Pizza Paris

Trader Joe's pizza dough
Drizzle of EVOO
10 -15 leaves of fresh, chopped oregano
1/2 package of Trader Joe's Quatro Formaggio
Handful of feta cheese
One sliced tomato
Several kalamata olives
A few slices of red onion
Corn meal
Optional: Roasted eggplant
Heat oven to 450 degrees
Sprinkle pizza stone with corn meal
Stretch pizza dough to fit stone
Drizzle  EVOO
Top with onion, then cheese, then olives, and tomato
In oven for 15-20 minutes -- just keep an eye on it
Let sit for a couple minutes before slicing
Top wilh any, or none, of the following:
Roasted eggplant
Crushed red pepper
Dried oregano
Salt and pepper
Garlic powder

From Eat Better America - Pork Tenderloin

This was DELICIOUS! The only change I made was to fry the sage that I used for garnish. It increased the fat and calories, but not by much.

Served it with a salad of spinach, mushrooms, bean sprouts, and Asian Mix Salad topping. Just a little EVOO and Rice Vinegar to dress.

Roast pork tenderloin with rosemary, sweet potatoes and pears for an elegant dinner. From eatbetteramerica.

Prep Time:15 min
Start to Finish:45 min

1 pork tenderloin (1 to 1 1/4 lb)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried sage leaves, crushed
1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1 large dark-orange sweet potato (about 1 lb), peeled, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
2 firm ripe small pears, unpeeled, each cut into 6 wedges
1 medium sweet onion (halved crosswise), cut into thin wedges
1 tablespoon olive oil Fresh sage leaves, if desired

1. Heat oven to 450°F. Spray 15x10x1-inch pan with cooking spray. Place pork tenderloin in pan. In small bowl, mix rosemary, salt, sage and pepper. Rub half of seasoning mixture on pork.

2. In medium bowl, toss sweet potato, pears and onion with oil until coated. Sprinkle with remaining seasoning mixture; toss. Place vegetables around pork.

3. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, stirring vegetables and pears gently once or twice during baking, until pork has slight blush of pink in center and meat thermometer inserted in center reads 160°F, and vegetables are tender. Cut pork into 1/2-inch slices. Serve with vegetables. Garnish with fresh sage leaves.

2010 Food Resolutions

In no particular order:
Get over fear of pressure cooker.
Make my own pasta.
Eat more fish.
Figure out how to waste fewer fresh veggies. (One can only eat so many versions of a veg before it goes bad.)
Take a cooking class. Or two.


7/9/12 - I just revisited this post. Checked off everything except the pressure cooker. Still afraid!

Bread Salad (Panzanella)

Inspired by ... who else? Rachel Ray. 
Crusty bread - (I used walnut cranberry) cut in bite-sized pieces
Thinly sliced red onion
Cubed tomatoes
Grated garlic
Shaved Parmesan
Mozzarella - cut into small pieces
Thinly sliced salami
A whole lot of fresh basil, torn.


Drizzle with EVOO and a little red wine vinegar. Let sit for a while before serving. 


Real panzanella starts with stale bread, refreshed by soaking in water and wringing it dry. 

White House State Dinner Menu

I know most people won't notice. I know most people who DO notice, won't care. I know I am annoying about typos and grammar. I know I make plenty of mistakes myself.

But really. The White House State Dinner Menu? Chick Peas, not Chickpeas?

C'mon. At least the staff of the President and the First Lady of the United States should have an anal-retentive editor.

"The White House pulled out all the stops in preparation for President Obama’s first state dinner on Tuesday night, hiring a new florist, selecting a renowned guest chef and even inviting a number of high-profile musicians to perform.

 

But one person the White House apparently neglected to hire was a spell checker."

No Other Salt for Me

A couple years ago, my friend Elaine hiked to base camp on Mt. Everest. For my birthday this year, she gave me Himalania, Himalayan Pink Salt.

I watched the NatGeo special.

I know salt tastes different based on where it comes from ...

but OMG ... I had no idea salt could taste this sensuous.

My Immersion Blender

Creamy Chickpea Soup
4 T EVOO
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
6 (count 'em 6) garlic cloves, minced
1/4 t red pepper flakes
1/4 t saffron
1 t salt
1/2 t black pepper
4 (16 oz) cans chickpeas, drained
6 cups chicken broth
3 T minced basil
1 T lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped, roasted, red pepper

In Dutch oven, heat EVOO. Add veggies, red pepper flakes, saffron, salt & pepper. Cook for 5 min.

Stir in chickpeas and broth -- bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 min.

The directions say, " Puree half the soup ...". I say,"Have fun with the immersion blender. Leave a bit of it chunky."

Add lemon and basil. (The lemon really makes it.)

Serve with roasted red peppers sprinkled in the middle of each bowl.