Pear. Brie, and Fig Tapanade Pizza

Hello again, to our faithful 6 followers. I know its been awhile, but such things as life come up and get in the way of cooking delicious food. A few weeks ago a friend introduced me to a pizza that I found completely irresistible. I decided to try to steal her recipe and copy her success and then send along the benefits to you! (although, it must be noted, mine wasn't nearly as delicious as hers).

What you'll need:

• pizza dough (Trader Joes has the perfect pre-made dough that is super duper easy and inexpensive)
• a wedge of double creme brie
• 1 red pear
• olive tapanade
• fig preserve

Directions: Preheat over to 460 degrees. Prepare the dough as directed or assumed and stretch into a circle (or any other funny shaped pizza you'd like) and lightly coat with flour. Mix together, in equal measure, the tapanade and fig preserve (or weigh it more heavily in one direction if you prefer your pizza more sweet or more savory). Spread the concoction evenly on the pizza dough. Cut the pear and brie into 1/6 inch slices and place onto the dough in a single layer, switching between pieces of fruit and cheese. Place pizza on baking sheet and cook for 15-20 minutes at 460. Cook until the cheese has fully melted and both crust and cheese have turned golden brown. And then gobble it up!

*for an extra little pleasure: add a ring of dates around the edge of the pizza and dash balsamic vinegar on top of the pizza halfway through the baking process.

9:32pm Blackberry Clafoutis

I've made this delectable little breakfast dessert for the past two nights and they both managed to make their way into the oven at 9:32pm. I found this rather intriguing so I figured it had to be part of its legacy (however shortlived it may be). Blackberries are growing absolutely out of control this time of year in Sonoma County so I've been sneakily squeezing them into just about everything I make...but this one isn't so sneaky at all. In fact, it's what makes it so remarkably delicious!

What you'll need:

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 cup sugar (1/3 if you want to make it more like a dessert)
• 3 eggs
• Zest of a lemon or an orange (i've been experimenting with both and I think the lemon is better but they both work, and it's a judgement call)
• 3 tablespoons melted butter
• 1/4 cup of milk
• 2 cups of fresh blackberries
• A wee bit of salt

Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix the flour, sugar, and salt together. Whisk in the eggs, zested citrus, milk and butter. Blend them til smooth (whip if possible).  Pour into round baking pan and topple with the blackberries. Bake for about 25-30 minutes (10:07 in my case, but my oven is a pansy). Let cool for a few minutes and serve warm or cool for a morning treat. Mmmm. Simple delight!

Fig and Goat Cheese Pastry Pizza

My dear friend Aubrey and I were desperately in the mood for figs and cheese so we found the perfect recipe, messed it up again, and douced ourselves in heavenly pastries...this is the result. 

What you'll need:

• 1 Pepperidge Farms pastry sheet (thawed at room tempt for 40 min)
• 3 fresh figs
• 4 oz fresh goat cheese
• 6-7 cherry tomatoes
• Olive tapenade
• Fresh thyme 
• Fresh;y grated parmesan cheese

Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. After thawing the pastry sheet lay it out flat on your baking pan (lightly greased) and fork the perimeters. Place in preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes until it has risen and is golden brown. Cut the figs into quarters, cherries in halves, and crumble the goat cheese. Once the pastry is baked remove from over and flatten slightly. Spread a light layer of tapanade on the entire surface. Then place the tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, and goat cheese on top. Sprinkle thyme and parmesan cheese in desired amount on top. Return to oven for about 5 more minutes or until the goat cheese has softened and begun to melt. And whala!

Sweet Wild Rice and Coconut Pudding

A classic...with a twitch of a twist! 

What you'll need:

• 1 cup wild sweet rice
• 5 cups water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup shaved almonds

Directions: In a medium saucepan combine the rice and water. Simmer uncovered for just about an eternity. When you get fed up (after about an hour and half) you can turn up the heat to help you along. Once the mixture has become mostly softened rice with a liquid base, add the sugar and continue to simmer until it becomes saucy. Once it becomes paste-like and delicious-smelling, take off the heat and add shaved almonds (either into the mixture or as a garnish). Add coconut milk and serve hot.

Zucchini Coconut Curry Soup

I know, I know, I've been on a bit of a zucchini kick tonight, but Trader Joes just happens to sell too many in one package and wasting simply isn't an option: delicious soup, however, is.

What you'll need:

• 4 medium zucs
• 2 tablespoons or so of fresh basil
• 1 1/4 cups chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon curry paste or a few tablespoons of curry paste (I use red curry)
• 1 can of coconut milk (14 oz)
• A tad bit of salt and pepper

Directions: Puree the zucs, basil, and half cup of broth in a food processor. Put on stove to simmer and add the rest of the ingredients. Simmer for about 20-30 minutes. Add extra curry paste at the end if it's too smooth or add more coconut milk if it's too spicy. Easy!

Plethora of goodies stuffed zucchini

Zucchinis seem to either be sickeningly abundant or impossible to find this time of year. If you happen to fall fortunate to the former, this is a delicious and healthy little dinner time snack.

What you'll need:

• 3 medium zucchinis
• half an union
• 1 cup frozen veggies (carrots, peas, and corn work wonders)
• Some salt
• Pepper (if you're not me, of course)
• 1/2 cup of rice
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup (or more, if you (like me) feel the need to substitute your allergies for your obsessions)) grated cheese

Directions: Cut the zucs in half length wise and pit out the centers. Keep the zuc-gunk for the filling. Put the rice on the stove over medium heat in the broth. Simmer until broth mostly evaporates. Preheat the oven to 350 and then pop the zucz in the oven for about 10 minutes. In that time, dice the onions and throw them in a saucepan with the zucchini innards--and a touch of oil. Once the onions soften, add the frozen veggies. Combine that mixture with the rice and topple it into the semi-baked zucchini halves. Throw some cheese on top and toss 'em back in the oven for another 15-20 minutes or so until they are to your liking.

Sun-Dried Tomato Rolls

In my attempt to follow some simple directions on a recipe I found online, my dough decided that it would not cooperate with me. Somehow, however, by magic, these turned out quite lovely. Maybe tomatoes are just always on my side, carbs always taste good no matter how much you try to butcher them, or yeast needing to rise is a myth. Whatever the case may be, these are simple and delicious little dumplings of tomatoey goodness.

What you'll need:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 1/4 teaspoons of active dry yeast (1 packet) or 2 1/2 teaspoons (if you want to follow directions and make life unnecessarily hard on yourself)
• Some delicious granules of salt 
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1/4 cup warm milk
• 2 eggs beaten
• 1 cup (or more, if you're tomato-crazed like me) sun-dried tomatoes

Directions: combine flour, yeast, and salt in a mixing bowl. Stir them up together until blended. Add beaten eggs, warm milk, and butter. Stir until a dough forms.  Knead the dough on a floured surface for a few minutes and set aside to rise for about an hour or so. (If you are bread-rising-incompetent like me and it refuses to restructure itself no matter how long you leave it out, don't worry, it will still taste delicious!). Knead the tomatoes into the dough and make into balls (about 6-8) and set on a greased baking sheet. Allow to rise again (which may not happen, silly yeast...) for about half an hour and then bake at 450 degrees for about 10-15 minutes.

*note: after careful experimentation it has come to by attention that it works best if the tomatoes are hidden inside the dough--if not, they may burn a tad bit.