Fig Pizza with Prosciutto, Caramelized Onions, and Goat Cheese

 David came home with a jar of whole, preserved figs last week.  I've never used them before, so I hit the internet to see what recipes would pop up.  I saw one for a pork roast, but we just finished off these pork chops...so I didn't want to put more on the table.  I'd seen recipes for fig pizza before, and decided to try it, since it would be simple, and I could have a cheese/pepperoni option for the kids.

So I made this over the weekend, and I'm tellin' you...it was delicious.  The only part that was time consuming were the onions.  I probably cooked 'em for about an hour.  Caramelized onions can't be rushed...but they are so worth it if you've got the time.  And if you don't have whole, preserved figs, fig preserves are a fine substitute. 

Fig Pizza with Prosciutto, Caramelized Onions, and Goat Cheese

One recipe homemade pizza dough, or 1 tube refrigerated pizza dough (we like the "thin" crust)

2 medium or one large red onion, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

About 16 small preserved whole figs (roughly chopped), or about 1/2 cup fig preserves

1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, or 2 teaspoons fresh thyme

2 ounces fresh goat cheese

3 ounces prosciutto, torn into pieces

In a medium skillet over low heat, heat the olive oil.  Add the red onion and cook slowly, stirring frequently for 45 minutes to one hour, or until the onions are almost dry, and deep purplish/brown in color. (Regular white/yellow onions work well too).  If you don't that much time, just cook them for as long as you can.  Set aside.  

Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.  Preheat oven to 400.  If you're using a homemade dough, spread it out and prebake it for 5 minutes.  Do the same thing if you're using a premade, refrigerated dough.  

Spread the chopped figs/fig preserves over the crust.  It may not look like it's enough, but you don't want this to be overly sweet.  Sprinkle with a touch of salt and pepper, and the thyme.  Scatter the prosciutto over the spices.  Then distribute the onions over the top, and dot with pieces of goat cheese.  

Return the pizza to the oven, and back for an additional 8-10 minutes, or until the crust is deep golden brown.  The goat cheese will get very soft, but will not melt completely.  

Slice and serve immediately.  

 David, Rebecca, and I practically inhaled this.  I made another pizza (cheese and pepperoni) for the rest of the kids.  I will say one thing...this is a "dry" pizza, meaning there's no sauce at all.  You may prefer it as an appetizer instead of the main course.  Next time I make it, I'll reduce some balsamic vinegar to use as a base sauce.  (Just take 2 cups of balsamic vinegar and simmer until reduced by at least half, and is the consistency of maple syrup).  I think that, along with a touch more thyme and pepper, will be a nice compliment to the salty prosciutto and tangy goat cheese.  

This would a perfect treat to make for a cocktail party, ladies night out, or just for a quiet night in. :-).  Everyone loves pizza...and it's a nice change from your usual tomato-cheese combination. 

Hope you're enjoying your summer.  God bless your table tonight!

PS...You may have noticed I'm not posting as many pictures as I usually do.  I really love taking pictures of every step, but I just don't have the time these days.  It's tricky trying to hold the camera while a baby is tugging/fussing/crying at your knees too. So for now, less pictures, but hopefully plenty of details regarding each recipe so you won't miss a thing. ;-)

Vietnamese Summer Rolls

It is hotter than blazes here.  So hot, that I am cooking in spurts.  I'll go a whole week without really having cooked anything worthwhile, and then I'll go crazy for a couple of days, making enchiladas, chicken spaghetti, and these summer rolls.  No, these are not rainy day makings either...we're way behind the rainfall we normally get in a year.  It's finally cooled down a little bit, but I made these a while back when it was just so hot, turning on the stove or oven was the last thing I wanted to do. 

In between praying for rain and cooking spurts, I've been trying to make things for David to take to work.  He started a new job a few weeks ago.  The headquarters for the company is way out in the middle of nowhere, about a 45 minute commute.  The good news is it's a nice, pretty drive down country roads.  The bad news is there are no restaurants of any kind for miles around.  It's not such a bad thing...I'm secretly happy I get to cook for him more often instead of him eating out nearly every day like he was previously.

