on your liking.
7. Set the skewers aside once assembled. Pour any remaining marinate over the top of the skewers.
8. Barbeque on? Should be! Once it’s ready, put the skewers on over medium heat and cook for about 15-20 minutes.
9. Make sure the chicken is cooked. Once done, plate over your favorite side dish and serve! T.W.O. served theirs over lentils.

Happy Cooking!!

Caprese Salad

Published on March 25, 2014March 25, 2014 by T.W.O.3 Comments

Fresh is the key word in this salad. Fresh basil, fresh mozzarella and fresh tomatoes – – the three most important ingredients to make this salad. Yes, it’s easy and will be a great addition to any meal. T.W.O. is going to feature this salad with cocktail tomatoes instead of cherry tomatoes. Either way, its one salad you can’t go wrong with.
Ingredients:
– 8 fresh cocktail tomatoes, quartered
– ½ cup fresh bail leaves, chopped
– 2 cups fresh mozzarella, cubed
– 1/2 cup red onions, diced
– 4 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
– 2 Tablespoons olive oil
– 1 Tablespoon garlic, diced
– Salt
– Pepper

IStart off cutting the cocktail tomatoes in quarters. Place in a bowl. Mix, basil leaves, mozzarella along with the salt and pepper. Add in balsamic vinegar, olive oil and garlic. Be careful not to mix to vigorously, you don’t want to break the tomatoes. Place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to 1 hour.

It’s that easy – ready to serve now!!

Happy Spring!

T.W.O. signature

Boneless Short Ribs

Published on March 24, 2014March 23, 2014 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

Craving ribs, but don’t want to have to deal with the mess of eating them? Well you still can! Solution – boneless short ribs! Short ribs are great because you still have the same great taste as ribs, but you can use a fork and knife! Sounds a little more ideal when you are wearing those white pants! If you haven’t tried cooking boneless short ribs, T.W.O. would highly suggest them for your next dinner, party or even holiday meal!

Ingredients:
-Short ribs, boneless
-Montreal Steak Seasoning
-Cayenne Pepper
-Shallots
-Olive Oil
-BBQ Sauce

First, season the ribs with Montreal Steak seasoning and cayenne pepper. In a large skillet, pour some olive oil and heat to medium to high heat. Add the short ribs and sear each side for about 4 minutes. Once each side is seared, add water to the skillet. The water level shouldn’t cover the meat, but rather be at 1/3 the way up. Turn the heat to low and allow the meat to simmer for a minimum of 2 hours. (T.W.O. suggests cooking them for 2 ½- 3 hours) Make sure to flip the meat at hour 1.

After the meat has simmered, fire up that BBQ! Place the short ribs on the grill and cook for about 4 minutes. Add your BBQ sauce to each side of the short ribs. Allow to cook for another 4 minutes. Now it’s time to eat some ribs…. only one napkin needed too!

Very Berry Dessert with Peanut Butter Granola

Published on March 21, 2014March 20, 2014 by T.W.O.7 Comments

Picture this – a family barbeque with ribs, salad, potatoes and a nice glass of VJB Wine. Sitting outside under the stars in your patio. Dinner has just finished and someone asks – – What’s for dessert? Good thing you prepared this light, refreshing and satisfying dessert – – – Very Berry Cobbler with Peanut Butter Granola. It is easy and pairs well with a hearty dinner. Oh and did I mention – it is in the healthy dessert category! Check it out!

Ingredients
– 2 cups blackberries, washed
– 2 cups raspberries, washed
– 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
– 2 Tablespoons lemon zest
– ¼ cup sugar

Peanut Butter Granola Recipe Here

Ingredients:
– -4 cups rolled oats
– -1/2 cup chia seeds -3/4 cup peanut butter*
–  -1/4 cup coconut oil (melted/liquid)
– -1/2 cups of agave syrup
*T.W.O. loves using Justin’s original peanut butter- so delish!

Preheat oven to 350°

In a bowl, carefully mix the blackberries, raspberries, cornstarch, lemon zest and sugar. Put in a 9×9 Pyrex that has been sprayed with PAM. Top with the Peanut Butter Granola. Cook for about 20 minutes or until the berry juice has bubbles.

