Pesto Pita Pizza

INGREDIENTS
(for one pita)

Whole wheat pita bread, 6 inch round
3 tablespoons pesto
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
2 tomato slices, halved
4 large basil leaves
1 tablespoon red or white onion, chopped
spritz of olive oil

1.  Preheat oven to 360 degrees F.

2.  Place pita(s) on a large baking sheet.  Top pita with pesto (swirl over top with a spoon), feta, tomato, basil, onion and olive oil.

3.  Bake for 8 - 10 minutes.  Serve hot.

Do not over bake or the basil leaves will burn and turn brown.  Even though the feta cheese will not be melted, the pita will be hot, and yummy.

Chicken Fajita Pizza

INGREDIENTS

Pizza Dough
3/4 cups lukewarm water
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Pizza Toppings
1 lb chicken, cooked and sliced into strips
olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 small onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, cored and sliced into strips
1 red bell pepper, cored and sliced into strips
1/2 cup mild salsa
2 cups Mexican style shredded cheese blend

1.  Combine the water and yeast in a large bowl until dissolved.  Add flour, salt and mix.

2.  Lay the dough out on a clean surface, along with any loose flour, and knead the dough until the flour is mixed.  About 5 minutes.  The dough should feel slightly moist and tacky.

3. Set dough aside in a medium bowl, cover with a clean cloth, and allow to rise for about an hour and a half.

4.  When ready to make the pizza, preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.


5.  Heat 2 - 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add chicken and stir frequently until lightly browned.


6.  Stir in garlic, chili powder and salt.


7.  Add onions, peppers, and cook for 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender yet firm.

8.  Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, and lay the dough in the middle of it.  Using your hands, work the dough from the middle out until the dough is about 1/4 inch thick.  The dough will stick to the parchment paper as you work it out.  This will help make the process easier to form a 12 to 14 inch round.  Pierce the dough liberally with a fork.  Bake for 5 minutes.


9.  Remove pizza crust from oven, spoon salsa over crust, add chicken, vegetables and cheese.  Bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust turns a golden brown.

Shrimp Enchiladas

INGREDIENTS

8 large flour tortillas
32 oz (two cans) green chile enchilada sauce
16 oz (26-30 pieces) bag of cooked and peeled shrimp, remove tails

16 oz can whole kernel corn, drained
16 oz can black beans, drained
4 oz can diced green chiles
3 cups shredded Mexican style cheese blend

1.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2.  Quarter the shrimp then place into a large mixing bowl.  Add the corn, beans and chiles and mix together.  Set aside.

3.  Into a large baking dish add one can of green chile enchilada sauce.  Place one tortilla into the sauce, add several heaping spoonfuls of shrimp mixture and cheese.  Roll tortilla up and move to one end of dish.  Repeat this process until dish is full.  Pour one can of green chile enchilada sauce over rolled enchiladas.  Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.  Remove foil, sprinkle remaining cheese over enchiladas and bake for another 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Caprese Pizza

INGREDIENTS

Pizza Dough
3/4 cups lukewarm water
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground oregano

Pizza Toppings
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 cups cherry, grape or other small tomatoes, cut in half.
2 cups mozarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

1.  Combine the water and yeast in a large bowl until dissolved.  Add flour, salt, and oregano and mix.

2.  Lay the dough out on a clean surface, along with any loose flour, and knead the dough until the flour is mixed.  About 5 minutes.  The dough should feel slightly moist and tacky.

3. Set dough aside in a medium bowl, cover with a clean cloth, and allow to rise for about an hour and a half.

4.  When ready to make the pizza, preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

5.  Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, and lay the dough in the middle of it.  Using your hands, work the dough from the middle out until the dough is about 1/4 inch thick.  The dough will stick to the parchment paper as you work it out.  This will help make the process easier to form a 12 to 14 inch round.  Pierce the dough liberally with a fork.  Bake for 5 minutes.

6.  In small bowl, mix the olive oil and garlic.  Remove pizza from oven and spread mixture over crust.  Top with tomatoes, basil, and cheese.  Bake for 12 minutes or until cheese melts and crust has turned a golden brown.

7.  While pizza is baking, bring the balsamic vinegar to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium - low heat.  Simmer for about 10 minutes or until the vinegar is reduced by a half.

8.  Remove pizza from oven.  Drizzle with vinegar, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Top of with any left over small basil leaves.
  

Lasagna Casserole

INGREDIENTS

1.5 to 2 lbs hot Italian sausage or turkey sausage
2.5 to 3 cups white or yellow onion, chopped
4 to 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
8 oz can tomato paste
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons oregano
28 oz diced tomatoes
12 oz Rotini pasta

16 oz ricotta
1 cup Parmesan cheese
pepper to taste
mozzarella, shredded for topping
fresh basil, chopped for topping

1. In a large pasta pot add the sausage, crumble it with a wooden spoon, and stir it occasionally until it starts to lightly brown.  Add the onion, garlic and mix it into the sausage.  Let cook for about 5 minutes.

2. Add the tomato paste, bay leaves, oregano and diced tomatoes.  Mix well together and then add 7 cups of chicken stock.  Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3.  Add the Rotini and boil for 10 - 12 minutes.

4.  Meanwhile, in a large bowl mix together the ricotta, Parmesan and pepper.

Serve the lasagna casserole in single serving bowls.  Top each with a tablespoons of the ricotta mixture, and sprinkle with mozzarella and some fresh chopped basil.
 

Goat Cheese Stuffed Meatballs

INGREDIENTS

1 yellow bell pepper, chopped and roasted

3/4 cup dried bread crumbs
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1 lb ground beef, or ground turkey, or ground chicken
2 oz goat cheese
olive oil

1.  Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with wax paper.

2.  To roast the yellow bell pepper, chop it up into 1/4 inch size pieces and place in a large saute pan pre-greased with olive oil.  Cook on medium heat, tossing the peppers every few minutes until they start to lightly brown.

3.  In a large bowl, combine the bread crumbs, garlic, salt, oregano, milk, egg and roasted pepper.  Add the meat and lightly mix together.  Try not to over mix, as doing so will result in a tougher meatball.

4.  Form 8 evenly sized meatballs and place onto the prepared baking sheet.  Break or slice the goat cheese into 1 inch sized cubes and press into the top of the meatball.  Drizzle olive oil across the tops of the meatballs, and then bake for 20 minutes until cooked through.

Serve with a warm bed of marinara sauce, along with garlic bread, polenta, or rice.