I made these summer rolls years ago, and it was fun, but really too fussy for my level of patience at the time.  Fast forward about 8 years, 5 kids later, and throw in a fabulous garden...well, it's still fussy, but the kids can occupy themselves, someone is always around to hold the baby, and the herbs I need are conveniently right outside the back door.  Not so bad, right?  Plus, I don't have to heat up the house, and the 2 ingredients that do require the stovetop take mere minutes to cook.

I found everything I needed at my local grocery store.  Hopefully you can as well, and have something cool and refreshing to eat on a hot summer day. 

Vietnamese Summer Rolls

8 rice paper wrappers (look for them in the Asian section of your grocery store)

12 medium shrimp (unpeeled)

4 ounces rice vermicelli noodles (make sure you get rice, not wheat vermicelli)

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and julienned

3 scallions, julienned

1 carrot, peeled and julienned

1 teaspoon salt

Handful of fresh mint leaves

8 large (or 16 small/medium) fresh basil leaves

Handful of fresh cilantro

8 lettuce leaves (green leaf, Boston, or romaine works fine)

Poach the shrimp briefly in a pot of simmering water for 2-3 minutes...don't overcook them.  As soon as they are pink and opaque, drain and run under cool water.  Cut in half lengthwise, and set aside.

Cook the rice noodles according to the package directions.  It should only take 3-4 minutes.  Drain and set aside to cool.

Toss the cucumber and scallions with the salt to help them soften slightly, but still retain some crispness.  Set aside for a few minutes. 

Have all the herbs washed, spun dry in a salad spinner (or patted dry with paper towels) and ready to go.  I was lucky to have some nice mint and basil from the garden.  Alas, my cilantro had already gone to seed. 

Leave the lettuce leaves whole if they are smaller, larger ones can be simply torn in half.  They should also be washed and dried.  

Soak a rice paper wrapper in water for about 20 seconds.  Lay out on a work surface covered with a clean kitchen towel.  The towel will absorb any excess water. 

Lay 3 shrimp halves across the middle of the wrapper.  Top with the noodles, cumcumber and onion mixture, carrots, cilantro, mint, and basil.  Place on lettuce leaf over everything.

Fold the bottom half of the wrapper carefully over the filling.  Don't worry...it feels delicate, but it's quite strong.  Fold in the sides, and then roll into a tight bundle. 

You can cut them in half on the diagonal to serve 'em if you want to be fancy. :-).  David doesn't go for looks when he's eating, he just opens his mouth, lol.  Serve with some peanut sauce on the side (you can find that in the Asian section of the store too). 

I doubled this recipe and made about 18 rolls (it just depends how much filling you put in).  They are best the day you make them, but will keep for one day in the fridge, in a lightly covered container, with a paper towel at the bottom to absorb any excess moisture and additional paper towels in between the layers. 

I'm not going to lie.  It took me a good part of the day to make these.  I prepped the vegetables, herbs, and shrimp in the morning, and cooked the noodles and assembled the rolls in the afternoon.  They may take some work, but it's worth it, trust me.  They are WAY better than anything store-bought.  You know you've always wanted to make these, right?  Don't be scared...you can do it!  Just remember I have to manhandle 4 kids and nurse a baby too. ;-)  It probably won't take as long for you. 

Stay cool everyone, and I hope you make these summer rolls while you're trying to beat the heat! 

 God bless your table tonight! 

Bruschetta with Basil Pesto, Fresh Tomatoes, and Parmesan

This is another one of those recipes that I can't believe I haven't posted yet.  After all, I have plenty of basil pesto in the freezer from last year's harvest, and chopping up the tomatoes takes no time at all. 

But I had family come over last night for dinner, and I wanted to make an appetizer that just screamed "summer."  I also like the fact that bruschetta can sit out and you don't have to worry about it, since it's best served room temperature. 

If you're really pressed for time, or don't have a huge bush of basil in your backyard like I do, you can buy premade pesto.  I'll never know...and I'll bet your guests won't know either. ;-) 

It's not easy getting ready for company with 5 kids running around (well...4, Theresa's not running yet ;-).  So I don't have pics of the process this time, but I promise you really can't mess this up.