Remove from oven and serve with a scoop of your favorite vanilla ice cream.

Happy Baking!

Baby Kale and Farro Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette

Published on March 20, 2014March 20, 2014 by T.W.O.1 Comment

Farro? Heard of it? Cooked with it? Well if your answer is no to any of these questions, T.W.O. will be sure to change that to YES! Farro is a food product composed of the grains of certain wheat species. It is debatable about the exact definition, so we won’t get into it! Farro originated in Italy – Tuscany to be exact. It can sometimes be called barley since they both have similar characteristics. Okay, enough of the definition stuff, lets get cooking!

Ingredients:
– 1 ½ cup faro, uncooked
– 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
– 4 ½ cups baby kale, chopped
– ½ cup carrots, thick strips
– 1 cup corn kernels, fresh or roasted
For the dressing:
– 4 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
– 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
– 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
– 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
– 1 shallot, diced
– 1 clove garlic, diced
– 2 teaspoons parsley, chopped
– ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
– Salt
– Pepper
– Garlic powder

Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a large covered saucepan. Add the farro, pinch of salt and garlic powder. Return to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally until the farro is puffy and slightly chewy. This should take 20-25 minutes.

While the farro is cooking, make your dressing. In a bowl combine the lemon juice, vinegar, Dijon mustard and soy sauce. Mix well. Add in shallot, garlic, parsley, olive oil, salt and pepper.

When the farro is done cooking, drain immediately and rinse with cold water. Drain again and transfer to a bowl. Add cherry tomatoes, corn, kale and carrots. Mix the dressing into the farro. Serve immediately. T.W.O. grilled some fresh cod to go with the farro salad. It was a delicious addition to this protein packed, flavorful salad.

Happy Cooking!

Steak Tacos with Roasted Corn Salsa

Published on March 18, 2014March 17, 2014 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

Taco Tuesday! T.W.O. loves incorporating fresh vegetables in their meals and what better way to complete tacos than making a fresh roasted corn salsa. The sweet, savory grilled steak and the crunch of the corn makes this one of our favorite Taco Tuesday recipes. Grab your friends, chips, salsa and guacamole and getting ready for a real treat!

Ingredients

– 2 ½ pounds flap meat steak
– 2 cups Island Soyaki marinade (Trader Joes)
– 12 green onions
– 4 ears of corn, husked
– 2 Tablespoons olive oil
– 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
– 2 teaspoons lime zest
– 2 Tablespoon lime juice
– 2 Tablespoon lemon juice
– 1 can Embasa chipotle peppers, in adobe sauce
– 12 corn tortillas*
– Salt & Pepper to taste

* T.W.O. uses La Tortilla Factory corn tortillas.

Marinate steak for a minimum of 2 hours prior to barbequing. When you are ready to start barbequing, remove the meat from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature.

In the meantime, brush the corn and green onions with olive oil. Place the corn on the barbeque for about 20 minutes. Make sure you flip the corn so that all sides cook. With 5 minutes remaining add the whole green onions.

Once the corn and green onions are done, remove from grill and replace with the steak. Cook for about 15-20 minutes.
While the steak is cooking, cut the corn off the cob and green onions. Place in a bowl. Mix in cilantro, lime zest, lime juice, lemon juice, chipotle peppers and salt and pepper. Set aside.

Remove the steak from the grill and heat the corn tortillas. Warming up the tortillas is optional. Once done, place the tortillas on a plate. Thinly slice the flap meat and place on the tortillas. Add the corn salsa. That’s a wrap!

Enjoy your Taco Tuesday!

Margarita Salad

Published on March 17, 2014March 16, 2014 by T.W.O.3 Comments

It’s a warm evening, and are you trying to find a side salad to go with your meal? Well, T.W.O. has the perfect recipe for you. It’s refreshing, light and has a spike of flavor for you! Check out this recipe that will sure to “mix” up your day!

Ingredients:
– 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
– 1 teaspoon lime zest
– 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
– 1 tablespoon tequila , white
– 1 tablespoon agave
– ½ tsp salt
– 1/ 4 cup olive oil
– 2 heads roman salad, chopped
– 1 avocado
– 1/3 cup roasted almonds, chopped
– ½ cup Cotija

Directions:  In a bowl, add the lime juice, lime zest, lemon juice, tequila, agave, and salt. Whisk together —- Mix well.

