30-Minute Meals: California-Inspired Veggie Pizza

I don’t know about you, but I can never eat enough pizza! I’m not talking about your typical, run-of-the-mill cheese pizza either, I’m talking about pizza with creative ingredients and tasty flavors. Don’t get me wrong, I love a big slice of pepperoni pizza from time-to-time, but what I really enjoy are homemade pizzas that feature fresh ingredients. This quick pizza recipe is extremely versatile, and will allow you to substitute toppings depending on what your family likes.

When the weather starts to get nicer and things  like tomatoes and avocado are in season around the country, there is nothing better to me than a California-Inspired Veggie Pizza! This pizza is a great way to get your kids to eat their veggies, and this recipe is simple enough that kids can get their hands dirty and join you in the kitchen! This recipe has shortcuts to save time, as well as special touches–feel free to customize it to your cooking style!

I found the original recipe here, and below is my adapted version.

California-Inspired Veggie Pizza

Ingredients:

1 package ready-made pizza crust, such as Boboli

1-10 oz.  container of Stonemill Kitchens Artichoke Parmesan Dip

1 bag baby spinach, pre-washed

1 large avocado

2 large vine-ripened tomatoes

Handful of fresh basil leaves

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper

2 Tbs. olive oil, for brushing

Directions:

Step 1) Remove the pizza crust from the package, and brush the “top side” with 2 Tbs. olive oil. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425F.

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Step 2) Using a rubber-tipped spatula, spread a generous layer of the Stonemill Kitchens Artichoke Parmesan Dip on top of the crust, leaving approximately half an inch of space all the way around. (this step is a great time to get your kids involved)

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Step 3) Slice the tomatoes into 1/2″ thick slices and spread over the artichoke Parmesan dip. Put pizza into the oven for 10 minutes, or until the dip is bubbling and the tomatoes are softened. Remove from oven, and top with a generous pile of spinach. Keep in mind, the spinach will cook down by about 75% in the oven, so be sure to pile it on! Cook the pizza until the dough is firm and crisp–about 10-15 minutes.

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Step 4) Slice the avocado in half lengthwise, remove the pit, and slice into one inch pieces. Top the cooling pizza with the avocado slices, fresh basil leaves (have your kids help you tear the leaves into smaller pieces), and salt & pepper. Feel free to add a few dollops of the extra artichoke Parmesan dip! Cut into slices and enjoy!

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***Make it special tip: Grill the pizza crust before you put the toppings on, it will give a gourmet look that will  impress your friends and family! Brush both sides with olive oil, and place onto a hot grill. Cook each side for 2-3 minutes, then turn over. Follow steps 2-4 to finish the pizza!

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Posted by Lacey

Give Mom What She Really Wants–You!

Mother’s Day is just around the corner. But we think Mother’s Month sounds more like it. Somehow, one day just doesn’t seem like enough time to celebrate all of the special things that moms do.

From helping with our homework, to patiently guiding us during the tumultuous teen years, to giving us someone who will always listen, moms really are amazing. Here are 4 ways to show mom how much you care.

This Mother’s Day….

1. Offer to host your family’s next holiday get-together.
   Short on time? Pick up one of Reser’s great side dishes or deserts.
2. Ask her about her week.
   Then really listen to what she has to say.  That means no multitasking or checking your smart phone.
3. 3. Don’t just send flowers.
   Hand-deliver them if you can. Along with the simple, delicious appetizer featured below! Stay awhile and enjoy it with her!
4. Out of state—doesn’t mean out of mind. 
   Call her on Saturday, because you “just couldn’t wait” ‘til Sunday to tell her how much you care.

Smoked Salmon Potato Cakes with Cilantro Yogurt Sauce

Ingredients:

• 20 oz Main St. Bistro Baked Scalloped Potatoes (she won’t know they aren’t homemade!)
•  4 oz smoked salmon
• 1 egg
• 1 cup fresh bread crumbs
• 1/2 tsp black pepper, divided
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil, for frying
• 1 cup fresh cilantro
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• Pinch of salt

Makes approximately 18 cakes

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Directions:

1. Chop scalloped potatoes into smaller pieces. Add smoked salmon chunks, egg, bread crumbs, and black pepper. Mix.
2. Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan. Using a small ice cream scoop or spoon, add scalloped potato mixture to the pan. Fry until golden brown.
3. Remove and let drawin on a paper towel. Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse the fresh cilantro. Add yogurt, salt, and the other half of the pepper and blend until smooth.
4. Serve each potato cake with 1 tbs. of sauce on top, and garnish with cilantro. Enjoy!

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Tips:

• If you don’t have a food processor, finely chop the cilantro and incorporate into the yogurt with the salt and pepper. Use a whisk to combine until smooth.
• Feel free to substitute non-fat plain yogurt when making the sauce.
• For a spicy twist on your sauce, add a few teaspoons of your favorite hot sauce.
• Click this link For frying guidelines

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Posted by Lacey

30-Minute Meals: Pesto Salmon with Artichoke Hearts

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Fish is so expensive these days that when I make it I want it to turn out good. Not just okay. I mean, it doesn’t bother me if plain old chicken breasts turn out just okay. But fish? It had better make me want to fight my husband for the last piece.

This is one of those recipes. Incredibly flavorful, it takes only 10 minute to prep and about 15 minutes to cook. It’s the kind of meal you look forward to sitting down to and yet it’s still simple enough to make for weeknight dinners.

Also, this easy fish recipe calls for the salmon to be cooked in an aluminum-foil pouch, which keeps it moist and a makes it a lot less likely to come out overcooked. This pouch technique is really the way to go if you’re at all nervous about cooking fish.

I found the original recipe here, and below is my adapted version:

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Posted by Lacey

Make Holiday Meals Easier by Customizing Store-Bought Side Dishes: 6 Mini Recipes

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Hello, everyone! I’m back from vacation and already planning ahead for next month. Can you believe that Thanksgiving is fast approaching? To get ready I’ve been thinking about ways to make holiday meals fun and easy.

One way to minimize stress and cooking time but still serve the special foods that make the holidays memorable is to customize store-bought side dishes. These quick stir-in suggestions and mini-recipes make it easy to whip up the dishes you look forward to every year:

1) Add praline pecan or marshmallows topping to store-bought mashed sweet potatoes. Directions: heat mashed sweet potatoes according to package directions and then transfer to a casserole or glass baking dish.

For praline pecan topping: stir 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 2 tablespoons of softened butter, and 1/2 cup chopped pecans together in a bowl and then sprinkle over the sweet potatoes; bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes.

For marshmallow topping (AKA candied yams): sprinkle mini-marshmallows evenly over sweet potatoes, and then bake at 350°F until marshmallows are lightly browned, about 20 minutes.

2) Stir diced dried tropical fruit, chopped fresh orange segments, or thawed frozen blueberries to store-bought cranberry sauce or cranberry relish. Directions: roughly chop fruit and thaw if necessary. Stir into cranberry sauce or relish. If desired, heat in a heavy saucepan over low to medium heat for a few minutes, stirring frequently.

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Posted by Lacey