Brushetta with Basil Pesto, Fresh Tomatoes, and Parmesan

1 French baguette, sliced 1/4 inch thick on the diagonal

6 roma tomatoes, cored, seeded, and chopped

8 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade

2 cloves garlic, minced

Olive oil (for the bread and the topping)

1-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Salt and black pepper to taste
Prepared basil pesto (homemade or store bought)

Shaved/shredded parmesan for garnish

Brush the bread slices on both sides with a little bit of olive oil.  Traditional, the bread slices are rubbed with garlic, but I find the basil pesto provides plenty of flavor, so I don't worry about that step.  I just brush the bread with the olive oil, and toast 'em up in the oven to a nice golden brown. 

The fun part about making the tomato topping is your can personalize it to your taste.  Don't like balsamic vinegar?  Just omit it.  Like more garlic?  Be my guest.  Love a bit of citrus flavor?  Throw in some lemon zest.  It's really up to you!

Combine the tomatoes, basil, and garlic in a medium bowl.  Add the balsamic vinegar (more or less to your taste, and a drizzle of olive oil (again, to your taste).  You make also like a bit of pepper (I find the basil adds enough of a peppery bite for me). 

Not assembling this right away?  You can just leave it out at room temperature for several hours.  If you go this route, don't add any salt until right before serving.  Salt will pull water out of the tomatoes, and make the topping really soggy.  I left my topping out, and added the salt just before serving. 

When you're ready, spread a little bit of the basil pesto on each slice of toasted bread.  Spoon on some of the tomato mixture, and top with a shave or sprinkle of parmesan. 

Set it out on the table, and watch it disappear.  This tray vanished in about 3 seconds flat!  Guess what...I have enough to make more today...much to the relief of Rebecca, who said she didn't get her share last night, ha ha.  :-)

Simple...easy...and healthy too...well, healthy enough for me anyway!  Enjoy!

God bless your table tonight!

Classic Caprese Salad

I love summer.  The days are lazy, the kids sleep in longer with every passing week, and my garden just grows, and grows, and grows.  We've had to water it more than ever this year...due to the prolonged drought here in Houston, but so far, the only thing we've lost is the yellow squash. 

Our tomatoes have really taken off the past couple of weeks.  David usually plants just one cherry tomato seedling, and one beefsteak seedling.  Well, have mercy...they have grown all the way to the top of our fence, and we pick nearly every day.  Rebecca eats her fill of the little cherries, and I've used the bigger tomatoes for some of my absolute favorite tomato recipes.  And my basil is just gorgeous...some of the leaves are as big as my hand!

Now, you really don't have to stack this salad the way I did...I just wanted to go a bit fancy for the photos.  And it's precarious, let me tell you!  Next time, I'm definitely not going fancy...I'll just lay it all out on a plate.  Don't assemble this salad until you're ready to eat.  It only takes minutes to prepare.  The longer the salt sits on the tomatoes, the more water will seep out, and it makes the plate watery.

I really believe using home grown tomatoes is a must.  Store bought tomatoes just don't have the mellow, sweet flavor that home grown tomatoes do.  If you must buy them, try to find them at a farmer's market or start growing your own...it's really easy! 

Classic Caprese Salad

1-2 large beefsteak tomatoes, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds (keeping the top and bottom slices)

1 ball of fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/4 inch rounds

Handful of fresh basil leaves, washed and patted dry

1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Lay the bottom tomato slice on a serving plate.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Top with 1-2 basil leaves, one slice of the mozzarella, and a drizzle of the olive oil.

Here's where I goofed.  I had stacked the whole stack, garnished with the oil and vinegar, and realized I'd forgotten to use the basil leaves.  That's what I get for trying to be fancy! ;-)  So you'll see the dressing on the plate before I actually finished assembling the salad, because I had to start all over again.

Repeat, stacking the tomato, cheese, and basil, until you've used up all the tomato.  Don't forget to season the tomatoes with the salt and pepper, and drizzle the oil over the mozzarella. 

Top with the last slice of tomato (the stem end), and a pretty bunch of basil.  Drizzle a little more olive oil over the top, and around the plate.  Finish off with some balsamic vinegar around the plate as well. 