In a salad bowl/serving bowl, add the leafy greens, avocado and roasted almonds. Drizzle your desired amount of the dressing and lightly toss. Service with your favorite entrée or add protein like chicken or steak.

Happy Cooking!

Shaved Brussel Sprout Mushroom Pizza with Cauliflower Crust

Published on March 14, 2014March 13, 2014 by T.W.O.1 Comment

It’s that time again – Friday Night Pizza Night with T.W.O. Tonight, we are featuring a shaved brussel sprout, mushroom pizza with a cauliflower crust. It’s not your traditional pizza, but that’s what makes it fun and original- right? Can’t keep eating the same thing every week. If you are looking to experiment with you pizza, this recipe is for you! Did we mention it is healthy and gluten-free? Oh…and it tastes good too! Happy Friday Night Pizza!

For the Crust
– 1 large head of cauliflower or two small heads, coarsely chopped (creates about 4 cups of cauliflower “rice”)
– 3 eggs
– 1- 1 ½ cups almond meal
– ¼ cup mozzarella cheese
– 1 teaspoon garlic powder
– 1 teaspoon onion powder
Sea salt and cracked black pepper

For the Toppings
– 1 cup ricotta cheese
– 2 cups mozzarella
– 1 large yellow onion, peeled and chopped
– 2 cups Brussels sprouts, shredded
– 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
– 1 small package mushrooms
Sea salt and cracked black pepper

Place chopped cauliflower in food processor, sprinkle with salt and pepper and pulse until it resembles a rice consistency. Transfer cauliflower rice to a large bowl and add almond meal, eggs, mozzarella garlic powder and onion powder. Using your hands, mix all ingredients together until it begins to stick and can be shaped into two balls.

If the cauliflower balls are too wet, squeeze the excess liquid out and add a little bit more almond meal. The texture will never be dry like conventional flour dough but you don’t want it to be dripping wet either. A little moisture is fine and will not prevent the crust from firming up in the oven.

Line a two baking sheet with parchment paper. Transfer the cauliflower balls onto the center of the paper and using your hands, shape into a pizza crust of about 1/3 inch thickness. Bake the cauliflower pizza crust in the oven for 20-25 minutes, until the sides are beginning to brown. Remove from oven.

Once the pizzas are done, spread one pizza with ricotta and the other with mozzarella. Spread the Brussels sprouts, onions and mushrooms evenly over the top of the pizza. Drizzle with balsamic.

Place in the oven for 15 more minutes. Remove and let cool for 2 minutes before serving. Another successful Friday Night Pizza Night!!

Cheers!

Greek Lamb Burgers with Homemade Tzatziki Sauce

Published on March 13, 2014March 12, 2014 by T.W.O.1 Comment

It felt like summer this past weekend in SoCal. It was in the mid-80s and with the daylight savings time upon us and a brand new barbeque in the patio, we decided to christen it with lamb burgers. Grab your feta, tomatoes and mushrooms and let’s start cooking!

Ingredients:
– 3 lbs ground lamb (T.W.O. prefers fresh New Zealand ground lamb from WholeFoods)
– ½ cup feta
– ½ cup mushrooms, diced
– 1/3 cup red onions, diced
– 1 teaspoon garlic powder
– Krazy Salt
– Fresh group pepper
– Fresh hamburger buns
– Lettuce
– Tomatoes, sliced

Tzatziki Sauce Ingredients:
-1/4 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
– 4 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
– 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

In a bowl, mix the ground lamb with feta, mushrooms, red onions, garlic powder, Krazy salt and fresh ground pepper. Mix well. Form the mixture into 3-4 patties.

Using a bowl Mix the Greek yogurt with the dill in a small bowl to make your tzatziki sauce. Place in the refrigerator while the burgers are cooking.

Place the lamb patties on a heated barbeque grill and cook for 15 minutes or until done. Remove from heat. If you like your buns toasted, now is a good time to do it. Dress your hamburger how you like it – T.W.O. used their homemade tzatziki sauce, lettuce and tomatoes. That is all you need for this Greek-influenced Lamb Burger.