David and I inhaled this salad...it was SO good.  Rebecca had some too, and said,



"Mommy, I think I could eat this every day.  We have go get some more cheese tomorrow and make it again!" 

I told her would we definitely will be making this again.  As long as we keep getting beautiful, large tomatoes from the garden, I can see us eating this salad at least 2x a week. :-)

Enjoy summer's bounty, and tasty eating!  I sure hope you can get your hands on some sweet tomatoes and make this salad.  Like now! 

God bless your table tonight!

Zucchini Cakes

Now that our garden is growing like MAD...we are picking vegetables every few days.  We already had our run of green beans (at the peak, I picked 10 pounds in 2 days!), and the cherry tomatoes are in full swing.  We also have an abundance of zucchini, yellow squash, peppers, and cucumbers.  I love using our home-grown herbs for a marinated cucumber salad with fresh dill.  We had a lovely bush of fresh dill up until a week ago...it's now gone to seed.  But the basil, italian parsley, rosemary, tarragon, oregano, thyme, and mint are doing very well.  The cilantro has also gone to seed, but I havested what I could to make this cilantro-parsley pesto (which is so insanely good!).  It's already too hot outside, I must admit, but that's the price we pay for a long growing season here in southest Texas. 

All right, so what do you do with zucchini and yellow squash, and still get the chittlins to eat it?  Fry 'em up into these yummy zucchini cakes of course!  You can actually use all zucchini or a combination of zucchini and yellow squash.  Our Christina, who won't touch a single vegetable with a 10 foot pole (except for raw, baby carrots), LOVES these cakes with ranch dressing.  Plus, they are quick and easy to make with ingredients I bet you already have on hand.

Zucchini Cakes

One medium/large zucchini (use 2 if you have just zucchini on hand)

One medium/large yellow squash

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

1/2 cup plain, dry bread crumbs

Salt and black pepper to taste

Olive oil for frying

Cut off the ends of the zucchini/yellow squash.  Then cut them in half...it makes 'em easier to work with. 

 Use a box grater and the side with the large holes to shred the zucchini and/or yellow squash.

If you have time, place all the shredded zucchini/yellow squash in a colander set over a large bowl.  Sprinkle over one teaspoon salt, and toss together.  Let sit for about an hour or so.  The salt will help pull water out of the veggies.  Short on time?  You can skip this all together, no problem. 

 Take a piece of cheesecloth, a clean kitchen towel, or in my case, a clean white handerchief from my hubby's sock drawer.  Place the shreds in the towel, and wring as much water from the zucchini/yellow squash as possible.  It's best to do this in batches (2-4 ought to do it). 

Place the mostly dry shreds in a large bowl.  Add the eggs, garlic, cheese, bread crumbs, salt, and black pepper to taste. 

Here's where you have to look at your mixture and check the consistency.  It should hold together, but still be fairly wet.  If you think it's too wet, add a bit more bread crumbs.  Too dry?  Add another egg.  I usually end up adding more bread crumbs. 

In a large skillet, heat about 1/4 inch of olive oil over medium heat.  Take about 1/4 cup of the zucchini mixture and shape with your hands into a ball.  Flatten slightly, and place in the hot pan.

 Fry for about 4-5 minutes per side, adjusting your heat if necessary.  You want a nice, golden brown, so be carefully not to get the outside too dark before the inside is cooked through. 

Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels, and repeat with the remaining zucchini mix.  You'll get anywhere from 6-8 cakes, depending on the size. 

Let cool for about 5 minutes so little tongues won't get burned. :-)  Serve with ranch dressing on the side.  A nice alternative is ranch or blue cheese dressing with a few dashes of hot sauce. :-)

These are tasty!  You can make 'em smaller, and they're perfect as appetizers.  (I've made them in advance, and held them in a warm oven until serving time).  Slightly bigger, and they're a great side dish for chicken, fish, or whatever floats your boat.  Even though I make these at least once a week, I can barely keep up with the production from the garden.  So if you have any more zucchini or yellow squash recipes you want to share, let me know!

Enjoy, and God Bless your table tonight!